Rubber Cash Crop and Changes in Livelihoods Strategies in a Village in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

This research article aims to explain the changes of livelihoods strategies in a village in the Northeast region of Thailand after the introduction of rubber as cash crop. Northeast region is considered a new rubber growing area of Thailand, the world's largest rubber exporter. A village in Udornthani province was selected as a case study for a qualitative research conducted in 2012-2013. In order to get a full understanding of these changes, the research studied livelihood changes in the village over the last 62 years or since the village establishment. We have classified livelihood strategies into three periods, based on the dominant mode of production and livelihoods. The first period was the livelihoods before cash crops, in which people were involved in subsistence mode of production. The second period was marked by the introduction of cash crops and market economy into the village in the early 1960s. During this period, subsistence economy had been transformed into market oriented. Forest lands were changed into cash crop farms, so much that the natural capital lost its balance and became less dependable. The third period, starting in 2001, was the rubber period, the focus of this research. Rubber came to the northeastern region as a result of the promotion of the state. Strong research, development and extension supports that used to work well in the Southern region were applied to promote rubber growing here. However, the adoption of rubber was not without problems. People had to adjust themselves to the capitalist standardized farming practices of rubber. In addition, there was a misbalance of and unequal access to capital assets, particularly financial capital. Within the changing socio-economic context and constraining status of capital assets and access, rural households adopted integrated livelihood strategies, including 1) economic diversification or pluri-activities to reduce risks and increase income 2) maintaining rice cultivation to guarantee food security 3) keeping the ownership of agricultural land as an important capital asset 4) investment in higher education of the younger generation of the household. The article also discusses the implication of these livelihood strategies on rural society, and provides policy and research recommendation.

Farm types and farmer motivations to adapt: Implications for design of sustainable agricultural interventions in the rubber plantations of South West China

“…Rubber plantations in montane south east Asia have expanded leading to rapid replacement of diverse landscapes with monocultures, and giving rise to serious concerns about forest loss, ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss and risky over-specialisation of livelihoods (Ahrends et al, 2015;Fox et al, 2014;Warren-Thomas et al, 2015;Ziegler et al, 2009). Scientific literature to date generally has focused on either potential management interventions (De Blécourt et al, 2014;Fu et al, 2010;Liu et al, 2015;Riedel et al, 2012;Thongyou, 2014;Viswanathan and Shivakoti, 2008), or potential policy interventions (Cotter et al, 2014;Smajgl et al, 2015b;Yi et al, 2014b). The efficacy of policy interventions is however determined by the interaction between policy mechanisms and the grass-roots responses (Smajgl et al, 2015a), therefore understanding the motivations of small holder farmers to adapt their practices is essential in designing appropriate interventions.…”

Socioeconomic and Ecological Impact Analysis of Rubber Cultivation in Southeast Asia

“…Here, potential saw log and sawn wood availability increased from 2. . The Thai government posits that the cultivation of rubber, which is a perennial plant, would help revive the degraded environment of the region due to the massive cultivation of short-lived cash crops for over 50 years [23] [35]. Hence, government supported research, has generated new rubber varieties which are suitable for the climate and land of the country.…”

“…Hence, government supported research, has generated new rubber varieties which are suitable for the climate and land of the country. This plus the decrease of cassava price has pushed many farmers in the region to start growing rubber and making Thailand, the world's largest producer and exporter of natural rubber [23] [35]. In India, rubber plantations have been identified as a source of honey since 1920's though organised commercial exploitation is relatively recent [36].…”

“…The tree also serves as a source of timber, fuel and shade-tree on many farms. It is thus important in farm management and poverty alleviation for rural communities [12] [23]. Indigenous peoples living at low population densities in and around many tropical forests especially in the Brazilian Amazon, are known to have been using rubber for centuries, practicing sustainable harvesting and utilization of this resources compatible with conservation [24].…”

The Political Economy of Cardamom Farming in Eastern Nepal: Crop Disease, Coping Strategies, and Institutional Innovation

“…Studies show cash crop production contributes to job opportunities and improves livelihoods (Maharjan, 2014;Thongyou, 2014;Wamalwa, 2011). A recent report shows 67,000 households engaged in cardamom farming across Nepal, which includes 25,000 households from Ilam, Taplejung, and Panchthar districts ("Farmers Worried Due to Failing Cardamom Production," 2014).…”