The government is allocating more funds this fiscal year to water management, particularly to develop existing royally initiated water projects, in an effort to ensure supply for farmland and generate more income in the sector.
A source at Government House said it had been agreed in principle that 150 billion baht in supplementary funds for this fiscal year would go to the development of 1,317 royally initiated water projects. That decision was made during a recent Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry meeting chaired by Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Wiwat Salyakamthorn.
Mr Wiwat, an agricultural scholar, has championed a shift from conventional farming to more sustainable production.
The cabinet on Tuesday approved the 150 billion baht in supplementary funds for fiscal 2018, aiming to disburse 136 billion among three projects and the rest to compensate spent treasury reserves.
The three projects include one for low income earners worth 35 billion baht, another to support local businesses and tourism worth 35.3 billion, and a farm-sector restructuring scheme, including water management, worth 30 billion.
In fiscal 2018, the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has been allocated 160 billion baht to finance water management, 120 billion of which is planned for water development and the rest for irrigation.
According to the source, the development of water management projects will ensure supply for farmers to grow other crops after the main rice season ends.
The development will apply the "Pid Thong Lang Phra" (doing good without expecting any returns) project method, which employees labourers from the target villages.
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry needs to consult with the Interior Ministry, which supervises local organisations overseeing 7,086 small water projects.
Currently there are 8,403 small water projects nationwide, with water storage capacity of 6,049 million cubic metres. Out of them, there are 1,317 small dams and reservoirs initiated by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
MR Disnadda Diskul, chairman of the Pid Thong Lang Phra Project, said 37% of Thais work in the farm sector, accounting for nearly 10% of the country's gross domestic product. Providing sufficient water supply to farmland is one solution for increasing farm income.
There are 8,403 small water reservoirs and small dams that could not supply water to farmland because they were damaged by natural disasters, MR Disnadda said.
He said water supply development for farmland from those damaged water reservoirs and dams will cost no more than 20 billion baht.
Founded in 2008, Pid Thong Lang Phra uses the sufficiency economy philosophy to deal with deforestation, flooding and poverty. It aims to promote reforestation and crop diversity to maintain soil quality.
Under the project, the late King's philosophy is being used to promote sustainable development in five provinces.
The project is in its second phase (2016-20) after the first stage ran for five years in Nan, Udon Thani, Phetchaburi, Uthai Thani and Kalasin.
The first stage enabled farmers from 2,017 families to generate 285 million baht in income, helping them, among other things, to repay debts.
The programme has become a role model for rural development, prompting the government to expand it to other provinces.