Chemicals

Implementing NGO/CBO: Towards CBO Capacity Coordinating Network of Songkhla and Nakorn Sri Thammarat Province (TCSN): Established as a non-registered NGO in 1999, aiming to promote self-reliance among communities and promote gender roles and participation of youth group in community development. TCSN was successful in establishing funds to support conservation of local environment, reviving indigenous agricultural practice, promoting symbiosis plantation and instilling conservation awareness among community youth groups. Location of project: Cultivated areas in 5 Tambols of Songkhla Province and 4 Tambols in Nakorn Sri Thammarat Province which are plain between mountainous area and included in river basins of the Gulf of Thailand. Several decades back, the area was very rich in biodiversity, especially, landraces. Now, several species, once alien now acceptable in the location, are promoted as mono crops with unregulated use of chemicals resulting in degradation of the ecosystems and its native species. Target Population: 500 from 1,000 families, both Buddhist and Muslim, in project location who earn their living by planting para-rubber, tending orchards, growing paddies, small scale fishing and providing general services. The per capita income is THB: 30,000 (US$: 958.77) Main activities to be carried out 1. Launching technical capacity building of targeted population through study tours and open forum 2. Launching demonstration of conservation activities through resources inventory, promoting alternative agriculture, establishing seed banks 3. Launching dissemination of project results 4. Launching participatory evaluation Anticipated Results and Indicators 1. Increase capacity of 70 farmers witnessed by ability to put into daily practice to avoid/reduce chemicals and launch alternative agriculture 2. Increase biodiversity in plots of 50 members with total area of approximately 32 ha, with 20 plots as model 3. The established seed bank available with 200 native species 4. About 30 new recipes from native species being made known among network members 5. Emergence of a youth group with 50 members demonstrating insight about organic farming

Thailand