Integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems in the context of socio-economic transformation in northeast Thailand | |
| Author | Pant, Jharendu |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.AQ-02-07 |
| Subject(s) | Integrated agricultural systems--Thailand, Northeastern Agricultural systems--Thailand, Northeastern Aquaculture--Thailand, Northeastern |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Technical Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Northeast Thailand has a diverse resource base. Overlooking this fact, integrated agriculture¬-aquaculture (IAA) systems have been promoted as a panacea for the sustainable agricultural development in the region following a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Assessment of the viability of IAA systems in different resource base contexts can provide a basis for appropriate IAA promotion in the region. A study of IAA systems was carried out in Khon Kaen and Buriram provinces in 1999 with varying length of experience in four different agroecologies — an irrigated, and three rainfed agroecologies, namely drought-prone, rainfed lowland and rolling land. The irrigated and drought-prone agroecologies had easy market accessibility. The study sites were selected following a series of reconnaissance visits in the region. A structured questionnaire was applied to a total sample of 234 IAA farm households across the agroecologies. The IAA systems households with up to 4 years and more than 4 years of experience in IAA systems farming were considered as ‘pre-transition’ and ‘beyond transition’ groups, respectively. Enterprise composition of IAA systems varied between the irrigated and rainfed agroecologies. Paddy, fruit, vegetables, chickens and ducks and aquaculture were common enterprises regardless of agroecology, but field crops and large ruminant were prevalent only in rainfed agroecologies. Performance of IAA systems enterprises varied across agroecology. A yield of paddy of 2.5 t/ha in the irrigated agroecology was nearly double that in rainfed agroecologies. Integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems households in the irrigated and drought-prone agroecologies, in response to higher demand in the nearby market, produced significantly higher amount of fruit and vegetables than those in the rainfed lowland and rolling land agroecologies. Crop yields was high in the irrigated agroecology by virtue of rich soil, irrigation access and the large amount of fertilizers applied. In all agroecologies, livestock production systems were rather extensive, as feeding of livestock largely was on a free-range basis with limited supplementary feed. Production of paddy, field crops and livestock did not change with the length of involvement in IAA systems. However, higher yields of fruit and vegetables were noted in IAA systems farm households in ‘beyond transition’ than in ‘pre-transition’. The highest average fish yield of 2.3 tonnes per hectare was achieved in the irrigated agroecology, twice the estimated yield in the drought-prone agroecology and more than four times higher than in the rainfed lowland and rolling land agroecologies. This higher yield in the irrigated agroecology was associated with larger pond inputs and a longer growth period. However, the farm pond played a pivotal role in crop diversification in rainfed agroecologies as it was essentially the only source of irrigation for fruit and vegetables in these agroecologies. The pattern of bio-resource flow in IAA systems showed strong linkages among subsystems/enterprises in rainfed agroecologies but a weak linkage in the irrigated agroecology. While IAA systems in rainfed agroecologies were low-external input systems, reliance on external input was high in the irrigated agroecology. Gross income from IAA systems farming in increasing order across agroecology was highest in the irrigated agroecology followed by the drought-prone, rolling land and rainfed lowland agroecologies. A significant increase in gross income from fruit, vegetables and fish — enterprises introduced with IAA systems farming — was found with the increase in the length of involvement in IAA systems farming. In the irrigated and drought-prone agroecologies, per unit labor return was higher than from off-farm employment but it was lower in rainfed lowland agroecology. However, no variation between per unit labor return from IAA systems fanning and off-farm employment was noted in the rolling agroecology. The nature of organizational support for IAA farming varied from merely technical advice to a full subsidy for pond excavation, seed, fertilizers and planting materials depending upon the type of organization/program. Around half of the sampled households received full/partial subsidy for the excavation of one or more pond(s). The types of support for IAA systems fanning were organization/program-specific. The Royal Projects Division and New Theory programs provided a heavy subsidy for pond excavation and input supply while others provided technical advice and more limited inputs. Over half of the sampled households also received a loan from the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, the purpose of which varied across agroecology — mainly for pond excavation in the irrigated; for large ruminants in the drought-prone; and for the IAA systems as a whole in the rainfed lowland and rolling land agroecologies. The incidence of organizational support to each farm increased with the length of experience in IAA systems. Problems with fruit, vegetables and fish culture varied across the agroecologies and also with the length of experience in IAA systems. Lack of irrigation and soil related problems were noted only in rainfed agroecologies. Unstable demand for vegetables was a problem for over half of sampled households in the irrigated agroecology compared to around a third of the respondents in rainfed agroecologies. Diseases and pests were common problems for the majority of respondents regardless of agroecology. Relatively larger numbers of IAA system households ‘beyond transition’ faced the problems of irregular bearing and lack of market for fruit than their counterparts in ‘pre-transition’. Low yield, lack of inputs, seeds and technologies were common problems in fish culture, regardless of agroecology, but inadequate water in the pond was a problem for all rainfed agroecologies. In spite of a wide range of problems encountered, good prospects for IAA systems farming could be envisaged as it was practiced to produce surplus over household consumption in the majority of households. The majority of respondents considered fruit and vegetables to be a long term, perennial source of income and profitable as the major benefits, respectively. In response to a continued demand for fish in the local market, around half of the respondents wished to expand or intensify fish production. Performance of IAA systems varied across agroecologies. Resource base and market accessibility with adequate demand for diversified products played key roles in the development of IAA system in the region. The results clearly suggested the need for due consideration of these two factors while promoting IAA systems farming in Northeast Thailand. Furthermore, harnessing ‘niche’ based potential would be an appropriate option to make IAA systems viable in the context of high opportunity cost of labor. |
| Year | 2002 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AQ) |
| Chairperson(s) | Demaine, Harvey;Edwards, Peter; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Thapa, Gopal B.;Apisit Eiumnoh;Shivakoti, Ganesh P.;Rigg, Jonathan Digby; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002 |