Farming for the future

Tucked away in the remote mountainous province of Nan, local villagers have banded together to turn the tide on the environmental degradation that was threatening their lifestyle and livelihood. KULCHAREE TANSUBHAPOL looks at this unique experiment of grassroots action at work.

Mention Nan Province, and the name conjures images of rugged mountainous terrain with sleepy villages and easy-going locals who still follow the slow rhythm of an age-old traditional, rural lifestyle.

And indeed, Nan may be a forgotten backwater off the beaten track, but it is also home to one of the country's strongest grassroot movements that many development workers believe may provide an answer to one of Thailand's pressing rural problems - the constant competition between using land for farming and setting it aside conservation.

Villages throughout the province have joined the Hug Muang Nan (Love Nan) group, an alliance between villagers, rural development groups, non-government organisations, and community leaders that aims to stop Nan's natural environment from being destroyed by destructive agriculture practices and by illegal logging.

The village of Silalaeng in Pua District, is the epicentre of the new apoach. Here the traditional official line - and one readily swallowed by most city dwellers - that rural people encroach endlessly on the forest, is being turned on its head.

By the late 1960s, Silalaeng was facing a crisis. Its forests were being cleared at a rapid rate by hilltribe people forcibly resettled by the military from the surrounding mountains to deprive communist rebels of a possible support base during the height of the insurgency.

As the land was cleared, the rains began to fail and droughts set in. Streams that used to irrigate bountiful rice fields soon became dry.

In 1974, village elder Muangdee Preedawong convinced his people to stop clearing land and allow the forest to regenerate.

A denuded area was set aside for regeneration as community forest to serve some 6,000 residents in seven surrounding villages, and to protect a sensitive water catchment area.

The villagers agreed to limit tree cutting for household use only and not farm near any streams to stop silting.

Change came slowly, but surely. As they began to see how young trees grew quickly when left alone, both the local farmers and hilltribe people began to realise the significance of the forest and all land clearing eventually stopped. Today, the rains have returned to normal and streams run high, enabling villagers to grow several crops year round.

"The lush forest around here covers over 20,000 rai of land. Nearly 30 years ago, this area were actually denuded," exclaimed Pong Theekawong, one of Silalaeng's leaders.

It was just one success story but one that would set an example throughout the region.

A few years ago in a nearby district, the fish began disappearing from local streams because of overfishing and the use toxic chemical fertilisers.

"Four years ago, we were worried by the disappearance of river fish," Sawien Songsikhwa, head of Hat Pakhon village in Muang district said.

To solve the problem, the village chief encouraged villagers to start a fish conservation project.

A 200 metre stretch of river in front of the village was designated a no-fishing zone with violators liable for fines ranging from 5,000 baht to 100,000 baht.

Again cooperation did not come easily because the ban directly affected the villagers' food bowls.

But seeing is believing. Fish numbers began increasing and soon after the project began, more than 40 fish species such as pla yisok, pla nai,and pla mor were counted in the sanctuary. The success convinced still skeptical villagers to cooperate.

"There is no demarcation line," Sawien says. "The villagers observe the no-fishing zone through their own consciousness."

This conservation consciousness has spread throughout the district and is now being applied to all aspects of farming.

Amid rising environmental concerns about the heavy use of chemical fertiliser, villagers in Ban Hat Ked subdistrict are returning to their ancestors' no-chemical methods to farm their orchards and vegetable plots.

"I used to use a lot of chemical fertilisers in my farms, thinking that it would boost production," recalled 48-year-old farmer Chusak Hatprom. "But, I was wrong. The chemical fertilisers ended up ruining the soil and production declined. For years, my land become sterile."

"Before we only grew one cash crop and did nothing after the harvest," Chusak explains. "The land was left vacant. Also, growing only one crop is a risky business. Farmers have no control over the highly fluctuating price and many of us end up in debt."

In addition to stopping the use of farm chemicals in 1987, Chusak shifted from growing just cash crops to an integrated farming approach. He divided his 20 rai plot of land into four sections. Two rai was put aside as a water reservoir to ensure steady water supply with the remaining 90 per cent divided equally between animal yards, an orchard, and vegetable plots.

Chusak was named outstanding farmer of the year in 1988. Today, his farm is lush green with various kinds of chemical-free vegetables, and fruits such as mangoes, longans, lychees and pameloes.

The idea to grow different crops on a rotation basis is not entirely new to farmers, but, according to Ruangdej Jommuang, a coordinator of the Alternative Agriculture Group, a non-governmental organisation that provides knowledge and support for farmers, many are unfamiliar with the system because most have been taught that fertilisers are essential to make land fertile.

"The new agricultural system may not help them become rich, but at least they can become more self-reliant," said Ruangdej, adding that integrated farming helps supply farmers with a year-round income.

In one month, he said, a farmer can receive a daily income from selling vegetables and a monthly income from raising poultry. On top of that, every three months he gains a bonus income from selling fruits from his land.

And if they plan wisely, their overall income will grow, as they diversify. Over the past three years, Chusak's income has increased steadily from only 30,000 baht in 1993, to twice that the following year. Last year, he made 140,000 baht from the produce grown on his land.

"I am still in debt. But, I'm glad I become self-reliant and more independent," he beamed.

But the farmers have not done everything themselves. It has been a community effort with everyone pitching in.

Phra Kru Pitaknantakhun, abbot of Aranyakawat Temple, has been instrumental in supporting the villagers.

The highly respected monk initiated a "tree ordination" in forests villagers nominated for conservation. The robe provides a sacred protection for trees as villagers believe violating it is a sin.

In another wise move, the abbot used a traditional life extension ceremony to rally public support to save the Nan river from pollution.

Through these initiatives, he was successful in mobilising support and funds from the professionals and businessmen in Nan's towns and cities to support the villagers' various conservation schemes.

The next challenge for Hug Muang Nan, is to take on a constant fear of local villagers - eviction.

Because of the very fact that most of Nan is forested, the land, according to the Forestry Department, belongs to the state. And, as part of its mandate to manage and preserve the forest, the department says it must occasionally move some villages.

In a move to increase the size of conservation areas around the country, the Forestry Department is planning to expand Doi Phuka National Park in Pua district.

This has raised alarm among the ethnic Lua of Toey Kiu Hin village which will fall in the new, larger park.

Inclusion in the park will mean they cannot harvest forest products such as mushroom, bamboo shoots, leaves, or herbs as before. Worse yet, they risk being evicted from their ancestral land.

"When the new zone is in effect, we would lose our farms, our livelihood, our homes," said a Lua villager.

"Each year, we already have a problem of not enough rice. After the new park zone, we will not be able to grow rice at all. We don't know what to do."

But after the intervention of Hug Muang Nan,the Nan governor is reportedly reconsidering excluding villages whose lifestyle does not endanger the forests from the park zone.

The group has also sent a plea to the Agriculture Minister to revise the park zone.

"Problems are part of every community. But we are fortunate that we have a strong network of the local people - monks, NGOs, officials and urban dwellers - to work as a team to solve problems together," said Ruangdej.

"The villagers must team up in order to pull through.

"I believe that if we, all Nan people, strongly work together, we can help improve our living conditions and solve our problems," remarked Ruangdej. It was exactly this sort of cooperation that led to a formation of Hug Muang Nan Group in the first place and helped it grow into the strong rural movement that it is.

Nan may be a sleepy, backwater in the eyes of most city dwellers, but it is taking a lead in conserving its environment. It is taking bold, brave steps that are putting trees back into forests, fish back into the streams, and giving the villagers a future to look forward to.