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

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

10/10/2018

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

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Approach

The Volunteer Soil Doctors Network at Tam bon Ram Pan, Tamai District, Chantaburi province is a grouping of lead farmers who have been assigned to be "volunteer soil doctors", applying the new theoretical Agriculture and Sufficiency Economy Philosophy of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama 9). Their adoption of the theory helps them to demonstrate its efficiency through management of their own small-scale farms.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

The volunteer soil doctors are the farmers who coordinate land development activities such as land suitability, land management, soil improvement, soil test services, including some activities of the Land Development Department. Currently, Thailand has more than 80,000 volunteer soil doctors living/ operating in villages, sub-districts, districts and provinces, covering the whole country. The Volunteer Soil Doctors Network is a grouping of the lead and volunteer farmers who have been assigned to work together as a network, support each other and assisting the Land Development Department to achieve its goals. They facilitate knowledge exchange, learning and supporting technology transfer to their communities. The nationwide network covers the village level, tambon or sub-district level, district and provincial level.
The Land Development Department selected and appointed 80,000 volunteer lead farmers in the village level, covering the whole country, to be volunteer soil doctors. The Land Development Department and those lead farmers select the chief of the volunteer soil doctors at the district level and the chiefs from all districts choose the representative in the provincial level. Chiefs of the volunteer soil doctors at various levels work together in a network pattern. A knowledge exchange forum for the volunteer soil doctors in each network hierarchy is set up. The network of volunteer soil doctors in each level provide information, news and public relations to their members. The Volunteer Soil Doctors Network provides extension, promotion and technology transfer to their communities. The Land Development Department provides training for volunteer soil doctors. Finally, the monitoring/ evaluation and reporting will be done by Land Development Department.
The stakeholders related to the Volunteer Soil Doctors Network are volunteer soil doctors who apply the New Theory of Agriculture and transfer the technology to farmers, school pupils, university students and anyone else interested. Farmers, school pupils, university students, general public and government officers may come to study and practice in the operating area. The Land Development Department and the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board support materials, publications and technical knowledge in the New Theory of Agriculture. The New Theory of Agriculture as applied by the Volunteer Soil Doctors Network focuses on the usage of organic materials, reducing the use of chemicals, to improve soil resources and environmental conditions. However, the limitation of the networking is the low adoption of the New Theory Agriculture because most farmers focus on profitability, while the New Theory Agriculture concept stresses sufficiency economy and self-reliance.

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

The Volunteer Soil Doctors Network aims to be a forum among volunteer soil doctors and Land Development Department that work closely together to improve the land through the New Theory of Agriculture.

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	interactive	Land Development Department selected and appointed volunteer lead farmers in the village level. The Department of Land Development and lead farmers who work as volunteer soil doctors in villages will select the chief in the district level.
planning	interactive	Land Development Department sets up the Network of Volunteer Soil Doctors at the community or moo ban/ village level, to be a forum for knowledge exchange and technology transfer from soil doctors to other farmers.
implementation	interactive	Land Development Department sets up the knowledge exchange forum for soil volunteer doctors in each network. The Network of Volunteer Soil Doctors in each level will provide information, news and public relation to their members. The Volunteer Soil Doctors Network will provide extension, promotion and technology transfer to their communities. Land Development Department will provide training programs for volunteer soil doctors
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	Land Development Department manages monitoring and evaluation.
		-

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:

• mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists

Explain:

land users and network got the technology transfer and supported from LDD and the Office of the Royal Development Projects

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

• supported from Government agencies

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

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

-

Form of training:

• on-the-job
• farmer-to-farmer
• public meetings

Subjects covered:

The New Theory of Agriculture curriculum consists of the King’s knowledge, The New Theory of Agriculture concept, the farm planning, the production planning, the cost reduction knowledge, the income generating knowledge and the household account.

Comments:

more knowledge of The New Theoretical Agriculture and the King knowledge

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields

Describe/ comments:

Farmers interested in the New Theory of Agriculture could visit and learn at the center at the New Theory of Agriculture Demonstration Plot, taken care by Ms Mali Khanthira, Rampan Sub-district, Thamai District, Chathaburi Province, phone 065-6903985

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• no

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

there are monitoring and evaluation program from the agencies under the MOAC

Comments:

-

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:

• < 2,000

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

The budget from the Land Development Department for training of each soil doctor is US$ 74 per head plus US$ 17 expenses. Training is delivered by farmers with experience or by agriculturalists from LDD.

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):

Land Development Department supports the implementation of the New Theory of Agriculture through the financial support and farm inputs.

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• agricultural

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

• rewarded with other material support

Comments:

Land Development Department supported farm inputs such as marl /lime jack bean seed,Innoculants for compost making /bio fermented solution ,plot sign etc.

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

Yes

Specify conditions (interest rate, payback, etc.):

-

Specify credit providers:

Credit providers: Community Fund, a saving group for production (member monthly saving 100 THB and they can get loan from that Fund)

Specify credit receivers:

Farmer group

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

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

Yes

If yes, specify:

The New Theory learning point by volunteer soil doctors of Network

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:

The Volunteer Soil Doctors Network applied the concept of New Theory of Agriculture to their farm, made them more self-reliant by using their own family member power, have the sufficient economy life, and convey the knowledge/ technology to their neighbouring farmers.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Farmers have better living standard and are self-reliant.
Government sector supported the implementation of the New Theory of Agriculture approach and the promotion of the Volunteer Soil Doctors Network.
Farmers unity, love and strength are effected by farmer grouping

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Government agencies are key organizations that support and promote the New Theory Agriculture.
The New Theory of Agriculture focuses on the production of safe products, organic substance, and make use of recycled farm wastes as compost and bio-fermented solution, which helps reduce the cost of production.

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?
Shortage of labour, costly labour	Household labour or farm machinery
Lack of crop production knowledge	Explore more knowledge
Insufficient water resources for farming	Increase more capacity to keep more water longer, such as dig more wells or search for underground water, dredge the natural canals, pump the water and keep in the farm.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The limitation of the networking is the low adoption of the New Theory of Agriculture because most farmers’ attitude focuses on the profits, while the New Theory of Agriculture concept focuses on sufficiency economy and self-reliance.	Awareness raising, campaign for the New Theory Agriculture concept which focuses on sufficiency economy and self-reliance.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

-

Available from where? Costs?

-

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

-

URL:

-