A presentation to the Rotary Community for supporting sustainable organic farming.

1. Reduce Inequality in promoting peace
by supporting the Organic Industry
A Proposal to the Rotary Community

2. +
In the Past…
“… the best way of improving the quality of human life was to
raise material living standards. When the wolf was never far
from the door, good times were simply times of plenty.”
~ The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone

3. +
But now…

Most of us wish to eat less rather than more

On average, the poor are fatter than the rich

There have been long-term rises in rates of anxiety,
depression and numerous other social problems, e.g. the
shooting in Aurora, Colorado, USA and Norway.

The measures of wellbeing and happiness ceased to rise with
economic growth

4. +
Material Success, Social Failure

8. +
Comparison between Rich
Countries
More Equal
Less Equal
Average Income
(GNP per Capita)
Child Well-being
Better
Worse
-
Level of Trust
Higher
Less
-
Prevalence of
Mental Illness
Lower
Higher
-
Less
More
-
Life Expectancy
Longer
Less
-
Infant Mortality
Lower
Higher
-
Adult Obesity
Lower
Higher
-
Educational
Scores
Higher
Lower
-
Drug Use

9. +
Comparison between Rich
Countries
More Equal
Less Equal
Average Income
(GNP per Capita)
Less
More
-
Lower
Higher
-
Homicide
Less
More
-
Children
Experience More
Conflict
Less
More
-
Imprisonment Rate
Less
Higher
-
Higher
Lower
-
High School Drop
Out
Teen Pregnancy
Rate
Social Mobility

10. +
Argument
“The problems in rich countries are not caused by the society
not being rich enough… but by the scale of material
differences between people within each society being too
big. What matters is where we stand in relation to others in
our own society”
~ The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone

16. +
List of Countries by Income
Equality
Country
UN R/P
10%[3]
UN R/P
20%[4]
World Bank
Gini (%)[5]
WB Gini
(year)
Bolivia
93.9
42.3
57
2007
Argentina
31.6
17.8
46
2009
Malaysia
22.1
12.4
46
2009
Mexico
21.6
12.8
52
2008
China, People's Republic of
21.6
12.2
42
2005
Hong Kong
17.8
9.7
43
1996
Singapore
17.7
9.7
42
1998
Russia
12.7
7.6
42
2008
Thailand
12.6
7.7
42
2004
New Zealand
12.4
6.8
36
1997
Cambodia
12.2
7.3
44
2007
Italy
11.6
6.5
36
2000
Netherlands
9.2
5.1
31
1999
France
9.1
5.6
33
1995
9
5.5
34
2000
Germany
6.9
4.3
28
2000
Japan
4.5
3.4
25
1993
Switzerland
Source: Wikipedia.org

17. +
Argument
“The problems in rich countries are not caused by the society
not being rich enough… but by the scale of material
differences between people within each society being too
big. What matters is where we stand in relation to others in
our own society”
~ The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone

