Publication Code: Y91C
This paper aims to indicate changes in the agricultural sector of Thailand and the implications of these changes for designing an appropriate agricultural information and training systems for farmers. Part 1 of the paper outlines the stories of changes extracted from ten in-depth village case studies in various parts of Thailand. The case studies are representatives of villages with varying degree of economic integration with the urban economies.
The case studies reveal a number of structural changes in the rural economy. First, limited and increasing value of land, rapid industrialization and urbanization which draw labor from agriculture have hastened the diversification process particularly from field crops into tree crops, horticulture, livestock and fisheries. Secondly, lack of labour in areas of high agricultural potential has increased demand for mechanization and induce temporary migration and transient workers from low to high potential areas. Thirdly, commercialization has induced the use of agro-chemicals and reported cases of chemical poisoning. Fourthly, farmers are important producers of technology and there is an effective information communication system among farmers through kinship neighbors, friends and traders. Fifthly, the private sector can be highly effective in transferring technology at the initial commercialization stage but in a number of cases cannot be sustained over the long term. Sixthly television has penetrated into the majority of villages of Thailand and is a major link between the village and the urban economy and state. Finally, farmers of the future are likely to be the middle aged group. This may dampen potential for another upward shift in agricultural productivity.
Part 2 deals with a framework and some suggestions for designing an information system. In discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the public and the private sector as technology producer and transmitter, two important issues are emphasized. First, extension subsidy to private enterprises known as sam or si prasan projects ought to be provided in areas where the private sector cannot fully appropriate returns. Secondly, the separation of the function of technology producer and transmitter as is in the case of the public sector requires special co-ordination and feedback procedure. In the private sector, the technology producers are often the transmitters themselves and they get direct feedback from customers. Therefore technology supply is generally in the same direction as demand.
In the discussion of the substance to be transferred to farmers, it is noted that the strength of the public sector is higher in technology related rather than market information for which speed is an important condition. The public sector could enhance the search for market information by improving roads, telecommunication, market infrastructure and thus encourages more of competition.
Among the possible media to be used in transmitting agricultural information, the advantage of television broadcasting is stressed. Owing to high cost involved television broadcasting has been mainly used to cater for urban consumers who have higher purchasing power. The role of the government is to make this means (i.e. the government owned TV channel) more available and useful to rural farmers. The advantage of television medium is to stimulate and enhance the private information network.
A number of strategies are suggested for designing an appropriate information system. The heterogeneity of target groups and the increasing diversity imply a need to prioritize R & D investment which is in accordance to expected national benefits rather than existing share of crop value. Diversification also implies that future extension work need to by system rather than crop-based. A change in the basic extension philosophy from showing how to showing why may be needed. The existing information base may have to be broadened to encompass information regarding labour market and mechanization. An appropriate information system need to be responsive to changes and may need to be much more localized to meet the demand of different target groups. The television medium (TV) could be combined with the current extension system (T & V) to produce more effective results. The importance of integration of various media and co-ordination of various government agencies is a critical factor in determining the success of the program.
December 1991