Environmental and Occupational Development in Mae Salong Watershed Areas (EOD)

Project number: 22-0510-21

Project period: 2007-2011

Project Holder:

Baan San Suk is a village in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai Province that plays an important role as the center for tribal villages in the area.  Baan San Suk community has been supported by both government agencies and private organizations including Hill Tribe Development Center, Mae Chan Hospital, Administrative Management Organization and Akha Foundation. HEIFER International Thailand has assisted Baan San Suk in reforestation projects covering 500 rai of land to protect watersheds and forests as well as to preserve food sources. In addition, HEIFER has supported village volunteers in water monitoring for the past 4 years.  The farmers in Baan San Suk have worked with HEIFER International Thailand in livestock and agriculture projects, and as a result, have become more self-reliant.  Baan San Suk’s successful work has given them the initiative to expand their support and Heifer’s projects to other communities.

Project Profile:

This project will provide 60,000 young trees, 42 water buffalo, 42 cows, 315 pigs, 525 chickens, 105,000 fish and 63 ponds, nine bio-gas units and 2,100 kg of vegetable seeds to seven communities in the Mae Salong watershed area. It will also train 267 original families and 300 pass-on families in technical areas including livestock management, water monitoring, bio-gas production and agroforestry.  The project will also include training in Heifer Thailand’s values-based holistic community development approach—Heifer Cornerstones, self-help group formation and management, group savings mobilization, gender equity and integrated organic farming. 

The project will work with 267 original families and 300 pass-on families from 7 communities; Baan San Suk, Baan Pa Mai Uthid, Baan Pang Pu Laeoi, Baan Kong Ngam, Baan Huay Kham, Baan Pha Klaow, and Baan Rung Charoen; in Mae Salong Watershed; Mae Chan District, Chiang Rai Province which are located in the mountainous area near the border of Myanmar.

Project areas:

Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai province, THAILAND

Local Conditions:

Environmental problems began in Mae Salong when tribal communites settled in the areas around 1979.  Forests were destroyed by expanding farming settlements and inefficient farming techniques.  Farmers used agriculture chemicals which eroded the soil and polluted streams.  As a result the water quality is poor in many of these areas and is not safe to drink.  Many tests along local streams have shown the Mae Salong watershed problems directly relate to chemical use by farmers along the river.

Farmers in this area lack agricultural knowledge for good productivity and quality.  Many farmers compete to have high quantities of crops to sell at markets.  In order to have high productivity farmers depend on chemical pesticides to increase their crop yield.  This chemical use has decreased the quality of the soil to where many farmers are in debt.  Some villagers find it hard to get support and migrate to the city, leaving elders at home.

Opportunities for Assistance:

The Environmental and Occupational Development in MaeSalong Watershed Areas project will address these problems by increasing forest areas, conserving water resources, and creating communitiy recognition for conserving the natural environment. This project will also help agricultural development by conducting technical and non-technical trainings and distributing animals.  Indigenous knowledge and local resources will be highly emphasized as the communities’ capital for development.

Project Goal:

Rich and Protected Natural Resources, Forests, Water and Sustainable Livelihood

Objectives:

• To increase their income through livestock, integrated agriculture and other income generating activities
• To form inclusive self-help groups and implement Values-based Holistic Community Development activities through these SHGs.
• To monitor and evaluate group and individual progress through PSRP every four to six months
• To have more forest area and a protected watershed.

 Activities:

• Form 29 self-help groups (14 from original families, 15 from pass-on families)
• Training on Heifer’s Cornerstones, PSRP
• Technical training on animal feed, breeding, farm management, kitchen garden, accounting, savings and credit, group management, organic and integrated farming, water watch monitoring, agro forestry, natural resources management
• Village Volunteer for Livestock Development program with vet-kits provided
• Physical input including animal breed, vegetable seeds, water testing kits, saplings, biogas units.
• Study tours for project participants
• Best practices sharing among self-help groups

Passing on the Gifts:

The project partners and community groups will use Heifer Thailand’s systems of passing on the gifts. Participating families will pass on a 1:1 ratio for animals and other inputs to farm families.

Each participating family will pass on the first female offspring (1:1 ratio) of equal value to another family. If the first offspring is male, then it will be sold for a female animal for passing on.

Participants will also pass on the skills and knowledge learned from the project to new recipients through group discussion and individual interaction. In addition, other inputs such as seeds will also be passed on.

Funding source: Heifer Project International