Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group
(Thailand)
Patawee model
Description
The Patawee Model Organic Farming group is a learning center and network for organic fruit and vegetable production.
The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group is a learning center and network for organic fruit and vegetable production. The group's farm products are certified as organic, and qualify for the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS). They are for both domestic and export markets. The group plays a role in a knowledge exchange forum, in consultation, and in participatory problem-solving under the PGS. The PGS quality assurance system is based on the foundation of trust, social networking and information/knowledge exchange. The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group's objectives are to bring together fruit and vegetable growers to learn, and to increase their ability to produce and market as well as to promote knowledge among the general public about organic standards for fruits and vegetables. The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group has the following procedures: the first step is grouping the growers, then setting up a knowledge exchange forum and strengthening organic standard production management among them. Then marketing management, both domestic and international, follows. Next is promoting knowledge of production standards to the public. Also, agro-tourism helps to generate supplementary income. Public relations are through several activities: technology transfer, training, exhibition, printed media and using Facebook. Last but not least, an enterprise community has been set up.
The grouping began when Mr. Ratthai Pongsak started organic fruit farming in Pattawee Village. Many farmers and interested persons visited his farm and became interested in organic farming. These interested farmers agreed to join in a group called “The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group”, as a center for organic farmers. The organic farming group has provided a forum for exchanging knowledge, supplying inputs, sharing, analyzing and exchanging market data. Meetings are held on a monthly basis. The group has adapted the standard of group management in accordance with the organic standards under the PGS system - according to the government’s suggestion: this covers production, marketing and agro-tourism as the three dimensions of group work. The group has organized activities to support marketing management, such as the dissemination of organic farming, the selling of the products, and an agro-tourism program that involves opening the organic farms to visitors. There is also training, publishing and promoting the works of the group. Technology transfer is through the learning center. The group has been strengthened by the government and private sectors; for example, the organic fruit processing machinery was supported by them.
The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group has a number of key stakeholders. The chairperson plays a very important role in group management, driving the group activities and supporting technology transfer, providing a location and finance to the group. Members of the group play a role in exchanging knowledge about product management, processing, clearing, screening fruit grades, marketing, purchasing, knowledge transfer, exhibitions and sales through the online media. Interested parties include farmers, the soil volunteer doctor, students, tourists, consumers. Marketing enterprises involved include TOP Market, Lemon Farm, buyers from Japan, Korea and Europe. Both government and private agencies play an important role in supporting all aspects of the group and its activities.
Location
Location: 5 Moo 2 Tambon Makham district Chantaburi Thailand, Chantaburi province, Thailand
Geo-reference of selected sites
Initiation date: 2016
Year of termination: n.a.
Type of Approach
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traditional/ indigenous
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recent local initiative/ innovative
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project/ programme based
Organic fruits production training course ((Chantaburi Land Development Station))
Sales booth (-)
Approach aims and enabling environment
Main aims / objectives of the approach
The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group has the objective of grouping fruit and vegetable producers for learning and bringing more production under organic farming standards, as well as improving marketing management and promoting knowledge about organic standards among the public.
Conditions enabling the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
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Social/ cultural/ religious norms and values: Thai social value is to share so the technology was exchanged.
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Availability/ access to financial resources and services: The Group was registered as a community enterprise making it easier to get bank credit.
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Institutional setting: The government provides the organic technology knowledge and recommendations as well as supporting farm inputs, field inspection certification, sign boards, posters, publications, VDOs, and setting up the agro-tourist base. The local government cooperates in providing experts for the training program. Education institutions such as schools and universities also make field visits.
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Collaboration/ coordination of actors: More convenient to cooperate now than in the past; many communication channels exist.
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Policies: The government supports and promotes the production of organic fruits and vegetables.
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Land governance (decision-making, implementation and enforcement): Growing crop types according to the land suitability.
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Knowledge about SLM, access to technical support: The community enterprise should be set up to get the support from public agencies, e.g. Department of Agriculture (DOA) regional office provides technical advice on organic agriculture, chemical test inputs, subsidy certification; LDD supports farm inputs, publications, public relations, television programs; Community Development Office sets up the agro-tourism programs, sign boards, and public relations.
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Markets (to purchase inputs, sell products) and prices: Self-marketing - there are buyers coming to the community and buying the products directly from growers; the price is set by the group without a middleman
Conditions hindering the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
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Institutional setting: Uncertain of support and wrong group to support
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Legal framework (land tenure, land and water use rights): Farmers without land ownership documents cannot have their products certified as organic standard products.
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Policies: If local officers do not have proper locality data, it might affect in site identification.
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Markets (to purchase inputs, sell products) and prices: International market management is a problem with respect to how to keep products long enough without using chemicals.
