Organic rice farming in northeastern Thailand: An assessment of farmers’ practices

Abstract

Rice is a staple food for Thais and is the main economic crop for the Thai agricultural sector. Thailand is now essentially self-sufficient in rice, and emerging as a vital exporter of high-value agricultural produce. Since 2001, the Thai government has implemented sustainable agricultural policies for the expansion of organic rice farming with the aim of improving the rice industry. The objectives of this study therefore were to document farmers’ adoption of organic jasmine rice farming, examine farmers’ socio-economic data to identify factors promoting adoption, and analyze various constraints affecting adoption practices. The data were collected from 160 jasmine rice farmer households in Surin province during August–September 2008, through interviews and group discussion. Structured and semi-structured questionnaires were used in the survey. Results showed that most rice farmers had practiced organic rice farming and their switch was significantly and positively influenced by farm income, farmers’ contact with extension workers, and information access. Limited water supply in farms posed a major obstacle for the further expansion of organic rice farming. This study recommends that training courses and farm demonstrations in organic rice production technology should be planned and implemented to further promote organic rice farming.