News

Better Rice Initiative Asia or BRIA collaborates with Thailand’s Rice Department, Department of Agricultural Extension, local authorities and Bayer to conduct farmer training. To understand the constraints, aspirations, needs and training wants of farmers under the project, BRIA has commissioned the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Kasetsart University to conduct a baseline study.

The study interviewed 640 farmers from 29 CRCs (Community Rice Centers) in Sisaket, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, and Roi Et in the northeastern region and in Suphan Buri and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya in the central region.

According to the results of the evaluation of farmers’ knowledge and training requirements, target farmers were found to have the following farming practices that should be improved:

Neighbours were found to be a major source of knowledge especially in the central CRCs; therefore the program for “Training of Trainers” (ToT) in each community is considered to be useful as farmers are likely to learn from the persons in the community they know.In addition, it was found that private companies had a limited role in providing knowledge to farmers; therefore, it would be helpful if they could enhance their role in advising farmers about appropriate farming practices and use of inputs.

Last but not least, demonstration of the effectiveness of new technology should be enhanced. Most farmers, especially in the central region, were found to prefer to wait until they could find the evidence of successful outcomes before the adoption of new knowledge.

In addition, it was found that private companies had a limited role in providing knowledge to farmers; therefore, it would be helpful if they could enhance their role in advising farmers about appropriate farming practices and use of inputs.

Neighbours were found to be a major source of knowledge especially in the central CRCs; therefore the program for “Training of Trainers” (ToT) in each community is considered to be useful as farmers are likely to learn from the persons in the community they know.

Last but not least, demonstration of the effectiveness of new technology should be enhanced. Most farmers, especially in the central region, were found to prefer to wait until they could find the evidence of successful outcomes before the adoption of new knowledge.

BRIA seeks to improve rice value chains and rice based nutrition in four Southeast Asian (SEA) countries, namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The approach also allows for covering regional cross-border value chains. Learn more about the project here.