Cabinet okays Bt3.1 bn to boost agriculture after flood and drought

“This budget comes mostly from the government’s central budget for emergencies (Bt2.96 billion) and partly from the provincial budget allocations for assistance in natural disaster aids (Bt152 million),” she said. “The projects will run from October 2019 to September 2020.”
According to Rachada, the five projects are as follows:
1) A project to promote the growing of crops that use less water, such as corn for animal feed and mung bean. This project targets 150,000 farmers and 1.4 million rai of farmland, and has a budget of Bt374.5 million.
2) Delivery of 63,200 tonnes of rice seeds to 827,000 rice farmers nationwide (Bt1.74 billion).
3) Aquaculture promotion project by delivering broods of hormonal sex-reversed nile tilapia and fish food to 50,000 fish farmers (Bt260 million).
4) Promotion of giant freshwater prawn farming in 1,436 community water resources by delivering 200,000 prawns per community (Bt506 million).
5) Promotion of poultry farming by supporting start-up costs, equipment and 10 hens/ducks per household to 48,000 farmers (Bt240 million).
“The Cabinet has also approved a budget of Bt2 billion for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for the restoration and improvement of irrigation and water resources system nationwide to prevent future flood and drought problems,” said the spokesperson.