Roles of the government in the development of Thailand’s sustainable rice industry

Abstract

This study aims to:  Study the roles of the government in the development of Thailand’s sustainable rice industry; Study problems and obstacles impinging upon the operation of the development in the Development of the above issue; and To offer the approaches towards problem resolution of the above issue.

            It was found from the study that the respondents via in depth interview include: Export in rice trade;  Experts on agricultural policy concerning government roles in sustainable rice industry in different dimensions: building up the strength of farmers; raising up rice quality and creating a balance of rice production, problems and obstacles of sustainable rice industry via the following measures: In terms of building up the strength of farmers via generating income of the farmers, reducing the costs in rice production so as to make it sufficient; In terms of raising up rice quality, there should exist a development of rice seed appropriate for each available area without toxin, health promotion, response to the needs of the consumers;  In terms of building up the balance in rice project, there should exist a motivation to reduce the average in an inappropriate area and a promotion of rice consumption quantity by manufacturing into rice products; and In terms of rice value added, it is a resulting from a lack of knowledge and understanding of the development system.

              Approaches towards problem resolution on the roles of government in the development of sustainable rice industry includes:  Public sector should build up confidence and trust among producers or agriculturists or farmers by supporting the development of resources in producing rice, whether it would be land, capital, or irrigation system in water management or rice production systematically and continuously;  Public sector has to crate knowledge and understanding in new farming system. This is to reduce capital, toxin-free and to emphasis on a response to consumer needs market;Public sector should import knowledge on this matter via training and public relations of understanding of farmers on an advantage of quality rice production and certified agricultural standard of good agricultural practice/ GAP;  Public sector should promote rice manufacturing to increase value added rice manufacturing to increase more time span for rice maintenance longer; and (5.) Public sector should promote participation of farmers, and those who involved in rethinking, resolving, and offering approaches in order for them to have a good planning and efficiency in an effort to promote rice trade in terms of fair and create the “greatest (happiness) for the greatest number” by including farmers or people involved to be an important for inducing policy implementation towards its target.