Integrating Watershed Management for Land Degradation and Improving Agricultural Productivity in Northeast Thailand

T Wangkahart, B Toomsan, P Pathak, S P Wani, 'Integrating Watershed Management for Land Degradation and Improving Agricultural Productivity in Northeast Thailand', pp.314-326, International Water Management Institute, 2011

Thailand?s northeastern region accounts for one third of the country?s population andland area, but generates only 15 percent of the gross domestic product. Most of the region?sinhabitants have small holding, are low income farmers who face diverse agricultural andresource problems related to extreme environmental variability, an adverse climate, poorsoils and limited, often unreliable water resources. Due to these problems the currentagricultural productivity and income is very low. The deforestation and other agriculturalpractices have led to the changes in the hydrologic environment and caused widespreadland degradation problems. To tackle these problems several watershed managementprograms have been implemented by various government departments and organizations.This paper reviews the various watershed development management works in northeastThailand and discusses their approaches and impact on agricultural productivity andnatural resources.The impact of small-scale water resources (SSWR) development program implementedby the Thai Royal Irrigation Department and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, onthe socio-economic conditions of the farmers in NE Thailand was studied. It was found thatthe farmers in SSWR area earned more income from agriculture, than farmers outside SSWRarea. Farm profitability and source of farm cash income of SSWR farmers were closelyrelated to dry season cash crops rather than wet season rice. Area under double croppingwas found to be higher in SSWR area than those outside SSWR area. In terms of productivity,profitability and equity the weir type SSWR system was found to be the most appropriatefor northeast Thailand. Overall the study indicated that the small scale water resources canplay very significant role in increasing the productivity and income of small rainfed farmersin northeast Thailand. The Department of Land Development approach of watersheddevelopment and management gives greater emphasis to small farm ponds and control ofsoil erosion. This program is being implemented on large scale in Thailand. The KingdomWatershed Management Program for small, medium and large scale watersheds is alsodiscussed.The results from integrated participatory watershed management project implementedjointly by the Department of Agriculture, Land Development Department and Khon Kaen University in close collaboration with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) are discussed in detail. This project is being carried out at twobenchmark sites, viz., Tad Fa in Phuphaman district and Wang Chai in Phuwiang districtin northeast region of Thailand. Results shows that with proper land use planning and useof integrated soil, water and nutrient management (SWMM) and crop management optionsthe land degradation can be controlled (soil loss of 5 t/ha/yr in improved system vs soil lossof 37 t/ha/yr in the traditional system). The project interventions significantly increased thewater availability and crop yields. Promising watershed management technologies developedat the project sites provide a good framework for increasing productivity and income offarmers on sustained basis, while improving the soil and water resources