Farmer Organizations in Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

Notwithstanding the rapid growth of commercial agriculture in Thailand over the past half century, farmer organizations and community enterprises have been a common and distinctive feature of the rural economy and have been strongly supported by government policies, especially with the promotion of the “sufficiency economy”. While informal cooperation has been a traditional part of village life, the government has consistently promoted more formal organizational arrangements for farmers, alongside policies for intensification and commercialization of rice and other crops. This juxtaposition of independent smallholder farming and collective, community-based economic activity is explored in this chapter through case studies of organizations in three villages in Northeast Thailand. It was found that farmer organizations can facilitate the sharing of knowledge and skills, improve access to production technologies, encourage saving and investment, and increase farmers’ market competitiveness. Community enterprises can create new employment opportunities, especially for women and disadvantaged groups, contributing to livelihood diversification while reducing the need for out-migration. The key factors contributing to the success of these groups were strong committed leadership, involved membership, connecting with wider networks, the role of government and non-government assistance providers, and supportive government policies.

Factors influencing participation in collective marketing through organic rice farmer groups in northeast Thailand

“…The motives for adoption of organic farming include pursuing higher income, preventing health issues by reducing the use of synthetic pesticides, and conservation of environments, which is expected to contribute to sustainable development of the agriculture sector ( Ullah et al., 2015 ; Kramol et al., 2020 ). Application of biofertilizers to soil helps keep the plants healthy and gradually improves biodiversity on farmland ( Yanakittkul and Aungvaravong, 2020 ; Sapbamrer and Thammachai, 2021 ).…”

“…(2017) revealed that experienced rubber farmers in Thailand preferred to sell their produce through farmer groups for gaining bargaining power, fetching higher output prices, and obtaining government support. Economic incentives can drive farmers to participate in farmer groups ( Sumarsono and Widjajanto, 2017 ; Kramol et al., 2020 ; Yanakittkul and Aungvaravong, 2020 ).…”

“…Moreover, working as a group may create mutual trust among farmers and generate social agreements and responsibilities ( Danau et al., 2015 ). As a group, it is easier for external agencies to support and transfer knowledge to members through the farmer group rather than directly to individual farmers ( Fischer and Qaim, 2012 ; Abdul-Rahaman and Abdulai, 2020 ; Kramol et al., 2020 ). In a sense, those groups worked as an institutional mechanism to provide access to markets, reduce transaction costs, and minimize market failures, especially in developing countries ( Poapongsakorn et al., 2019 ; Kramol et al., 2020 ; Kumse et al., 2021 ).…”

“…Moreover, the farmer groups play a critical role in producing and collectively marketing organic commodities in Thailand ( Jayne et al., 2010 ; Fischer and Qaim, 2012 ; Kramol et al., 2020 ). Farmers may gain benefits from farmer groups in forms of inputs supply (seed, fertilizer, pesticide, machines, and tools), credit, training, and collective marketing ( Bernard and Spielman, 2009 ; Markelova and Mwangi, 2010 ; Mudege et al., 2015 ).…”

“…Farmers may gain benefits from farmer groups in forms of inputs supply (seed, fertilizer, pesticide, machines, and tools), credit, training, and collective marketing ( Bernard and Spielman, 2009 ; Markelova and Mwangi, 2010 ; Mudege et al., 2015 ). Furthermore, farmers may receive a premium price for producing and selling high-value products ( Kramol et al., 2020 ). Thus, farmer groups are key actors in the agricultural supply chain, significantly contributing to reducing poverty and increasing income among members ( Sedana, 2019 ).…”