Abstract for
“Enabling Bioinnovation for Poverty Alleviation in Asia Project”
Asian Institute of Technology and Canada’s International Development Research Centre
This project seeks to learn about the movement of knowledge in the recent proliferation of natural farming innovations in Chiang Mai Province of northern Thailand, with a particular focus on knowledge about soil and climate change. Our point of entry will be to follow the efforts to establish a community supported agriculture (CSA) scheme in Chiang Mai. Fair Earth Co., with funding from the US State Dept., is conducting research into the potential of a CSA scheme which links upland and peri-urban natural food producers with socially concerned urban food consumers, thereby attempting a safe and profitable alternative for farmers who are struggling with unsustainable agriculture. The concept is essentially to knock links out of the modern food chain, reconnecting food growers and food buyers.
We propose to study and map the transmission of knowledge in the proliferation of innovation in natural farming in Chiang Mai Province – with an emphasis on soil health and climate change – and to take concrete steps to address the challenges and opportunities we discover. A central question of this project is why, despite the widespread existence of successful innovations in natural farming, many local farmers seem relatively oblivious to the innovations. We hope that by mapping the innovations emerging, and how they are connected to each other and to external actors, we will understand better these key questions: In the Chiang Mai area, what individuals and organizations are notable for their role in producing and exchanging knowledge about natural farming, especially in terms of soil health? To what extent are these individuals and organizations incorporating climate change knowledge into their work? To what extent are these individuals and organizations connected to each other and external actors, and what part do these connections play in the transmission of knowledge? What challenges and opportunities exist in Chiang Mai extension services (state, NGO, private sector and other) in improving the transmission of knowledge about soil and climate? Would the development of teams of local consultants in the target villages’ subdistricts (tambon) be feasible and beneficial in helping more farmers to transition to sustainable farming?
