Chi River Basin Says No Burn: a #thaiRAIN Success Story
Piloting behavioral changes at Chi River Basin
For nearly half a year, Thailand experiences dangerous air pollution caused by high particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels that exceed safety standards. This smog is largely due to open burning within the country and neighboring areas, which peaks from November to May.
A study by Action on Smoking and Health Foundation Thailand indicates that the average Thai resident inhaled the equivalent of one cigarette per day due to air pollution in 2023. In peak pollution periods, residents in hard-hit cities like Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Pathom, and Khon Kaen inhaled the equivalent of two to three cigarettes daily.
The health impact of the toxic smog worsened in 2024. Hotspot monitoring by Geo-informatics and Space Technology Development Agency showed that open mass burning, the leading source of PM 2.5-laden air pollution, nearly doubled. Rice field burning, which accounts for one-third of the farm burning, increased threefold from January to May compared to the same period in 2023.
Irrigated rice farmers plant 2-3 crops per year. They often resort to burning to clear land within a short time window and avoid the cost of plowing tractors. They have also become accustomed to using chemical fertilizers to enhance soil fertility.
The Thai government has banned farmers from burning crop residue, and violators are restricted from government programs. This measure underscores the need to facilitate the commercial use of crop residue and feasible alternatives to burning.
USDA #thaiRAIN Project has screened microbial solutions as an innovation for commercial scale to address the PM 2.5 challenge and improve farmers’ yield. Field tests have proven their effectiveness in breaking down stubbles in 14 days and improving rice yield due to healthier soil and plant nutrient uptake.
This initiative significantly complements Thailand’s Department of Agriculture (DOA)’s efforts to encourage farmers to stop burning rice straws and stubbles after harvest. DOA promoted letting the rice residues degrade in the field before plowing them over. According to the DOA, these strategies will provide multiple benefits, including increasing soil moisture and ventilation, making use of nutrients in rice straws, reducing plant stress and soil salinity, and improving plant uptakes. It also boosts soil microorganisms’ activity, reducing toxins and certain diseases. DOA is also campaigning using microbial decomposers to help reduce the cost of plowing services. However, widespread adoption remains a challenge.
Great enthusiasm for microbial solutions
In October, #thaiRAIN launched the “Chi River No Burn” campaign in four irrigated provinces of Thailand’s Northeastern region: Khon Kaen, Roi Et, Kalasin, and Maha Sarakham.
The initiative aims to encourage behavioral changes among farmers, with a goal of having 20,000 farmers utilize microbial solutions this year. Key activities include workshops for provincial administrators and agricultural extension officers to enhance capacity-building, recruiting 15 farmer models per province to promote confidence in using microbial solutions, and establishing 10 distribution points per province. The campaign will also organize a community-level contest on farming practices that avoid burning in three locations for each province for a cash voucher that can be used at farming input shops.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krailert Taweekul, the campaign lead, said that there were more attendees in the provincial and community-level workshops in the four provinces than anticipated. Farmers actively participated in discussions on PM 2.5, government regulations against burning, the effectiveness of microbial solutions in decomposing stubbles, and the potential for cost reduction and yield increase from using microbial solutions.
“At the end of each community workshop, we asked farmers to vote on post-harvest land management strategies, taking into account the benefits of microbial solutions on yields and cost saving,” he said.
“Most farmers preferred using microbial solutions, whether with plowing or not, instead of burning.”
“Most farmers preferred using microbial solutions, whether together with plowing or not, instead of burning.”
– Dr. Krailert Taweekul, Chi River No Burn Campaign Consultant
Campaign reinforces government’s PM 2.5 and GHG reduction policies
The campaign has received strong government support, reinforcing Thailand’s policy to promote sustainability in the agrifood system and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Chanakan Kupachaka, #thaiRAIN’s Technical Director, emphasized the initiative’s science-based and community-drive approach.
“By integrating biotechnology with farmer-led network, we are establishing a sustainable model on rice straw management by enhancing farmers’ access to microbial solutions,” she said.
“#thaiRAIN will also utilize satellite-based services to monitor burning activities in the area.”
Teerapong Rithichote, the Administrator of Kalasin’s Agricultural Extension Office, said the Chi River No Burn initiative aligns with the government’s initiative to educate farmers about avoiding burning stubbles.
“Officials at the provincial and community levels have diligently informed farmers how burning depletes soil quality while microbial solutions naturally enhance crop yields.”
Prayoonpat Srisaknok, Chief of Production Support and Development at the Khon Kaen Agricultural Extension Office, emphasized the broader environmental benefits.
“Reducing methane emissions from decomposing rice stubble and cutting carbon dioxide from burning aligns with the government’s greenhouse gas reduction goal.” He added that the microbial solution would also nourish the soil, thus reducing costs and farmers’ income and ensuring the community’s sustainability.
“Reduced methane emissions from decomposing rice stubbles and cutting carbon dioxide from burning align with the government’s greenhouse gas reduction goal.”
– Prayoonsak Srisaknok, Khon Kaen –
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