BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

No abstract

This paper evaluates the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on ginger production and ginger farmer livelihoods in Loei province where ginger is an important commercial crop. The analysis also pays particular attention to the lockdown period (March – June 2020). Data for this study were obtained from several sources, including information from government records, onsite observation, and semi-structured interviews. Field research was conducted in August 2020 for 10 days in a village in Plaba sub-district. Data was obtained using an interview guide with 55 ginger farmers who have been growing ginger for at least 3 years. The results show that the lock down and transportation restrictions affected input supply chains, such as fertilizer and rhizome seeds. The flow of international labor was also constrained affecting skilled labor shortage in ginger production. However, COVID-19 shows positive impacts on ginger production systems. Ginger price is higher than the previous year because of world market demand and the belief that ginger can be used as an antioxidant to prevent COVID-19 infections. Moreover, the result also shows that these ginger farmers are somewhat resilient in the face of COVID-19 as they are not much dependent on markets for their own subsistence needs. Finally, this study recommends that promoting farmers to produce their own food and diversify commercial crops would be a good strategy for farmers to survive the crisis.

This is an introduction and review for a special section on agrarian transformation in Thailand. The article seeks to guide greater attention toward issues affecting rural Thai landscapes and livelihoods. Through the examination of specific commodities across various geographies, the paper seeks to refocus research towards decision making processes among rural communities. The research draws on field study cases that follow various aspects of particular commodities, including rubber, pomelo, tomato, cassava, and furthermore, incorporates complementary research in Forest and Society on coffee, ginger, jujube, and agrotourism in Thailand. Through the factors shaping engagement with these agricultural commodities, we examine issues including labor, soil fertility, contract farming arrangements, drought resistant crops, climate change, and others. In this way we seek to draw attention to the complex dynamics taking place on the Thai rural landscape and the factors that are reshaping land relations. Through initiating a research network on similar research approaches we identify and envision broader opportunities for helping to re-imagine future possibility in rural Thailand.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a perennial herb revered as one of the most popular and valued spices of the world. Ginger is the main cash crop supporting the livelihood and improving the economic level of many ginger growers of India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Although Thailand was the fifth highest ginger producing country in the world, documentation and general recorded information on ginger cultivation, both for domestic production and export value trade, is very limited. The ginger production system is also confounding. Moreover, ginger in Thailand has received little attention from researchers. There is no research or publications about Thai production of ginger and ginger farmers in both Thai and English publications. This paper is an initial attempt to establish a ginger story in Thailand by using the Plaba sub-district in Loei province as a case study to document this overlooked story and bring attention from researchers or government officials who are interested in the possibility of identifying new agriculture possibilities and recognize potential crops for further development to support rural livelihoods.