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Workload, availability of manpower: Shortage of labour: skill labourers are very costly, there needs to be a labour control of the skill to meet the organic standard
Participation and roles of stakeholders involved
Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles
What stakeholders / implementing bodies were involved in the Approach? |
Specify stakeholders |
Describe roles of stakeholders |
local land users/ local communities |
Farmers |
Fruit growers face the same problems as the use of chemical fertilizer /pesticide, market. They are interested and have visited and learned the problems solving community-based organizations |
community-based organizations |
กลุ่มมีการจดทะเบียนเป็นวิสาหกิจชุมชน |
และจัดตั้งเป็นแหล่งเที่ยวชุมชน (ปัถวีโมเดล) |
SLM specialists/ agricultural advisers |
Regional 6 Agriculture Research Office , |
Provide organic standard production knowledge, recommendations, laboratory services, farm inputs support, field inspection and certification |
teachers/ school children/ students |
School and university teacher and students |
Training and field visits, practices |
private sector |
Private company |
Supports processing machine and buys the group's products. |
local government |
Local government |
Coordinates, invites experts to be trainers for the group. |
Lead agency
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Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach
none
passive
external support
interactive
self-mobilization
initiation/ motivation
Land owners and farmer members who faced similar problems come to join together to search for the solution.
planning
Land owners and farmer members explore and visit the Natural Agriculture Center and learn how to produce organic products.
implementation
land owners and farmer members + local government officers group together for a knowledge exchange + explore market, analyse + set up the promotion activities+ technology transfer and exchange + sale booth
monitoring/ evaluation
Land owners and farmer members + local government officers + visitors + entrepreneur monitor, do sampling and testing.
Flow chart
The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group begins by grouping the fruits and vegetables growers, then setting up a knowledge exchange forum and strengthening organic standard production. Then marketing management and knowledge of organic fruit and vegetable production standards disseminated to the public. The agro-tourism management/promotion’s purposes are to generate supplementary income. Public relations have been carried out and an enterprise community was set up.
The grouping began when Mr. Ratthai Pongsak (นายรัฐไท พงษ์ศักดิ์) started an organic fruit farming in Pattawee Village. Many farmers and interested persons have visited his farm and become interested in doing organic farming. These interested farmers agreed to join in a group called “The Pattawee Model Organic Farming Group”, to be the center for organic farming. For a fuller description see the overall description of the approach (above).
Author: -
Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology
Decisions were taken by
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land users alone (self-initiative)
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mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists
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all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach
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mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users
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SLM specialists alone
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politicians/ leaders
Decisions were made based on
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evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
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research findings
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personal experience and opinions (undocumented)
Technical support, capacity building, and knowledge management
The following activities or services have been part of the approach
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Capacity building/ training
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Advisory service
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Institution strengthening (organizational development)
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Monitoring and evaluation
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Research
Capacity building/ training
Training was provided to the following stakeholders
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land users
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field staff/ advisers
Form of training
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on-the-job
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farmer-to-farmer
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demonstration areas
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public meetings
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courses
Subjects covered
Curriculum 1. Safe food production for both producers and consumers
Curriculum 2. Organic agriculture production
Advisory service
Advisory service was provided
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on land users' fields
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at permanent centres
Farmers, tourists, students, entrepreneurs interested persons can come to learn, get recommendations, advice, and practice. For information about farmers in the Pattawee group and the community and the agro-tourist spots one may contact the sale counter at the center: Mr Ratthai Phongsak (นายรัฐไท พงษ์ศักดิ์), Tel. 063-2262251 or Facebook: รัฐไทศูนย์เรียนรู้ชุมชนปัถวี Line: รัฐไท organic group
Monitoring and evaluation
Pattawee Model Organic Agriculture Group opens their plantation for free entrance and free tasting of the products. Visitors may test the chemical-free products at any time. The group’s products are sold to various department stores in Bangkok such as The Mall, TOP and are exported to Japan, Korea and Europe. Members of the group have to be strict with the standard’s regulations, so they take samples and test the products often.
Financing and external material support
Annual budget in USD for the SLM component
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< 2,000
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2,000-10,000
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10,000-100,000
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100,000-1,000,000
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> 1,000,000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Land Development Department, Provincial Community Development Office of Chanthaburi Province, and private agencies
The following services or incentives have been provided to land users
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Financial/ material support provided to land users
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Subsidies for specific inputs
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Credit
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Other incentives or instruments
Financial/ material support provided to land users
Land Development Department, Provincial Community Development Office Chanthaburi Province, and private agencies support farm inputs for demonstration plots, plot sign-boards, publications, posters, VDOs, and machines for fruit processing.
partly financed
fully financed
equipment: machinery
140,000
equipment: machinery: tools
12,000
Labour by land users was
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voluntary
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food-for-work
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paid in cash
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rewarded with other material support
Other incentives or instruments
1. Counters for selling vegetables, fruits and processed fruit products to tourists, visitors as well as to the online orders, stores and international markets; 2. Honorarium as farmer trainers; 3. After getting better known, more markets opportunity; 4. Awards from many organizations.
Impact analysis and concluding statements
Impacts of the Approach
No
Yes, little
Yes, moderately
Yes, greatly
Did the Approach empower local land users, improve stakeholder participation?
