Agricultural expert visits royal project
By Achara Ashayagachat
With the looming food crisis pinching the global community, Thailand should diversify its agricultural sector and think beyond the subsistence of individual families to fill the world's stomach, advised Israeli agriculture expert Itzhak Abt. Mr Abt, 76, was one of the Israeli experts behind the success of the royal-initiated Hubkrapong Project in Phetchaburi's Cha-am district, which was established in 1964. His Majesty the King has spearheaded the conversion of 12,000 barren rai into fertile land to improve villagers' lives.
''This [diversification] would not go against the King's sufficiency philosophy,'' said Mr Abt.
''Once farmers can sustain their lives and farms, they can grow other things to support both domestic needs and supply the surplus to foreign markets,'' said the agricultural expert, who returned to Thailand to watch the presentation of 120 pomegranate trees from Israel to the Hubkrapong Demonstration Centre last week.
The presentation ceremony was presided over by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Mr Abt, also an adviser to the Centre for International Cooperation Mashav and the Peres Centre for Peace, said Thailand's agricultural success is thanks to the King's support for farmers and rural communities over several decades.
 |
| Israeli agriculture expert Itzhak Abt greets Somkliang Klongklaew, a villager at the Hubkrapong Project. Mr Abt visited the project site to watch the presentation of plants from Israel. |
He added that food security is the key to sustainability.
The King has shown to Thailand and other developing countries that with true people's participation and the comprehensive and continuous support of governmental agencies, struggling economies can turn around, he said.
Mr Abt recommended that Thai agriculture should not rely only on a few economic crops but should diversify, suggesting it is time for the country to think beyond the subsistence of one family and produce crops and livestock to support the demands of internal as well as international markets, especially now that food prices are soaring.
He was happy to meet some relatives of the farmers he worked with for several years during the 1970s. He was also impressed with the Princess' keen interest in the livelihood of villagers in the Hubkrapong Project.
The Princess told officials of the Hubkrapong Demonstration Centre that Thai farmers were knowledgeable and adaptable to new environments, but in the competitive world market they need support, with cooperatives remaining a key tool to help them.
Charoon Klongklaew, a villager in the project, said he diversified and rotated plants, including spring onions, tomato, coriander, chillies, asparagus, pineapple and eucalyptus, on his 18-rai plot of land.
Mr Charoon, who inherited the land from his parents, said he adapted and readjusted the theories given by Mr Abt and other Israeli experts.
Hubkrapong has been an ongoing Thai-Israel cooperation project since the 1960s and the Mashav, where agricultural officials from Thailand have taken turns receiving training on many related issues including irrigation and farming in a desert-like landscape, has helped transfer Israeli technology to Thailand.
In the first few years, Mr Abt and his colleagues did research and development together with the Hubkrapong farmers, trying a variety of plants such as pepper, asparagus, tomato and lettuce in a 50-rai demonstration plot for two years, before each farmer put to use what they had learned on their own allotted 18-rai plots.
Somkliang, Mr Charoon's mother, said without the help of the King and on-the-ground support of the Israeli team, her family might not be able to maintain their livelihood
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Next
