Environmental research

Situated in the northeast of Thailand, the project location is a typical area of northeast Thailand where water shortage has been a chronic problem, especially in the location where off-season agriculture is being practiced for additional income and food security. In order to guarantee the expected yield , community members have to resort to diesel engine to pump underground water and store in the ponds for subsequent uses. Water pumping by diesel engine has been practiced in a very large scale. With the price of the fuel apt to increase and the requirement to contribute to the stabilization of the emission of the Green House Gas which causes the climatic variance, other sources of energy for water pumping need to be identified. In Thailand, there have been a number of demonstration project for water solar pumping that are workable for small scale use. A grass-rooted organization, the Na Kham TAO is responsible for the overall management of the project with other active local public organizations as stakeholders Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects): 1.To help stabilize the Green House Gas emission 2.To demonstrate sustainable agriculture to ensure food security and ecological protection Activities to be carried out under project: 1.Building capacity of target population through seminar, training and study tours on solar pumping system and sustainable agriculture 2.Installing for demonstration solar water pumping system and putting into use 3.Practicing sustainable agriculture 4.Establishing rotating fund using money from water user Project participants and/or beneficiaries: 1.40 members of the Golden Jubilee Village Pond project are direct beneficiaries 2.The Development Cooperation Foundation 3.Ubonrat Dam Self-help Settlement Anticipated results of project: 1.The rate of emission of GHG will be reduced in term of litres of diesel. 2.40 members of the project will have their income increased from selling the product by 50 %. 3.40 members are capable of managing the water use and pumping facility in a sustainable way- continuous activities.

Thailand