Tasked with carving a fresh trajectory for Thailand’s proactive agricultural approach to combat climate change, the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) has undertaken a comprehensive review and rethinking of its working strategies. Overseeing the task under its aegis, Chantanon Wannakhejorn, secretary-general of the OAE ushered in the unveiling of a new development plan. This initiative was born out of the necessity of time as the previous five-year plan dated 2017-2022 recently reached its conclusion.
The authority to devise a fresh approach on environmental conservation, sustainable land use, and climate-smart agriculture was granted to the OAE by the subcommittee assigned for enforcing such policies. Stepping up to the challenge, the OAE is working in collaboration with both public and private entities, blending a symphony of diverse thoughts and innovative ideas.
The newly constructed plan is a pledge of Thailand’s commitment to the Food and Agricultural Organisation’s SCALA programme (Scaling up Climate Ambition on Land Use and Agriculture). This international initiative highlights the urgency to amp up efforts to grapple with the ever-looming, increasingly complex climate change challenges that affect the agriculture and land-use sectors.
The proposed draft with a modernized operational attitude will be forwarded for approval to the policy and development department of the Agriculture Ministry within fiscal 2023, informed Kanchana Kwanmuang, the OAE deputy secretary-general. Post the approval, the national climate change policy committee’s endorsement would catapult the plan to the implementation stage.
When asked about the blueprint of the strategies, Chantanon revealed a five-pronged plan to accomplish the new goals:
- Strengthening the resilience of farmers, the agricultural business, and supply chains to cope with climate change
- Aiming to instill long-term greenhouse gas reduction initiatives into the workings of farmers, agricultural businesses, and supply chains
- Promoting awareness about climate change and urging the agricultural sector to recognize the gravity of carbon emission reduction
- Improving the agricultural workforce’s ability to adapt to climate change
- Advocating for operations that genuinely aim to reduce climate change impacts.
The new plan also encourages cultivating a diversified mix of crops instead of single crop cultivation on the same land. In a move to promote environmentally viable options, farmers and businesses are advised to lean towards offering eco-friendly products with low carbon emission footprint. This initiative harks-nature-friendly agriculture that harmonizes with climate change mitigation efforts.
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