PM: Govt to continue to push for agricultural zoning

BANGKOK, 6 Mar 2015, (NNT) - The Government is moving forward with its promotion of an agricultural zoning scheme and a project to educate agricultural operators to farm plants suitable for the regional climate.

The comment was made by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha during his weekly TV address program yesterday.

He said all the related agencies must put their energy into the scheme. Gen. Prayut explained that, if the area has enough water for rice or other water-demanding economically important plants, then, by all means, farmers should grow these plants. But in an area with limited water resources, farmers should opt for plants with a lesser demand for water or produce organic fertilizer instead.

Prime Minister Gen. Prayut said officials would educate farmers about determining which crops make the most profit, in the Government’s bid to minimize losses. He has assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Interior to help in bringing the plans to life.

-- NNT 2015-03-07

Most countries encourage growing of specific crops through a subsidy scheme, not attitude adjustment sessions.

I cant see that this is needed farmers aren't as stupid as those in suits would make out.

Anyone who travels round the country and knows just a little about agriculture can see for themselves that suitable crops are grown in the correct places.

There is no need to tell farmers on undulating of hill country not to attempt to grow rice commercially, some will grow a little for their own use but their main crops will be suited to the land.

I certainly see this but then those in offices with degrees which make them smarted than farmers (they think) believe they know it all.

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I cant see that this is needed farmers aren't as stupid as those in suits would make out.

Anyone who travels round the country and knows just a little about agriculture can see for themselves that suitable crops are grown in the correct places.

There is no need to tell farmers on undulating of hill country not to attempt to grow rice commercially, some will grow a little for their own use but their main crops will be suited to the land.

I certainly see this but then those in offices with degrees which make them smarted than farmers (they think) believe they know it all.

Agree to some extent, but I fear this all works in different levels.

There is no doubt that there are folks who have degrees (in any subject) who lack insight, and unfortunately in the Thai context (not only Thailand) they end up in

positions where they have 'positional power' to 'direct' even 'frighten' people. Bottom line those lacking in 'personal power' sometimes end up making unwise decisions.

There are also farmers (any economic sector) who have broader education and/or insight and wisdom from experience and are intimidated by nobody, which strongly helps them to make wise and valuable choices.

Then we have the uneducated (not their fault) who have very little knowledge and unfortunately they are easily intimidated. These are the main folks who need to be guided, but even more importantly they need knowledge whereby, in some cases, they can realize that their current activities are taking them nowhere and at the same time that better knowledge would help them to make important and focused life decisions.

Amazing that stuffed Bangkok shirts still think farmers are stupid. If they really wanted to help them they would stop all land grabbing by influential stool samples.