Environmental research

The effort of the promotion of eco-agricultural practice by the In-Paeng Network and its affiliated agencies has enjoyed the increasing numbers of member. It is estimated that over 450 families have been carrying out the practice all around the Phu Phan Range. In order to ensure the best outcome, each member must go out to live in his own farm all the time during both on and off-season. To work persistently in the farm, one member is able to secure livelihood of his families. There is enough to eat and surplus for sales. This is one of the sustainable and harmonious process of living. Notwithstanding the above situation, living on the eco-agricultural practice has things to do with energy consumption and technology application such as fire-woods in cooking. A research has revealed that the yearly consumption of fire-woods is 3,650 kg/family or at 10 kg or so per day. In agricultural practice, energy both in conventional and renewable form is consumed in ploughing the land, pumping water and processing agricultural products. Generally, the technologies employed in these activities are regarded as inappropriate for agricultural society since they are too scientifically complicate and expensive. This situation prompts the untoward relationship among human beings and environment which impose obstruction to daily living and farm management in the eco-agricultural system. Consequently, the Network had agreed to a proposition: the promotion of appropriate energy and technology in eco-agricultural system such as planting tree for fuels, using bamboo basket for plastic bags in nursery process, applying solar energy for product processing process and identiying indigenous materials for use can be the key elements in solving problems on energy shortage, expensive first cost and environmental degradation. Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects): 1. To study and promote the sustainable use of renewable energy in cooking process for 100 cases 2. To study and launch a trial project on bamboo basket for nursery process in place of plastic bags 3. To promote the use of solar energy in food processing and preserving process in consistent with the season, for 100 cases 4. To educate members of the Network on energy consumption and sustainable application of appropriate technology Activities to be carried out under project: 1. To launch studies and gather data & information on fuel consumption as well as to identify resource persons 2. To analyse the data & information gathered in 1. and formulate the respective courses 3. To carry out the workshops, seminars and study tours to build the capacity of the target communities 4. To plant trees for fuels , build solar heaters and produce bamboo baskets for nursery process, in place of plastic bags 5. To set aside a fund for resource persons in studying and identifying the local resources and approaches Project participants and/or beneficiaries: 1. One-hundred families of the Network practising eco-agricultural system in villages 2. Resource persons, knowledgeable persons and other population who can provide training in relevant subjects Anticipated results of project: 1. One-hundred members of the Network have sustainable fire-woods for household use 2. There emerge 50 knowledgeable persons on bamboo weaving to be used in place of plastic bags in nursery process 3. One-hundred members of the Network possess solar heaters for use in their farms. 4. Members of the Network as a whole are instilled and realize the virtue of renewable energy and appropriate technology which are essential for long-term eco-agricultural practice.

Thailand