1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Reference(s) to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Technologies

2.1 Short description of the Approach

The Natural Agriculture Club is a group of farmers who conduct organic farming on sloping land. An organic farming technology transfer centre has been established.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

The objectives of the Natural Agriculture Club are to bring together the farmers who practice organic farming on sloping land by setting up a forum for knowledge exchange and then sharing through the Organic Agriculture Technology Transfer Center. This will enable farmers gain knowledge and better understanding about organic agriculture production, and then increase their management capability from farm to market.
The Natural Agriculture Club guides organic production on sloping land and this involves restoration of agricultural ecosystems on farms. Therefore, it is necessary to improve learning about nature and farm management. Organic agriculture is a guiding principle of agriculture, based learning processes because farmers have to observe, analyze, synthesize and summarize lessons learned from their own farm. The physical conditions, such as soil, climate, and socioeconomics need to be considered in developing an organic approach that is specific to the area. The group learning system process includes the following steps:
1. Establishing a Natural Agriculture Club
2. Inviting interested farmers to join the club
3. Setting up a group management committee
4. Training club members about organic agriculture production and the process of managing the products
5. Creating a knowledge transfer process through practicing in the learning center
6. Providing an internal audit system to maintain the standards of organic farming
7. Running club seminars
8. Outreaching to YouTube videos, brochures, TV and radio interviews
9. Promotion and support from the Land Development Department, Department of Agricultural Extension, Department of Alternative Energy Development and The Energy Conservation Electricity Generating Authority
There are various stakeholders who are involved in the activities of the Natural Agriculture Club. Lead farmers and farmer members will participate in group management, to share and transfer knowledge among group members. Government and private agencies are promoting and supporting in terms of finance, inputs, promotion and public relations activities for the club. Exporters of organic products help distributing agricultural products to foreign countries. FAO is one of the agencies involved. Schools, universities, with their teachers and students are learning and observing the club activities. Members of the club are of the opinion that: the Natural Agriculture Club is a participatory forum involving both public agencies and farmers; group operations have the power to negotiate and contact the market directly; group learning provides better knowledge, skills and experience in organic agriculture; loyalty of farmer members makes the Natural Agriculture Club strong; and farmer members adopt and apply appropriate technologies because they have learned from the knowledge sharing and exchange - and from their own doing.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.4 Videos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

1. To gather the farmers who practice organic farming on sloping land by setting up a forum for knowledge exchange and sharing through the establishment of the Organic Agriculture Technology Transfer Center.
2. To enable farmers to gain knowledge and better understanding about organic agriculture production and to increase their organic agricultural products management capability from farm to market.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	self-mobilization	Government agencies, such as DOAE, LDD, support the project and giving information and public relations
planning	interactive	Government agencies and farmers participate in planning, meeting, monitoring and examining the farm for organic agriculture practice
implementation	interactive	Farmers, public and private agencies
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	Member farmers, public and private agencies

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach

Explain:

-

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

• students

If relevant, specify gender, age, status, ethnicity, etc.

-

Form of training:

• farmer-to-farmer
• courses

Subjects covered:

Land development technology

Comments:

Systematic organic farming technology transfer

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• at permanent centres

Describe/ comments:

Related government officers often advised.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

-

Specify type of support:

• financial
• capacity building/ training

Give further details:

Financial support from LDD and EGAT

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

Monitoring and evaluation

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

Yes

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

No

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• > 1,000,000

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

LDD, EGAT, Energy Ministry

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

Yes

If yes, specify type(s) of support, conditions, and provider(s):

Building, farm inputs, processing plant, packaging machine and accessories

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• equipment

• agricultural

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

Comments:

-

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

Yes

If yes, specify:

LDD and EGAT supported and promoted in terms of inputs, accessories, finance and policy.

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

Production of safe products and public certification help

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Farmers are working together in various group activities; the works are integrated among farmers and public and private sectors.
Working as a group makes gives bargaining power and better access to markets.
Working as a group builds up more skill and experience to produce organic products.
The farmer members' honesty makes the group stronger.
Learning by doing and technology transfer system of the group make higher rate of adoption.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Systematic land use planning is applied.
Certifying organic products from a third party creates more market demand.
National organic products policy from the government makes public awareness and more interest is paid to it.
More market to sell the organic products
Raising the demand of health food
New generations participate more and more

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Lack of public relations and continued support from the government sector	Government and private sector should be more involving and set a long-term policy.
It takes time and one has to be patient to do organic farming	Looking for alternative machinery and more techniques to help/ support organic farming.
Running an organic farm in a remote area or far from the market place makes selling organic products a problem	Open more markets nearby.
Consumers’ lack of understanding of the organic products	Public sector should give more support.
Packaging of the organic products is not so attractive	Related agencies esp. those in the public sector should give more support.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Much less volume of organic products than ordinary farm products	Farmers grouping should encourage more members to join and, thus, more products will be obtained.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Land Development Department MOAC

Available from where? Costs?

http://www.ldd.go.th/www/lek_web/

Title, author, year, ISBN:

DOA

Available from where? Costs?

http://www.doa.go.th/main/

Title, author, year, ISBN:

DOAE

Available from where? Costs?

www.doae.go.th

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

-

URL:

-