Thailand country paper

1. Policies and strategies.

In order to improve agriculture production and eradicate poverty, Thailand has launched our
upcoming agricultural development plan. This plan incorporated SDGs as one of the main component and
build upon existing project.
Our upcoming Agriculture Development Plan views to increase agricultural productivity by
technology and innovation, enhance market to led production, raise living standard of farmers and balance
and sustain agricultural resources. This Plan consists of 4 strategies which the first and foremost is
strengthening farmers and farmer institutions. The rest are improving efficiency of agricultural product
management throughout supply chain, enhancing competitiveness of agricultural sector through
technology and innovation and making sustainable management of agricultural resources and
environment.
Thailand also launched an important policy called Large field agricultural system which aims to
strengthen Farmers organization. Its a type of agricultural extension system focusing on both product-
based and area-based approach by integrating farmers and related agencies to responsible in management
activities throughout the supplychain. The objective is about to enhance the capacity of management by
integrating farm, pooling manpower, and sharing services of agricultural machinery, in order to gain
economy of scale which help to reduce production cost per unit as well as increase bargaining power of
the smallholders.
Thailand recognizing the importance of public-private partnership, to boost smallholder into food
supply chain, Thailand economy has been implementing a project so-called Pracha Rath which
combines private-sector expertise, community knowhow, and government funding aims to develop rural
economy, improve and leverage local agricultural products and food processing into commercial markets.
For example, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, cooperated with private sector, launch a
Modern Farm project in a rural area, to conduct the business together with community and environment
development by supporting knowledge to cane growers, applying modern technology and management
system to reduce operating costs and help enhance productivity while preserving the environment and
strengthen the community in a sustainable way.
 2. Definition
In Thailand, Sustainable agriculture is among the major reform policy portfolios that have been
transforming the rural landscape since around the turn of the millennium. The Eighth National Social and
Economic Development Plan identified sustainable agriculture as natural farming, organic farming,
integrated farming and agro-forestry.
In addition, the New Theory and the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy of His majesty
Bhumibol Adulyadej that integrated farming system and the Buddhist self-restraint provide the
widespread of sustainable agriculture in Thai Society. This Philosophy leads to balance and sustainability
in development in all aspects, including agricultural and urban development. The Philosophy is therefore a
fundamental strategy in terms of conservation agricultural areas which ensures food security of the
country as well as safeguards smallholders from food insecurity among rapid and exclusive growth.
3. Experience and lesson learn
Some of the activities of Thailand to promote sustainable agriculture are as follow:
3.1 Green Agricultural City project:
Base on the concept of Green Growth Economy aim to make economic and social growth
more sustainable, improve resource efficiencies and limit impact on environment. The Green City is an
agriculture-based area having environmental friendly and local-harmonized production along the supply
chain which then lead to higher living standard of farmers, food safety, and income generation.
Green city encourage farmers to lift up their livelihood and produce safety product, provide
platform for green agro-industry by implement factory register system and GMP training. Lastly, Green
city aim to develop Green Market linkage by set up Q-shop, promote agro and eco-tourism, initiate
creative green agribusiness to AEC, support biomass plant in community and so forth.
This Green City project has piloted in 6 provinces which are,
- Chiengmai (in Northern Thailand outstanding in temperate fruit and vegetable),
- Srisakate (in the Northeast outstanding in Rice, Shallot, and fruit),
- Chantaburi (in Eastern Thailand outstanding in tropical fruit and fisheries),
- Ratchaburi (in Central Thailand outstanding in livestock and vegetable),
- Pattalung (in Southern Thailand outstanding in Agro-forestry), and recently add-on
- Nongkai (in the Northeast outstanding in Rice and vegetable)
 3.2 The Large field agriculture system.
A type of Extension System which being areabased approach by integration with related
agencies and managed by Field Manager in overall supplychain. This system aim to lower the cost of
production, encourage technologies transfer, improve resource efficiency and increase bargain power of
farmer. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative (MOAC) will select a suitable area base on size, how
easy to access, suitable of soil and farmer capacities. A field management team will then establish. The
team will formulate strategy that suitable to selected area which Sufficiency Economy philosophy will
be one of the main aspect of said strategy. Management team will provide training and help farmer to get
the standard certificate according to the strategy.
The main component of this system is Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The MOAC is
considering to release PPP development model by drawing the advantages from each stakeholder,
especially R&D and marketing channel to make knowledge sharing among partners and bring about
maximum and mutual benefit to lift up farmers quality of life and competitiveness.
In this regard, MOAC have implement a pilot project with Nestle. PPP will encourage both
side to invest in R&D on quality, high-quantity, climate-adaptive practice and technologies for farmer, as
well as improve said practice and technologies to farmer in affordable manner.
4. Statistic
National Statistic Office (NSO) is responsible to collect and compile the data of national progress
on SDGs. Every ministry and agency have a duty to summit their progress to NSO. However, some of the
SDGs goal still dont have the clear indicator, this made it difficult to collect a precise and appropriate
data.
5. Cooperation
One of the many goal of SDGs is to reduce food waste and losses along the supply chain. MOAC
recognize the important of food waste and losses, in this regard, Thailand and Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) launch Safe Food Network of Asia and Pacific (SFNET) Programme. The
objective of SFNET is to increase awareness of the important of food waste and losses. SFNET will
encourage and provide platform to exchange good practice and lesson learn on reduce food waste and
losses in the region. MOAC and FAO hope that SFNET will help contribute the effort to formulate a
regional strategy to reduce food waste and losses in Asia and Pacific.