Linking the Organic Rice Chain Experiences, Lessons Learnt,

Future Directions

Michael B. CommonsGreen Net / Earth Net Foundation

Michael B. Commons

- B.A. Linguistics and Anthropology- UCLA

- 1995-97- Learned French in Paris as a United Airlines Flight Attendant

- 2004 Joined Earth Net Foundation, Thailand

- 2005 to Present- Coordinator of Organic Fair Trade Rice Chain Program

-Coordinated Training Programs in Thailand, India, Indonesia, Philippines

-Consultant/ Speaker on O.A. and Fair trade in Mexico, China, Honduras, Sri Lanka

-Practicing organic farming and wanakaset with wife & family in Chacheongsao, Thailand

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Green NetMotto- Live Fair, Live Organic18 Years oldSupports organic conversion and fair trade marketing with small-scale farmersAbout 1000 farming family members, about 14 associate farmers groupsProduct sold in Thailand and exported to Fair Trade organizationsKey export products Rice and Coconut milk.

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Rice Chain Project Early 2004 Regional Rice Chain

Workshop in Sri Lanka Recommended to organize capacity

building on Rice Chain ENF and Green Net initiated the

“Organic Fair Trade Rice Chain: Building Grassroots Competency” Project in 2005 (HIVOS)

Rice Chain Project From 2005- 2012 Involved organizations from S/ SE

Asia: India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, China (Yunnan)

18 subjects in 4 areas (a) extension, (b) guarantee system, (c) quality assurance, (d) alternative marketing

Achievements A number of involved organizations

have better organized their rice chain and become successful in linking their farmers to the organic market

A few of these organizations are now also working to do capacity building in rice chain in their own countries

Limitations Doing business with social objectives

(need a good conductor with business acumen)

Finding and putting the links together Many rice farmers don’t have any or

enough rice surplus to market Changing conditions (political,

economic & most prevalent being climatic change

New Direction

Climate Change Adaptation and Planned Risk Management

Rice Based Farming Systems

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2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season

Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

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2011 Flooding

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2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season

Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

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2011 Flooding

Average Highest Temp by Decade

1951-19591960-1969

2000-20061990-1999

1980-1989

1970-1979

Yearly rainfall by year for Ubon Ratchathani

Number of Rain Days Ubon Ratchathani

SupportUnit

Collaborative Network

information

ClimateChange

Adaptation

Seminar &Training 10

PilotProject

Global Warming Workshop Yasothorn 2008

Conventional

Organic

Windmills

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Community based research

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Crisis Food Bank

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Furrow Planting Rice (Land Prep)

Furrow Planting Rice (Growth)

Furrow Planting Rice (Weeding)

Furrow Planting Rice (Harvest)

Rice Based Farming Systems

Critical for farmers with limited land

Growing more than rice Linking other products to market Adding value and benefit Processing and special knowledge

increases value-

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2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season

Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

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2011 Flooding

Value/ Self-Reliance

The Yasothorn Organic Farmers’ Market

13 Families are earning 500-1,500 baht per week

Alternative local markets

Conclusion Organic Rice Chain Approach can

and does work to link farmers to markets and add value

No easy and need to have / develop business skills and chain linkage

Going beyond just rice opens the opportunity and value to more

Must prepare for adapt to CC now

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2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season

Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

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2011 Flooding

michael@greennet.or.thwww.greennet.or.th

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New Methodology and Crops

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Tank Design and Integration

Tank (Excavation)

Tank Water Capture

Tank Water Use

Data Collection/Reseach/

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• No one answer

• Change is constant

• But we can prepare and adapt

• Share experiences and learning

• Empower each other

• Fair trade can help drive this process

• But action goes beyond consumer choice

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Toolmakers/ Researchers

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• Disaster can stop production and flow of goods (Pathum Thani/ Ayuthaya/ N. BKK)

• Centralized production high risk

• Can fail at production or transport

• Critical supplies lack/ expensive

• Fuel cost longterm risk/ limitation

• Need to produce food/ water locally from local materials

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Learnings from Thai Floods

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• Good soil receives and holds moisture

• Healthy plants/ deep wide roots, resist

• Biodiversity (not all eggs 1 basket)

• Organic better in adverse conditions

• Organic can sustain on farm and local res

• Local production and distribution can survive w/ high energy cost and disaster

• Benefits mitigation w. carbon sequestration and reduced GH gas prod4

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CC Adaptation and Organic