#thaiRAIN helps Southeast Asian farmers say no to burning
By: Parista Yuthamanop, Winrock International communication assistant, Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network
Between the end of the year and the first quarter of each year, Thailand and neighboring countries rise to the top of the world’s rankings for the poorest air quality, with high levels of PM2.5 haze.
PM2.5 stands for particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller; so small, they’re 30 times finer than a strand of hair, allowing them to penetrate deep into your respiratory system and even enter your bloodstream. Engine combustion is the main source of fine particles in large cities, while biomass burning from forest fires and farmers’ burning contributed significantly to the harmful smog elsewhere.
Burning harms soil quality by depleting organic matter and disrupting small animal habitats, leading farmers to rely more on chemical fertilizers. This dependence can create nutrient imbalances and cause environmental contamination, furthering unsustainable farming practices. The USDA Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network project, or #thaiRAIN for short, has identified appropriate climate-smart innovations for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Microbial decomposers for crop residues are a high priority for the project’s scaling campaigns.
The project’s effort to increase farmers’ use of microbial powder involves promoting behavioral changes and commercial incentives such as community-level distribution networks, pricing and branding of their rice products.
Heavy economic and public health toll from PM2.5
Even after the COVID-19 pandemic, Thai people were recommended to wear masks and avoid going outdoors last April. The reason? According to IQAir’s 2023 World Air Quality Report, as independent air quality monitoring stations measured, Thailand’s annual average PM 2.5 concentration was 23.3 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) in 2023. (By the way, µg/m3 means micrograms of a substance per cubic meter of air. It’s commonly used to measure concentrations of pollutants like PM2.5 in the air).
February to April was the most polluted period, when monthly averages for the 24 reporting cities in the northern province of Chiang Mai ranged from 53.4 to 106.4 µg/m3. This rate was way higher than the World Health Organization’s 5 µg/m3 safety recommendation. With 24-hour average exposures not exceeding 15 µg/m3 more than 3-4 days per year, these cities were the world’s most polluted.
A 2019 study by Dr. Witsanu Attavanich, a professor at Kasetsart University who is also the lead researcher of #thaiRAIN’s CSi (climate-smart innovations) audit team, showed that the PM2.5 haze caused damage amounting to $64 billion U.S. dollars, or 2.173 trillion Thai baht, for Thai households.
Meanwhile, a study by Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Commission showed that around 10.5 million Thai people suffer from illness related to air pollution, with incidents of chronic respiratory illness increasing by 40% and lung cancer by 20% in 2023.
Although the causes of PM2.5 haze vary by region, IQAir noted that agricultural burning and forest fires were the primary sources, particularly in Thailand’s northern and northeastern regions, which span large areas of the country.
Microbial decomposer: A feasible alternative to burning
In May 2024, #thaiRAIN conducted a crucial test of microbial powder with rice stubbles – the stems and roots of rice plants left behind in fields after harvest − in Khon Kaen and Chaiyaphum, located in the northeastern region.
In these areas, it is common for smallholder farmers to burn rice stubbles after harvest, as most farmers cannot afford tractor services for plowing. They see burning as the most cost-effective way to clear their fields in preparation for irrigation and the next planting season.
To demonstrate a climate-smart alternative to burning, #thaiRAIN used microbial powder from Bacillus strains mixed with a gallon of water and left it overnight. This practice can effectively decompose stubble within two weeks.
So, if a better alternative exists, why are Thai farmers continuing to burn? According to a 2024 survey by the Thailand Development Research Institute, farmers cite low costs, the need to quickly get rid of weeds, lack of access to baling and tractors, and tradition as among their rationale for burning stubbles.
After learning about the advantages of the new practice, Ratchada Meethonglang, a farmer from Phra Yuen District, Khon Kaen, readily embraced the idea of using a microbial decomposer after seeing her paddy field cleared. For her, the benefits extended beyond decomposing residues to returning soil fertility and habitats for small animals, as the microbe also broke down toxic matter in the soil.
“Can you hear that? The sound of frogs. I’ve never heard them for a very long time!” she exclaimed while showing her paddy field, which had turned from stubble to knee-deep mud.
Pioneering the change at Chi River Basin
In October 2024, #thaiRAIN launched the “Chi River No Burn” campaign by holding training for staff of agricultural extension offices of the four provinces around the irrigated areas of Chi River Basin that includes Roi Et, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham and Kalasin provinces.
Farmers in these areas produce as much as half of the region’s off-season rice output. Burning rice stubble is common in the area, particularly among smallholder farmers who need a better understanding and access to more affordable alternatives.
The campaign aims to increase rice farmers’ understanding of the impacts of stubble burning and promote alternatives. It focuses on community engagement and the building of distribution networks, and on farmers’ capacity for alternatives to burning through training, as well as farmers’ knowledge sharing and developing distribution networks within the community.
Success from the Chi River Basin could be an example of scaling up activities to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce burning in other parts of Thailand and neighboring countries.
Dr. Chanakan Kupachaka, #thaiRAIN technical director, said the campaign encourages farmers to adopt new behaviors by providing them with the necessary incentives, including improved access to innovation and expanding the market of their products as premium rice.
“The project integrates scientific and social innovations to manage rice straw and promote sustainable agriculture effectively. It employs a community-based model that encourages collaboration among farmers and stakeholders throughout the supply chain,” she said.
By providing training and capacity building, farmers have learned how to enhance their yields while prioritizing sustainability using an agricultural innovation product. The Chi River No Burn project also seeks to raise consumer awareness and promote shared responsibility for environmental stewardship and sustainable farming practices.
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