Despite the ongoing severe nationwide drought, rice farmer Mala Yoosuan is still hopeful for a good season. Her new crop — mung beans which are suitable to be grown in the dry season — is thriving at her farm.
Farmer Sombat Thitalakkana in Khlong Sam Wa has shifted from growing rice to green beans on his 12-rai plot in his bid to survive in drought conditions. photos by Somchai Poomlard
“We broke even last season. We grew every single grain of rice by the sweat of our brow. But the output was not worth our efforts,” said Ms Mala, 57, who owns 75 rai of farmland in Klong Sam Wa district.
She had invested more than 100,000 baht for agricultural materials for rice cultivation, exclusive of labour costs.
Most paddy fields in Klong Sam Wa district are well suited for annual rice cultivation, she said, saying the flooded fields in the area help sprouts grow strong and healthy.
But last December when the dry season started, Ms Mala, planted mung bean seeds on a 70-rai plot and the rest for watermelon seeds.
Now comes the wait.
“We are just waiting to see if the beans will provide a good yield,” Ms Mala said.
Klong Sam Wa district is one of nine districts in the city’s eastern farming zone which is predicted to be affected by severe drought this summer.
Other drought-ridden districts include Nong Chok, Lat Krabang, Min Buri, Saphan Sung, Bang Kapi, Kannayao, Prawet and Bung Kum.
Mala Yoosuan.
Authorities said official figures showed 59,390 out of 128,862 rai of farmland and 3,869 out of 8,286 farmer families are expected to be affected by severe drought.
Dams along the Chao Chraya River basin would not be able to supply water for multiple-cropping; it is reserved for consumption only and nurturing the ecology, according to the Irrigation Department. Bhumibhol Dam is at 37% of its full capacity, Sirikit dam at 50%, Kaew Noi dam at 42% and Pasak Jolasid at 55%.
The water shortage crisis had prompted the government to urge farmers nationwide to grow alternative crops that consume less water for growing or turn to livestock farming during the dry season.
Klong Sam Wa district office chief Husdin Pinprachasan said his district is the second-largest farming area of the city. Urging farmers to look to alternative crops is part of a campaign to reduce water usage. They are also being encouraged to adopt livestock farming and cultivate mushrooms and melons among other crops that require less water than rice.
The campaign was initiated in 2011 when the country was hit by massive flooding, he said, adding the alternative options help prevent farmers from incurring losses while varying their agricultural skills.
Under the campaign to fight against drought, authorities have offered farmers training programmes which cover both knowledge and skills. Materials are also provided for them.
Mr Husdin said farmers told him that although melon cultivation consumes less water, and can yield good produce, the fruit requires a high level of care.
This year, the office has initiated a mung bean cultivation programme, he said, adding a study showed beans grow quickly, require little care and produce an abundance of pods.
The plants can also add nitrogen to the soil, he added, saying mung bean would be a perfect crop for summer drought conditions.
Mr Husdin said officials took farmers to a mung bean farm in Sing Buri to observe cultivation techniques.
It’s the place where authorities bought seeds to be distributed to farmers for cultivation on their farmland free of charge.
“The farm produces big bean yields each year. Its success story should inspire farmers to begin their own cultivation,” he said.
Authorities are finding a marketplace for farmers’ bean produce, Mr Husdin said, adding officials promise to buy farmers’ produce at a good price but they are required to produce good-quality pods of beans.
They are also working with schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to decide whether they want bean produce to be cooked for school lunches. Some of their produce would be sold at farmer markets in the district, he added.
Mr Husdin said the farm’s manager in Sing Buri would buy wholesale bean pods to be processed into mung bean noodles or vermicelli in its factory.
According to Phuss Namwong, an authority overseeing agricultural development at Klong Sam Wa district office, mung beans grow more quickly than rice. Mung beans mature in 70 to 75 days compared with 100 to 120 days for rice.
Farmer Sombat Thitalakkana, 49, who has embraced bean cultivation, said he decided to join the programme because canals near his community were starting to run dry, signalling an imminent drought.
“It [drought] comes too soon and will be severe this year. There has been a long absence of rain," he said, adding he planted bean seeds in 12 rai of farmland on Mitree Chit Road in Klong Sam Wa district he rented.
He made a loss from rice cultivation last season, he said, adding he spent a lot of money on agricultural materials including fertiliser, pesticide, fuel and water supplies.
Mung bean plant is a short duration crop and would help improve the quality of soil by adding nitrogen, Mr Sombat said.
“We may not need to buy fertiliser to be used for rice cultivation next season. It helps us save money,” he said.
Jarun Pimpud, 63, who owns a 60-rai paddy field, said he has been waiting to see whether bean would give a good yield.
“If it does, I would go for it,” Mr Jarun said, uncertain if bean is perfect for certain types of fields in Klong Sam Wa district.
Chatree Tiabuakaew, a former rice farmer who now grows fruit has urged other growers to make the change, saying many who insist on growing rice end up being burdened with debt.
“At least the study showed the positive output of bean plants,” Mr Chatree said. "If we have good produce, we can directly sell it to consumers at the farmers' market. And that cuts the middleman out of the process."
This year, farmer Mala Yoosuan will grow watermelons as they require much smaller amounts of water than rice.