Being members of the Pattawee Group, farmers obtain more income. When stronger, farmers get better prices of their products, with self-pricing, making their occupation more stable.
Did the Approach enable evidence-based decision-making?
Pattawee model group has markets, self-pricing, and markets its own classified packed products, according to the organic standard regulations for higher market and export purpose.
Did the Approach help land users to implement and maintain SLM Technologies?
It may motivate other farmers because of the better price and there is more market demand for organic products.
Did the Approach improve coordination and cost-effective implementation of SLM?
Group meeting will be on the 20th of each month. They will exchange and share their experience of organic production and problem solving. The information will be posted on Facebook. Farmers participate in group inspection to control the group standard production as well as the market analysis and public relations.
Did the Approach mobilize/ improve access to financial resources for SLM implementation?
There has been registered the grouping as a community enterprise – this enables an easy access for the group to the bank credit.
Did the Approach improve knowledge and capacities of land users to implement SLM?
There is an exchange and learning forum among the group members, where the proposal of initiatives, the experiments and the transfer of technology will be done.
Did the Approach improve knowledge and capacities of other stakeholders?
The group has been developed through the participatory knowledge exchange and field inspection.
Did the Approach build/ strengthen institutions, collaboration between stakeholders?
The group is expanding its influence and becoming a community enterprise. The group meets monthly. There are some community tourism sites supported by government agencies and there is a provincial policy for safe food production program, so they make the group stronger.
Did the Approach encourage young people/ the next generation of land users to engage in SLM?
Technology transfer was done through several media such as TV program, Youtube, Facebook, sale booth, visit ‘learning by doing’ programs, and tourism programs.
Did the Approach lead to improved food security/ improved nutrition?
The technology for soil improvement provides safety to both food producers and consumers.
Did the Approach improve access to markets?
Organic products are more and more demanded by markets; they command higher prices.
Main motivation of land users to implement SLM
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increased production
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increased profit(ability), improved cost-benefit-ratio
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reduced land degradation
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reduced risk of disasters
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reduced workload
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payments/ subsidies
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rules and regulations (fines)/ enforcement
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prestige, social pressure/ social cohesion
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affiliation to movement/ project/ group/ networks
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environmental consciousness
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customs and beliefs, morals
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enhanced SLM knowledge and skills
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aesthetic improvement
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conflict mitigation
Sustainability of Approach activities
Can the land users sustain what hat been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?
Land users are able to do by their own investment, no need to wait for the support from outside.
Conclusions and lessons learnt
Strengths: land user's view
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There is a learning center to share information/knowledge to solve problems in their occupation.
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The organic group has a more stable career as members have a meeting every month to exchange information concerning their production, which greatly helps to solve the group’s problems and helps to drive and find market/s.
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Organic products command a higher price and the price is set by the group; these things are the incentives for others to join the group.
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It gives more channels for consumers to access to the organic products via online sale, agro-tourism via the "FREE ENTRANCE EAT FREE" concept.
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The group gives more confidence to interested farmers to join and follow.
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It makes a happy atmosphere when they meet and exchange information/knowledge with each other.
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It gives more opportunity to learn.
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Good health
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
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The Patawee Model Organic Farming Group is strengthened because the leader/chairman of the group makes sacrifices to the community and group; he can always find the solution to solve the groups' problems.
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There is the confidence in the production of organic agricultural products.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
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Large number of members in a group may make matters more complicated
Should do more knowledge sharing and exchange
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Large number of members may cause difficulty in setting up the time frame of the meeting or certain group activities
Do more
Documentation, circular meeting report letter via group line
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Shortage of the group fund
Set up a group regulation to deduct some money from the sale commission of the products.
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Group conflict from grouping regulation/standard of products and large number of members
Monitoring individual production, field check, more meetings, knowledge exchange forum among members will make better understanding to the group agreement/regulation.
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Lack of knowledge and good practice
Set up the knowledge exchange forum, field visit, study tour, public subsidy.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
References
Reviewer
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Rima Mekdaschi Studer
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William Critchley
Date of documentation: Dec. 14, 2018
Last update: Jan. 18, 2021
Resource persons
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Parichart Phaipakwan (parichat19@hotmail.com) - co-compiler
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Chanjira Charoenthaweechai (jangi@windowslive.com) - suppored farm inputs ,publication public relation TV program social media
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Songwut Somphan (-) - land user
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Somporn Raksa (-) - land user
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Weenus Wichiannoi (-) - land user
Full description in the WOCAT database
Documentation was faciliated by
Key references
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Organic Farming System in the Context of Sufficiency Economy: Case Study of Organic Farmers in Mae Rim Watershed, Chiang Mai Province / Tawan Hangsoongnern, Pongsak Angkasith, Avorn Opatpatanakit and Ruth Sirisunyluck / 30 ฉบับที่ 1 มกราคม 2557 / ISSN 0857-0841: http://journal.agri.cmu.ac.th/content.asp?JID=121&CID=911
Links to relevant information which is available online