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Linking the Organic Rice Chain Experiences, Lessons Learnt, Future Directions

Linking the Organic Rice Chain Experiences, Lessons Learnt, Future Directions. Michael B. Commons Green 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

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Linking the Organic Rice Chain Experiences, Lessons Learnt, Future Directions

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  1. Linking the Organic Rice Chain Experiences, Lessons Learnt, Future Directions Michael B. Commons Green Net / Earth Net Foundation

  2. 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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  4. Green Net Motto- Live Fair, Live Organic 18 Years old Supports organic conversion and fair trade marketing with small-scale farmers About 1000 farming family members, about 14 associate farmers groups Product sold in Thailand and exported to Fair Trade organizations Key export products Rice and Coconut milk. 4

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  6. 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)

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. New Direction • Climate Change Adaptation and Planned Risk Management • Rice Based Farming Systems

  11. 2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

  12. 2011 Flooding

  13. 2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

  14. 2011 Flooding

  15. Average Highest Temp by Decade 1960-1969 1951-1959 1970-1979 1990-1999 1980-1989 2000-2006

  16. Yearly rainfall by year for Ubon Ratchathani Number of Rain Days Ubon Ratchathani

  17. Collaborative Network Seminar & Training Support Unit information 10 Pilot Project Climate Change Adaptation

  18. Global Warming Workshop Yasothorn 2008

  19. Conventional Organic

  20. Windmills

  21. Community based research 24

  22. Crisis Food Bank 25

  23. Furrow Planting Rice (Land Prep)

  24. Furrow Planting Rice (Growth)

  25. Furrow Planting Rice (Weeding)

  26. Furrow Planting Rice (Harvest)

  27. 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-

  28. 2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

  29. 2011 Flooding

  30. Value/ Self-Reliance

  31. The Yasothorn Organic Farmers’ Market 13 Families are earning 500-1,500 baht per week Alternative local markets

  32. 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

  33. 2008 Dry Spell in Yasothorn during rainy season Bigger Problems in other parts of the world

  34. 2011 Flooding

  35. michael@greennet.or.th www.greennet.or.th

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  37. New Methodology and Crops 40

  38. Tank Design and Integration

  39. Tank (Excavation)

  40. Tank Water Capture

  41. Tank Water Use

  42. Data Collection/Reseach/

  43. Toolmakers/ Researchers • 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 46

  44. Learnings from Thai Floods • 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 47

  45. CC Adaptation and Organic • 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 prod 48

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