Forests losing to contract farmers

“We believe this is a key reason behind the encroachment problem in headwater forest areas in the North, especially in the Nan River basin,” the ministry’s permanent secretary Chote Trachu said yesterday.
He explained that because investors offered free seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, farmers were eager to take up contract farming and did not think twice about invading forest zones.
“Every group in society, including these investors, should come up with a solution that will promote forest conservation and environmental protection,” he said.
He added that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk would soon invite investors, banks and relevant parties to discuss how they can prevent forest encroachment.
According to the ministry, commercial agricultural activities have been eating into forestland. In the Nan River Basin, as many as 1.27 million rai of forestland has been encroached into.
Suwit Rattanamanee, directorgeneral of the Royal Forest Department, said relevant authorities had launched a project to provide plots in degradedforest zones to interested people under the condition that they engage in reforestation activities.
“For instance, of 100 rai, they can use 20 rai to grow rice for their livelihood and use the rest for reforestation,” he said.
Suwit added that his department had 3,000 rai for the pivotal phase of this project. “We will survey degraded forest zone across the country to find more plots,” he said.