Sustainable Buffalo Production Project for Self-Sufficiency in Northern Thailand (S-Buff)

Project Number: 22-0510-22

Project Period: 2007 - 2011

Project Holder:

Gifts for Life Foundation (GLF) is a non-government organization working to support sustainability rural development in Thailand. Its working in collaboration with a number of local and national development agencies and authorities; Livestock Department, Social Welfare and Human Security Department, Universities, Royal Project Foundation, Civil Society Organizations and village administrative bodies in northern Thailand.  Its mission to work with all poor people regardless their nationality and religion aimed to promote livelihood options, gender equality and concentration agriculture, especially livestock. The GLF is strongly believed that the Value Base Holistic Community Development-VBHCD is an appropriate methodology to ensure sustainable rural development.

GLF will partner with the following community-based organizations and form self-help groups to contribute the most valuable of the project to targeted communities;

1. Sustainable Agriculture Integrated with Livelihood Project (SAIL)

2. Capacity Improvement of Tribal Community in Namfang Basin (CITC)

3. Rural Community Development Project (RCDP)

4. Community Livelihood and Environment Development Project (CLED)

Heifer Thailand staff will provide volunteer service in managing, follow-up, financial management, backstopping, planning, training, evaluation, monitoring, and other aspects of the implementation and follow-up of this project.

Project Profile:
The Gift for Life Foundation in conjunction with the Department of Livestock Services will work to improve the standard of living for 89 poor families in ten rural communities within the Chiang Mai province through the government project, Royal Initiated Buffalo-and-Cattle Bank. The Department of Livestock will provide participants 89 water buffalo, while Heifer Thailand will provide 8 bulls, 120 chickens, 25,000 fish, four biogas units, 50 fish ponds, 445 kg of grass seeds, 50 kitchen gardens, 1,250 kg of crop seeds. An additional 89 families will benefit from “passing on the gift.” The families will also receive agricultural supplies (such as animal feed, fencing, saplings) and participate in a series of trainings related to Heifer’s values-based holistic development approach.  These trainings include sustainable community development, economic sustainability, gender equity and environmentally sound farming.

Project areas: 10 villages in Chiang Maiprovince,THAILAND

Local Conditions & Opportunities for Assistance:
GLF and Livestock Department has established its relationship and created development project to support rural poor communities in the North of Thailand in occasion of 80th years anniversary of the King. The Department of Livestock provides 89 quality buffaloes as part of “Royal Initiated Buffalo-and-Cattle Bank” and Heifer Thailand will support these two partners in capacity building in value based holistic community development (VBHCD) and provide agricultural supplies to ensure the sustainable development as stated in VBHCD.

In rural areas of Chiang Mai, draught animal power remains an important source of farm power in spite of the increasing use of petroleum-based machine. Water buffaloes have been recognized to contribute significantly to the sustainability of integrated crop-livestock farming systems as well as to farmer’s income and food security in Thailand. They provide meat, draft power, manure; while utilize rice straw and crop residues which would be mostly wasteful without them. Also the sale of their offspring can help increase small farmers’ income when urgent needs occurred such as children tuition fee, hospital cost, etc. In addition, environment in rural communities will continue to prosper without pollution from farmers switching towards the use of fuel-generated tractors.
 
Project Goal: To improve the standard of living for 89 poor
families in ten rural communities within the Chiang Mai province through the government project, Royal Initiated Buffalo-and-Cattle Bank.

Objectives of Strategic Plan(s) related to this
Project: KEY ISSUE 3: Improved Communication & Networking

1. Improved communication with and among current and potential project partners
2. Increase diversify funding sources and resources mobilization
3. Develop networking with like-minded organizations

KEY ISSUE 4: Values-based Holistic Community Development Approach

1. Enhance staff, current and potential project partners and self-help groups to internalize values-based holistic community development (VBHCD) approach
2. Adopt Values-based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) approach in HPI/TH program

KEY ISSUE 6: Shared Leadership Model

1. Promote shared leadership model among partners and self-help groups
2. Objective 6.3: Enhance participatory approach among partners and self-help groups

KEY ISSUE 7: Gender Equity

1. Ensure gender equity within Heifer Thailand staff and promote gender equity among

Passing on the Gifts:
Livestock
For every animal received, the recipient will pass on one offspring of the same size and value in good condition to the next qualified recipient family.   Pass-on animals and agricultural inputs ceremony will be conducted and witnessed by the project partners, SHG members and Heifer representatives.

Farm inputs
For farm inputs and supplies such as seeds, planting materials, seedlings, etc., the recipients will pass on the same values.

Knowledge, skills and values
Project families will pass on knowledge, skills and values acquired from the project to the next in-line recipient or other members of the group. Passing-on will be done through group training, mentoring and/or coaching.  

Funding source: Thailand Department of Livestock and Heifer Project International