Environmental policy and administrative management

Once an intact watershed area of Bangpakong River draining into the Gulf of Thailand / South China Sea, the soil in the project location,during a few decades ago,has been degraded through plantation of commercial mono-crop. To ensure an expected yield after the soil begins to lose its fertility, chemical substances have been excessively applied adding up to the cost. Worse is low selling price of the product prompting the communities to expand the cultivate land into the forest. Consequently, soil erosion and run-off of excessive chemical occur and affect water-related ecosystems. Realizing the degrading situation of water-related ecosystem and climate as well as the indigence of target population, the centre found necessary to rectify the situation and initiated activities that would encourage the practice of sustainable energy aiming to reduce the dependence upon chemicals and increase vegetation to reverse the degradation of water course and absorb emitted green house gas in the atmosphere. Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects): 1.To help reduce chemical run-off from agricultural land into the Gulf of Thailand 2.To promote the practice of sustainable agriculture and increase volume of carbon sink 3.To sustain financial situation by supplementary income through agro-product processing Activities to be carried out under project: 1.Building capacity of target population on: -producing organic fertilizer and fertilizer from tapioca -breeding of native species trees -agro-products processing 2.Organizing camp-training for youth group to instill environment conservation awareness 3.Launching sustainable agricultural practice, plantation of trees and agro-product processing in target 100 families totaling 1,000 rai ( ~ 160 ha ) Project participants and/or beneficiaries: 1. The 100 families are primary beneficiary 2.Community Forest Promotion Project of the Prachinburi Area Forestry Office 3.Ban Huay Hin Centre for Agro-forestry Anticipated results of project: 1.Emergence of more environment networks 2. Fifty % reduction in chemical application from the 100 families 3.There are new 100,000 trees in the 1,000 rais of area 4.Emergence of community forest heritage of 20 rais to serve as a learning place for public 5.Target families save about 40 % of expenditure and earn 80 % in addition.

Thailand