Key learnings including SWOT analysis and draft plans for the next action research cycle (Thailand)

1. Funded by the European Union Implemented by AIT
SRI-LMB Project in
Thailand
Regional Review and Planning Workshop
2-3 June 2015
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Mr. Mitesh V. Sawant

2. THAILAND
• Agriculture contributes (12-13 % of GDP)
• Rice production important (50% land area), major exporting country
• Agriculture produce export (30 Billion US$)
• NE Thailand only 8% area is irrigated and remaining 92% is either rainfed or
partially irrigated.
• Production System is highly vulnerable and variable in terms of resources

3. Uttaradit Province:
Districts
Ban Khok
Tron
Phichai
Surin Province:
Districts
Chumponburi
Thatum
Srikorahpum
Action Sites

4. Project At Province

5. • Regional Inception and Planning Workshop
• Strategy Paper Development
• Participatory Rural Appraisal
• National Inception and Planning Workshop
• Baseline Survey
• Central Farmer’s Participatory Action Research
• Farmer’s Participatory Action Research
• Provincial workshops
• National Review and Planning Workshop
Activities so far

7. 8.21 tons / ha
6.25 tons / ha
5.32 tons / ha
3.44 tons / ha
139 %
82 %
55 %
0 %
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
SRI Demonstration SRI- I SRI -LAP Baseline Survey
Percentage Increase from baseline survey
3291 $ / ha
2262 $ / ha
1871 $ / ha
76 %
21 %
0 %
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Demonstration SRI-I SRI-LAP
Percentage increase of Net Return compare to SRI LAP Practice
Figure 4: Average Net Return & Percentage increase in Net
return for SRI demonstration & SRI-I compared to SRI-LAP
Figure 3 : Average Yield (tons/ ha) and percentage increase in
yield in SRI Demonstration, SRI-I, SRI-LAP compared to
Baseline Survey
Overall trends of the FPAR experiments and SRI Demonstrations

8. 2471
1835
2103
1704
5.79
4.70
6.70
5.94
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
100
600
1100
1600
2100
Surin (SRI-I) Surin (SRI-LAP) Uttaradit (SRI-I ) Uttaradit (SRI-
LAP )
Yield(tons/ha)
NetReturn($/ha)
2380
1862
2044
1628
6.11
5.14
6.63
5.85
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
SRI-I (Rainfed)* SRI-LAP
(Rainfed)
SRI-I (Irrigated)* SRI-LAP
(Irrigated)
Yield(tons/ha)
NetReturn($/ha)
Figure 5: Average Net return ($ / ha) and Average
yield (tons / ha) in Surin and Uttaradit
Province
Figure 6 : Average Net return ($ / ha) and
Average yield (tons / ha) in Rainfed and
Irrigated areas

9.  Reduce seed rate saved about 250-500 baht;
 Reduce water use, saved 2-3 less irrigation cycle;
 Reduce agrochemicals use saved about 1000 baht;
 Reduce cost of weeding about 300 baht; and
 Reduce insect’s attacks in SRI Field (30 to 40 %)
Saving in SRI Technique per Rai (1 rai=0.625 ha)

10. o SRI principles are amenable to the rice production system in both
provinces and able to provide better yield and net return under
rainfed and irrigated system;
o Adoption of more SRI management practices = higher yield
levels
o SRI plants provided better response under drought conditions as
experienced in some districts of Surin
o SRI suits well to the upland system (Ban Khok) and well
amenable to farmers
o Black Berry and Black Jasmine gave a good response to the SRI
management practices and resulted into higher yield and net
return compared to the baseline levels
Key Learnings From Wet Season 2014

11. SWOT Analysis Template
Performance of project activities implementation in Thailand during FPAR wet season 2014-15Strengths
SRI Technique seems favorable to all agro ecological
conditions and across the different variety of rice
SRI Crops more resistive to blowing wind and pest
attack
Saving of chemical , water and seeds
Obtain high quality of seeds Efficient production with
medium to low level production cost.
Weaknesses
Need more labour in SRI operations
Lack of mechanization
Controlling water level is difficult
Lack of awareness among farmers
Farmer dependency on processor and exporters for getting higher
prize
Opportunities
Optimize the current production potential
Opportunities to economically and marketing wise further
exploit local breaded varieties
Opportunity to grow market for environment friendly rice
Scope for developing mechanize tools for small scale farming.
MoA in Thailand has recently started a big pot project to
consolidate rainfed rice farming and SRI project could assist
technically to reach out to large no. of farmers
Threats
Majority crop production area is rainfed and successful crop
production much depend on a well distribution of monsoon.
Entry of cooperate sector limited to large quantity rice producer
and not the small land hold farmers.
Farmers sometime felt uncomfortable with data collection
methods as it is time consuming.

12. Summary of Proposed Planes for Wet Season 2015
 All planned experiments in wet season 2015 would be set up using full set of SRI principles (as many
as possible). For comparison purpose similar area (one rai) and similar planting method (direct seeding
or transplanting) would be marked in nearby field, their practices would be noted and at the end of the
experiment yield and net returns would be compared
 Monthly backstopping from provincial office would be endured. PMU, AIT would backstop at
planting, tillering, flowering and at harvest stage. A total of 6 times backstopping would be ensured
 A pre planting workshop (one day_ would be organized to provide needed trainings on identified
issues e.g. composting
 PMU would provide drum seeder and hand weeder for experimental purposes, one set in each province
Soil testing would be ensured before experiments to provide need based nutrients to the experiments