Integrated soil management for organic vegetables: a nursery in the highlands in the Royal Project (Ms. Kamalapa Wattanaprapat)
This case study is of organic vegetable cultivation at Ban Muang Ang Village which is located in Ban Luang Sub-district, Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province, covering approx. 25,881 Rai (6.25 rai = 1 ha; 625 rai = 1 sq km). The topography is a complex mountainous area within the Doi Inthanon National Park, at an elevation of 600-800 m asl. The climate is quite cool and humid with average temperature throughout the year being 20⁰C. The average annual rainfall is 2,000-2,100 mm. Most of the population belong to the Pakhayo hilltribe, living in 219 households, with total population of 588 persons (308 males, 280 females). The main purpose of promoting growing organic vegetables in greenhouses is to change their way of life from forest encroachment/ shifting cultivation in the upper watershed, to improving the ecosystem services and environment with better health and higher incomes for villagers.
Since 2002, the government and the Royal Project Foundation have had a policy to change land use to organic farming. At the early stage, yields of organic vegetables were not good. In the year 2010, the Inthanon Royal Agricultural Station brought a number of these land users to visit the Mae Tho Royal Project Development Center in Bo Sali Sub-district, Hot District, Chiang Mai Province. They obtained knowledge about organic cultivation in simple greenhouses made from bamboo poles, covered with plastic sheets and nylon nets. Local officers of the Inthanon Royal Agricultural Station supported with education, offered suggestions and recommended practices, as well as finding markets to sell the organic products; that became the model. It took only 25-30 days for a crop, and they could harvest about 200 kg of vegetables per greenhouse. They could produce 11 crops of vegetables in one year, which means that they could earn 10 times more income than before. At present, Muang Ang Village there are 153 members operating in 270 greenhouses which is the largest organic vegetable production area in the Inthanon Royal Project.
The production of organic vegetables in this area is outstanding. This network has received certification from the Department of Agriculture (DOA) and the Office of Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand (ACT Organic). Farmers or farming enterprises certified by this system are entitled to apply the logos and certification card of ACT Organic and IFOAM Accredited brand on their products. Moreover, the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has approved the production processes. Every production step has been approved through the standard regulation of each agency with tracking to the source of production inputs such as fertilizers, disease, weed and pest control measures, cultivation practices, etc. Now they have nine types of vegetables that constitute the main production: Choy, Baby Emperor, Cos Salad, Green Oak, Red Oak, Fille Iceberg, String Bean, Kale Hong Kong and Baby Carrot.
الموقع: Inthanon Royal Agricultural Station, Ban Luang Sub-district, Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province, تايلاند
عدد مواقع تنفيذ التقنيةالتي تم تحليلها: موقع واحد
انتشار التقنية: يتم تطبيقها في نقاط محددة/ تتركز على مساحة صغيرة
في منطقة محمية بشكل دائم؟:
تاريخ التنفيذ: 2002; منذ 10-50 سنة
نوع التقديم
| تحديد المدخلات | الوحدة | الكمية | التكاليف لكل وحدة (Baht (THB)) | إجمالي التكاليف لكل مدخل (Baht (THB)) | % من التكاليف التي يتحملها مستخدمو الأراضي |
| العمالة | |||||
| Construct greenhouse | man | 10,0 | 300,0 | 3000,0 | 100,0 |
| During cultivation | man | 6,0 | 300,0 | 1800,0 | 100,0 |
| During maintenance | man | 45,0 | 300,0 | 13500,0 | 100,0 |
| During harvesting | man | 10,0 | 300,0 | 3000,0 | 100,0 |
| معدات | |||||
| Rubber pipe | piece | 1,0 | 1000,0 | 1000,0 | 100,0 |
| Tractor for soil preparation | Rai | 1,0 | 300,0 | 300,0 | 100,0 |
| المواد النباتية | |||||
| Vegetables seed | site | 1,0 | 700,0 | 700,0 | 100,0 |
| الأسمدة والمبيدات الحيوية | |||||
| Animal manure (cow manure) | bag | 20,0 | 30,0 | 600,0 | 100,0 |
| BT bio-product | litre | 100,0 | |||
| Predators and parasites | - | ||||
| Insect glue trap | liter | 0,5 | 290,0 | 145,0 | 100,0 |
| Yellow plastic plate | piece | 60,0 | 5,0 | 300,0 | 100,0 |
| Yellow plastic bag | litre | 0,5 | 120,0 | 60,0 | 100,0 |
| مواد البناء | |||||
| Wood frame / mesh net / plastic cloth | site | 1,0 | 14700,0 | 14700,0 | 40,0 |
| PVC pipe | piece | 40,0 | 40,0 | 1600,0 | 100,0 |
| إجمالي تكاليف إنشاء التقنية | 40'705.0 | ||||
| إجمالي تكاليف إنشاء التقنية بالدولار الأمريكي | 1'272.03 | ||||
| تحديد المدخلات | الوحدة | الكمية | التكاليف لكل وحدة (Baht (THB)) | إجمالي التكاليف لكل مدخل (Baht (THB)) | % من التكاليف التي يتحملها مستخدمو الأراضي |
| العمالة | |||||
| Changing plastic sheets | man | 3,0 | 300,0 | 900,0 | 100,0 |
| Wash plastic sheets | man | 3,0 | 300,0 | 900,0 | 100,0 |
| مواد البناء | |||||
| Plastic sheet (change every 3 years) | roll | 1,0 | 3700,0 | 3700,0 | 100,0 |
| إجمالي تكاليف صيانة التقنية | 5'500.0 | ||||
| إجمالي تكاليف صيانة التقنية بالدولار الأمريكي | 171.88 | ||||
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Land users can cultivate 11 times per year.
GAP and organic products
Reforestation in this area, around 1,700 rai
Land users can cultivate continuously and local officers visit and advise them for good practices under GAP and organic agriculture.
Area for agriculture decreased and forest area increased. That corresponds to the policy of the Royal Project to produce strictly organic vegetables.
Membership in this network increased by 3-4 persons a year.
Cost of fertilizers, bioproduct and pesticides
GAP and organic vegetable products
They usually work in their land almost everyday because organic vegetables need more intensive practices.
That is the main concept of the organic vegetable activities.
The Royal Project officers supported knowledge and suggestion to community network.
Local officers and training in implementation
Rainwater from the upstream of this watershed
They usually use organic fertilizers.
Several kinds of vegetables are used in this organic farming.
They used bioproducts for disease and pest control.