18. +
Closer to home…
12A THENAHON TAiesday, June 12,2012
'J-Vi
EDBTORBAL
GIVE RURAL PEOPLE
A CHANCE TO MAKE
A LIVING AT HOME
Development board policy to slow
the influx of upcountry people more migrants continue to pour
into Bangkok every year.
Inadequate economic opportunities,^ the provinces force
thousands ofpeo^eitbmovetq)«,,
Bangkok. Most have to leave
their families behind, and when
they find menial work in the city,
a significant portion of their
income is sent back to their relatives in the provinces. But that is
not always the case. Many rural
migrants find it too hard to get
by on minimum wages, since the
cost of living in the city is high,
and they lack access to social
support. This can cause stress,
depression and mental illness.
The problem here is the imbalance in development between the
rural and urban areas. There are
still too few job opportunities in
the rural areas. Arid without
decent education and proper skills,
people like Rachan are forced into
taking whatever kind of work they
can get.
The uncontrolled growth of
the city also exacerbates the
already existing problems of
crime and poor sanitation. In a
lot of urban districts, social
amenities and infrastructure are inadequate, and what public services there are quickly deteriorate through overuse.
The government and its agencies need to give higher priority to
balancing growth between the rural and urban areas. There is an
urgent need to create new job opportunities in the rural areas and
encourage businesses to move out of the cities. Studies have proved
that people are often happier when they're able to work close to
their homes and families. By providing jobs to more rural people
and encouraging them to stay and help develop their hometowns,
productivity will increase and bolster the rural economy.
Rural people always become a top priority for politicians seeking
election, but once they're elected, politicians from the remote
provinces rarely do anything to help improve the lot of their constituents. Thus we see the ongoing migration to bigger cities.
If this problem is not properly addressed, more people struggling
to survive in the city could end up like Rachan. We will see more druj
abuse, more crime and more people venting their anger at not being
given the opportunity to enjoy a decent standard of living.
A 50-year-old scrap
collector was
Extreme poverty is forcing more and
later
more people into the cities, where they arrested and having
confessed to
face even more hurdles that can lead
thrown detergent at
to lives of drug abuse and crime
one victim in Saphan
Khwai. The reason,
he recent reports of acid attacks on pedestrians in Bangkok
are disturbing indeed. The reports have apparently been cirhe claimed, was bis
culating for months, and they have scared Bangkokians. But
the reasons behind these acts of hatred are perhaps a reflection of
anger about social
the chronic issue of uncontrolled urban migration.
Rachan Theerakitnukul, a 50-year-old scrap collector, was arrested
discrimination and
and later confessed to having thrown detergent at one victim in Saphan
insults he felt had
Khwai. The reason, he claimed, was his anger about social discrimination and insults he felt had been directed to him by society in general.
been directed to him
And he chose to vent his anger by attacking innocent people.
Rachan has no right to hurt anyone, regardless of his feelings
by society in general.
about society. But his problem brings into focus the issue of
unmanaged urban migration. Bangkok has become overcrowded
And he chose to
because desperate people like Rachan are forced to move to the
cities tofindwork. Rachan drives a "saleng^cart around town to
vent his anger
collect scrap and waste materials in order to make ends meet
Many people in the provinces don't see a bright future where
by attacking
they live, and they lose the will to stay on to try to make a living in
innocent people.
their hometowns or villages. For some, the economic hardship is so
T
v
difficult to cope with that they resort to drug or alcohol abuse.
Rachan is a typical example of this. He is among the thousands of
migrants from the countryside who find it hard to get by in the big
city, and he has been deemed mentally unstable by the authorities
because of his use of methamphetamines.
The Bangkok metropolitan area has grown very fast over the past
few decades. Although successive governments have.wanted to curb
that growth in accordance with National Economic and Social
j,.i„ in- w-^r^mmrmm
A 50-year-old scrap collector was
arrested and later confessed to
having thrown detergent at one
victim in Saphan Khwai. The
reason, he claimed, was his anger
about social discrimination and
insults he felt had been directed
to hi by society in general. And he
chose to vent his anger by
attacking innocent people.
~ The Nation Editorial
(June 12, 2012)

19. +
Suggested Solution
“Give Rural People a Chance to
Make a Living at Home”
~ The Nation Editorial (June 12, 2012)

20. +
The Spirit Level
“Liberty, Equality and Fraternity”
“Self-realization”

21. +
The Spirit Level
“greater equality can address a wide range of problems across
whole societies. And if greater equality is also an important
component of policies to tackle global warming, there is
much to recommend it”

22. +
The Spirit Level suggests

Rather than having more redistributive taxes and benefits
and through a large welfare state?

Aim to manage to achieve low levels of inequality before
taxes and benefits, e.g. Japan.

Primary purpose is to make money or to provide a service
while remaining economically viable.

In poorer countries, economic development continues to be
very important for human wellbeing.

23. +
UNDP – Asia Pacific Human
Development Report 2012
“In Asia and the Pacific, around 30 per cent of emissions come
from agriculture, including emissions from growing crops
and raising livestock, land use changes and deforestation.
The principal greenhouse gases are nitrous oxide, especially
from the use of fertilizers; methane from live- stock and rice
production; …”

Need greener opportunities in agriculture

24. +
UNDP – Asia Pacific Human
Development Report 2012 (con’t)
“At present, rural communities get relatively little support in
terms of funds or services; for example, they find it difficult to
market goods if they do not have all-weather roads and often
do not have reliable and accurate knowledge of climaterelated issues.”

