Organic Agriculture is production system based on an agro-ecosystem management approach that utilizes both traditional and scientific knowledge. The study indicated that organic agriculture has several advantages compare with conventional agricultural practices, such as improving soil fertility, increase biodiversity, reduce pesticide poisoning, lower nitrate leaching, use less energy, sequester more carbon. With organic farming farmers depend on less external resource, get stable yield. Organic agriculture also helps to conservative local varieties, traditional heritage and traditional knowledge as well.
According to International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement, organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved (IFOAM, 2008). The organic agriculture should based on principle of health: organic agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible; principle of ecology: organic agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them emulate them and help sustain them; Principle of fairness: organic agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities; principle of care: organic agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment.
In 2001, the Thai Cabinet announced the country’s organic production promotion policy with the aim of making Thailand the Asian Hub for organic products. The promotion of organic agriculture was initiated by NGOs. Among NGOs, Kaokwan Foundation is famous one. Recently I have chance visit the foundation and have discuss with the Director Mr. Desha. The discussion seems changed my opinion toward the organic agriculture. In my mind, normally the organic agriculture may have lower yield, higher labor input. But from the introduction I learned that the yield of rice can reached 10 ton per hectare with technique and seed introduced by the foundation. Yield of 10 ton per hectare is high even if use conventional chemical cultivation technology. It is more than 3 times average yield of Thailand (about 3 ton per hectare)!
In that day afternoon I also visited a progressed rice farmer Mr. Chaiporn. I was informed by Mr. Chaiporn that he can get the yield of 6 ton per hectare with organic cultivation technology. Although I do not understand what Mr. Chaiporn introduced to my friend (he introduced in Thai that I do not understand). I learned from my friend that he has many innovations connected with organic rice farming including: using fungi collected from forestry to fertile soil; using fungi fermented nutrition; using herbs and beneficial insects to control pest, and other innovations machinery tools, all those innovation is working so well that Mr. Chaiporn can produce organic rice with less input and get 2-times higher yield than chemical rice. Compare to the definition and four principles of organic agriculture, the practice of Mr. Chaiporn is good example of organic agriculture with local wisdom and innovation.
Chairman Mao Zhedong had a very famous word for Chinese people: researchers should learn from practices and then back to practices. It means that practice is one of main resource of knowledge and researcher should closely connect with practitioners like progressed farmer Mr. Chaiporn with local wisdom. I think that is researcher’s duty to analysis of the success of Mr. Chaiporn and disseminate his experiences other farmers.
Hat off, salute to local wisdom and we will learn more from local wisdom.
