Government Perspectives and Policies:

Thai Higher Agricultural Education, Scientific Research and Extension Priorities amidst

National Environmental/ Sustainability and Capacity Development Challenges

Dr. Raweewan Bhuridej Inspector General,

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Interrelated agriculture, environmental problems and food security challenges

Land use management land encroachment for agricultural uses

land conversion and habitat loss (biodiversity)

potential areas for agriculture

Environmental impacts, pollution (soil, water, air)

intensive agriculture

inappropriate use of fertilizers and pesticides

high water consumption

soil erosion and degradation

agricultural waste

Interrelated agriculture, environmental problems and food security challenges (con’t)

Climate change and food security

drought, flood, pests and diseases, low productivity, natural disaster, etc.

GHG emission

Environmental policies related with sustainable agriculture

1. Shifting towards environmental-friendly agriculture, improve production efficiency, sustainability, as well as preparing key parties to effectively respond to trade and investment related natural resources and environmental measures ratio of standardized farms endorsed for environmental-friendly practices

ratio of environmental-friendly agricultural area (increasing 5% annually)

2. Creating resilience to climate change and natural disaster

(Adaptation and food security)

3. Cooperating with the global community in mitigating GHGs (Mitigation and low-carbon development)

Adaptation/Food security

- Conduct research on forecasting and prediction techniques to weather variation and extreme events

- Developing agricultural risk maps - Developing and improving an agricultural early

warning plan and system - Developing climate risk insurance system for crop

cultivation, livestock and fisheries

Adaptation/Food security (con’t)

• Resource efficiency (improvement in agricultural production processes, resource management and water consumption)

• Protect high potential agricultural land • Zoning for bio-energy crops (oil palm, sugarcane,

cassava, etc.) and food crops regarding land suitability

• Increase productivity (yield)

Mitigation and low-carbon development

• Reducing the practice of burning in farming processes through the collaboration with buyers of agricultural commodities, dissemination of knowledge on proper production techniques to farmers, development of systems or markets for agricultural waste recovery

Mitigation and low-carbon development (con’t)

• Promote R&D in GHG emission reduction in the agricultural sector by, for instance, plant breeding, nutrient improvement and management techniques

• Promoting the production and use of biogas from animal manure in livestock farm

Summary Academic and education institutions

R&D should aim for generating co-benefits of environment protection, food security, and poverty eradication sustainable agriculture GAP or standards technology for resource efficiency waste management (biofuel, biomass, etc.) GHG reduction extracurricular activities to raise environmental

awareness and responsibility

Academic and education institutions (con’t)

R&D productivity and income to farmers reduce agricultural risk from climate change climate-resistant plants