Traditional knowledge and technological choices for agricultural water management in Chi River Basin, Northeast Thailand | |
| Author | Ratchaneewan Chuchird |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.NR-17-05 |
| Subject(s) | Water--Management--Thailand--Chi River Basin Water-supply, Agricultural--Thailand--Chi River Basin |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fu lfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Resources Management, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. NR-17-05 |
| Abstract | In Thailand, the agricultural areas are spread out around all of the regions, and each region has experienced its own particular problems. Importantly, the Northeast Thailand (NE) region has the widest agricultural land use. The climate of NE Thailand is tropical and semihumid, with a dry season and a wet season. The farms are typically small, and farmers are forced to confront environmental limitations and the challenges of constant economic change. The limitation of water is a problem for agricultural management in NE Thailand, as agriculture is severely limited by dependence on the highly variable climate. In the extremes of the wet season, too much water occasionally floods fields but still doesn't always provide enough overall, while in the dry season the lack of rain effectively halts most agriculture. In order to move beyond the limitations of rainfall, other water sources are needed for irrigation. In this study, the factors influencing the farmers' use of technology are examined, and the technology is investigated to determine its effectiveness in managing water for agricultural purposes. An increased understanding of the factors influencing agricultural water management systems is necessary, in terms of the economy, society, and institutions, as well as from the perspective of sustainable livelihoods leads to the necessity to revisit notions and prescriptions related to water use efficiency, productivity, application of traditional knowledge, technology and culture, the institutional set-up at the river basin and irrigation system level, cost recovery, and financing of agricultural water management. The current research examines Muang District in Chaiyaphum Province in NE Thailand. The area under investigation comprises three sub-districts inthe Chi River basin where the principal crop is rice. These sub-districts are Ban Lao, Na Siew and Na Fai. Initially, a structured questionnaire survey was conducted in the field to collect data from the farmers working at the study site. To obtain background information and qualitative data, in-depth interviews were conducted and focus group sessions were held. A multi-step sampling approach was employed, through which Chaiyaphum came to be the province which was chosen for the study. Stratified sampling techniques were then applied in order to obtain samples of farming households separated into categories by the irrigation approach used: water pump (WP), water wheel (WW), and weir (WR). Random sampling was used to subsequently choose 207 households for participation, in the categories of WP (130), WW (30), and WR (47). The study then used statistical analysis along with descriptive analysis involving such techniques as correlation, multiple regression analysis, and weighted average index construction. ยท In economic terms, the measurement of farm efficiency revealed that wet season rice production in WW conditions had the highest productivity and financial efficiency. The determinant of rice yield in the regression model revealed that the cost of fertilizer and fertilizer application had a direct negative effect on rice yield in all WW cases. Water source distance, fertilizer application, and hired labor were also determining factors for rice yield increases in WP. Fertilizer application had a positive effect on rice yield in WR. On the basis of cost-benefit analysis it can be argued that WW offered superior economic returns, with results suggesting that WW approaches could be used in other agricultural zones within the NE of Thailand to improve water management and address the limitations caused by the geography and climate in the region, thereby supporting farmers to become more productive. The social and institutional analysis showed that farmers using WW and WR technologies were more highly satisfied with their water distribution than those using WP. A majority of the farmers explained that the problems they faced with inadequate water sources were related to climate, such as the lack of sufficient rainfall. In particular they wanted water access to be reliable, in accordance with a fair and predetermined schedule for distribution. For the purposes of this research, the main priority was Water Use Association (WUA) management accountability since this was believed to be a key factor which would influence the success of rice production. In the case of livelihood assets measurement, it was found that farmers using WW have access to the highest human, physical, natural, financial, and social assets while farmers in the WP and WR groups have access to the highest human and physical assets. Five explanatory variables have been found to be critical factors determining the different irrigation schemes. The research findings showed that the main factors which affected the choice among the three irrigation approaches were land area, income of the farm, and WUA membership. All of these showed a positive relationship with the use of WW technology. At the same time there was negative correlation between the factors of age, income from farming, skills and training, and WUA membership, with the adoption of WP teclmology. Meanwhile, positive correlation was noted between WP adoption and having an upstream farm close to a water source. Age was positively linked to WP, but there was negative correlation between WP and the factors of size of the landholding, group participation, and having farm located upstream. The results reveal that WW teclmology for irrigation could be used for water management across the region to counter the adverse geographical factors and to support farmers as they seek to overcome economic challenges. In light of the research findings, the WW technology is the most operationally-viable, economically-sustainable and environmentally-friendly irrigation option compared to the WP and WR irrigation schemes. Thus, the WW teclmology could be deployed in the water management of other agricultural areas in Thailand's northeast region to mitigate the unfavorable geography and the local farmers' disadvantageous economic conditions. Moreover, to enhance the water wheel adoption and successful implementation, training in efficient agricultural practices should be provided, while the active participation in conmmnity projects and the membership of a local irrigation group are to be encouraged. |
| Year | 2017 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. NR-17-05 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Sasaki, Nophea; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Grunbuhel, Clemens;Soni, Peeyush;Faysse, Nicolas; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) Thailand-AIT Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2017 |