25. +
Proposal to the Rotary community

Support rural development through sponsorship

Support more vocational training in the agriculture sector

Focus on sustainable organic farming practice

Or simply coordinate and buy more organic produces

26. +
About the Organic Industry

It is not new but is growing rapidly with a good prospect

“Business aspect of the organic industry”

It is a green industry and is a good balance between economic
development and environment protection.

It requires new technology and methodology

It needs young creative entrepreneurs and knowledgeable participants

It creates jobs and vocational training

It recreates community development and bio-diversity

It provides good quality food for public to consume.

By focus on local consumption, it reduces carbon footprints

27. +
Farming Communities
Enviroment
Weather
BAD Externalities
Communities
Water
GOOD Externalities
Seeds suppliers
Equipment suppliers
Intruders
Soil
Fertilizer suppliers
Pest Control suppliers
Other farmers
• Buyers
• Government
Farm
Technology suppliers
Financing
Farm workers

28. +
Value Chain
Bridging the gap and helping the industry to grow
Downstream
Upstream
Inbound Logistics
Farm
Internal Logistics
Buyer / Seller
Outbound Logistics
National
Distribution
Center
Fertilzer
Pesticide
Collection
Grade
Local
Water
HR /
Training
Clean
Package
Overseas
Soil
Analysis
Green
House
Finance
Logistic
Irrigation
System
Seeds
HR /
Training
R&D
Farm
equipment
Knowhow
IT
Marketing
Regional
Distribution
Center
Shops
Supermarkets

29. +
Rotary’s Participation
Subject
Focus Area
Some Possible Areas for
Rotary’s participation
Production
Farm Level
• Capital financing to farmers
• Green house installation
• Water management improvement, etc…
R&D
Tertiary institutions
• Financial support to institutions
• Vocational training, etc…
Pest Control
Bio-pest control development
• R & D support
• Capital financing to rural suppliers, etc…
Fertilizers
Compost and other organic
fertilizers
• R & D support
• Capital financing to rural suppliers, etc…
Seeds
Seeds bank
• R & D support
• Seeds bank establish, etc…
Technologies
Renewable energy
Social media
Mobile technologies
• R & D support
• Capital financing to rural suppliers
• Social internet network for info sharing
• Buyer/Seller internet network
• Mobile network for instant info, etc….
Logistics
Distributive network
• Provide logistic support to local NGOs, etc…
Rotarians
Buy / Consume
• Community Support Agriculture (CSA), etc…

30. +
Rotary’s Participation in the
Value Chain
Bridging the gap and helping the industry to grow
Downstream
Upstream
Inbound Logistics
Farm
Internal Logistics
Buyer / Seller
Outbound Logistics
National
Distribution
Center
Fertilzer
Pesticide
Collection
Grade
Local
Water
HR /
Training
Clean
Package
Overseas
Soil
Analysis
Green
House
Finance
Logistic
Irrigation
System
Seeds
HR /
Training
R&D
Farm
equipment
Knowhow
IT
Marketing
Regional
Distribution
Center
Shops
Supermarkets

31. + Rotary’s Integrated Community Approach
in supporting sustainable farming
Enviroment
Weather
BAD Externalities
Communities
Water
GOOD Externalities
Seeds suppliers
Equipment suppliers
Intruders
Soil
Fertilizer suppliers
Pest Control suppliers
Other farmers
Farm
Technology suppliers
Financing
Farm workers
Buyer / Consumer / Promoter / Sponsors / Community Developer / Trainers

32. +
Summary

Urge Rotary community to provide more support towards the agriculture
sector

Help create jobs opportunities and entrepreneurship through e.g.
micro-financing support

Help enhance research and technology development in organic
development

Help provide vocational training to young farmers/graduates

Help facilitate cross-community/cross-border buying/selling and cooperation

Help create a fair trade market for organic produce

Help create the “missing link” for technology and knowhow sharing

33. +
Objectives

Promote develop sustainable rural development through collaboration
and cooperation

Create jobs through supporting the green industry

Reduce inequality between urban and rural

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Self-Realization

Provide vocational training to younger generations

Protect our One Planet

Provide clean and good food for consumption

Promote mutual understanding, mutual learning

Promote PEACE

34. Thank you!