Sustainable livelihoods

Half of Thailand’s population of 30 million people rely on farming and fishing for their livelihood.  More then 70 per cent of these people own a small farmland and have limited access to resources and capital.  Many are trapped in cycles of debt and are vulnerable to changes in trade liberalisation and natural disasters. To help farmers have the means and skills to make a decent living, and be able to cope with trade liberalisation, Oxfam works with partners at local, national, and regional levels on the following areas:

Sustainable agricultural model

Oxfam works with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), farmers' networks and academic and civil society groups to develop and promote a sustainable model of agriculture and aquaculture using organic standards and practices. Farmers are encouraged to produce diversified crops to meet their consumption needs and sell the surplus at community markets.

Seeds of sustainable livelihoods

Thailand is rich in biodiversity and plant varieties, and more could be done to improve the quality of rice and vegetable seeds. Through partners, Oxfam supports farmer-training centres to educate farmers on soil improvement and ecologically-friendly pest- control techniques. These training centres also aim to protect and enhance the quality of seeds by providing training to farmers on rice breeding and seed selection.

Livelihood assets: land, sea, forest and water

As land, trees, and water are quickly depleted by urbanisation and expansion of industrial sectors, millions of farmers and fishers are forced to change their way of life. Through partners, we help communities establish a sustainable management and distribution system for their natural resources. Oxfam works with partners to influence decision makers to enact policies to protect the rights of small-scale farmers and fishers.

From the village to your plate

Oxfam supports farmers and fishers to collectively market their goods. Our partners assist communities to form a community market where farmers can buy and sell their produce at a fair price. For the international market, we work with Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand (ACT), the only accredited organic agriculture body in South-East Asia, to promote international organic agriculture standards. To meet the ACT standards, we work with Earth Net Foundation to train and support farmers, especially in the Northeast, on organic farming techniques and equipment.

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Last updated: January 07