Questions/Answers

The conflict and violent situation between separatist insurgent groups and the Thai government in southern Thailand across Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces has led to poverty and unsecured livelihood of civilians who live in that region. Many civilians were killed, injured and suffered from this violence. The situation also affected agricultural production because civilians who are farmers cannot easily mobilize their agricultural production to the local market. Therefore, the price of rubber, which is the main economic plant in southern Thailand has decreased. Therefore, most of farmers in southern Thailand are poor because their income is lower than the cost of production. The sad thing is that some children from poor families were lured to using methamphetamine and some eventually became meth dealers. To solve these problems, the utilization other local crops and processing for adding values are choices for increasing income. The Center of Agricultural Research and Development at Rueso (CORDAR) surveyed local crops in Narathiwat and found that torch ginger (Etlingera eletior (Jack) R.M. Smith) or Dahla is planted as an intercrop on rubber plantations. However, only the torch ginger flower is used for food and stalks are discarded by burning, which causes air pollution. CORDAR researched torch ginger stalk processing and found that any part of the stalk can be used for processing to retrieve fibers for the textile industry. Torch ginger production knowledge and stalk processing technology were transferred to farmers who are community leaders and community enterprise that produce textiles from torch ginger stalks in Rueso, Narathiwat. CORDAR supports community leaders to build their associations and produce torch ginger to community enterprises. Consequently, communities are stronger and the communities’ income has increased.

The objectives on using torch ginger are 1) to reduce poverty in southern Thailand due to the violent situation and declining natural rubber prices by using local plants such as torch ginger as a supplementary cash crop to get more income from selling torch ginger products and torch ginger fiber, and 2) to establish strong communities by participating in production knowledge and processing technology between government sectors, community leaders and members.

This initiative promotes agricultural occupation and also applies and disseminates torch ginger production and technology for torch ginger fiber processing. The initiative treats two groups of farmers; the first group is farmers who plant torch ginger and sell the product to the second group that is farmers’ community enterprises who separate fiber from torch ginger stalks and sell torch ginger fibers to textile manufacturers. Therefore, this initiative increases farmers’ income in both the torch ginger producing group and torch ginger processing group and to raise participation between leaders and members within and between farmer associations and community enterprises.

Easy access and easy to understand services from government sectors are important tools to make farmers in southern border Thailand have positive interactions with government sectors. CORDAR researched torch ginger production and processing to retrieve fibers and transferred technology on torch ginger production and processing to farmers leaders in Rueso, under the Agricultural Extension Project in Southern Border Provinces. The project was established by The Department of Agriculture of Thailand, which focused on resolving poverty and lack of opportunities to access agricultural services and development agricultural production for farmers in the areas of unrest of the southern border provinces. Farmers who joined the project could share their opinions about torch ginger and were supported to establish farmers associations to produce torch ginger flowers and stalks and set up community enterprises for torch ginger fiber production and processing. Moreover, CORDAR helped community enterprises find finance to buy torch ginger fiber extraction machines and locating fiber markets, resulting in higher income for farmers. Hence, local farmers in Rueso have a better quality of life and strong communities, which provide an indirect approach for conflict resolution and lead to sustainable security in the southern border of Thailand.

This initiative has addressed resolving poverty of local farmers in the southern border of Thailand by using local plants. In southern Thailand, torch ginger is a local crop and is planted as an intercrop in rubber plantation areas, thus farmers don’t have to find new land to plant torch ginger. To decrease poverty of farmers, producing and selling torch ginger products and fiber could help farmers increase their income. CORDAR, which is a government sector, trained farmers’ leaders about torch ginger production and transferred torch ginger stalk processing technology to community enterprises. Torch ginger farmers can sell their products to community enterprises and community enterprises can process torch ginger stalk for fiber and sell their products to textile manufacturers. CORDAR supported torch ginger farmers’ leaders to establish a torch ginger growers association. In addition, CORDAR helped community enterprises to search for financial support for fiber extraction machines and locating natural fiber markets.

Torch ginger fiber that was processed by community enterprises in Rueso attracted a private company who do business about exportation of natural fibers. CORDAR sustained local farmers to deal with this company, who would like to use fibers from local plants in Thailand instead of using cotton, which is 100% imported from outside the country. Hence, increased revenue from exporting natural fibers produced in Thailand and decreasing cotton fiber importation. Local farmers get more income from selling torch ginger products and fibers, thus enhancing the circular economy in local areas. Farmers have a better quality of life and communities are stronger. Farmers in Rueso trust the government sector and officers more than before and cooperate with the government to develop southern agriculture and southern economy, consequently driving sustainable systems for decreasing the volatile situation in the southern border of Thailand indirectly.

This initiative was conducted based on the idea of using and processing local plants for value-adding to improve the livelihood of local farmers in Rueso, Narathiwat. CORDAR surveyed local plants in the southern border of Thailand and found that torch ginger could be used as a supplemental crop to increase farmers’ income because torch ginger flowers are used for food and torch ginger fiber quality is good for textiles. Torch ginger production and processing technology extended to local farmers in Rueso by the Agricultural Extension Project in Southern Border Provinces. CORDAR promoted and supported local farmers to grow torch ginger and supported community enterprises to extract and process torch ginger fibers for textile materials. Therefore, farmers get additional income from selling torch ginger products and fibers. Generally, only torch ginger flowers are used for food and the stalk part is burned, hence causing air pollution. Therefore, using torch ginger stalks for fiber not only improve quality of life, but also decreased air pollution from burning torch ginger stalks.

Using local plants for textile production is a new initiative in the areas of unrest in southern Thailand. After CORDAR surveyed and found that torch ginger is a high potential local plant for fiber processing, we researched appropriate fiber processing technology from torch ginger stalks for textile material. Using torch ginger stalks for fiber, which normally is the waste agricultural product, adhered to Zero Waste principles.

The human resources for this initiative are government officers who work under CORDAR, Department of Agriculture, local farmers’ leaders, graduate students and professors in university, researchers in The Thailand Textile Institute and entrepreneurs in textile industries. Financial resources were supported by CORDAR, government budget, and the Innovation and Technology Assistance Program (ITAP).

Yes

This initiative has been transferred to Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya, Songkhla (RMUTSV), Thai Num Choke Textile Company Limited and Thailand Textile Institute (THTI). Graduate students and professors at RMUTSV studied using torch ginger fibers for furniture covers and creating unique weaving patterns for costumes by mixing torch ginger fibers with silk. Thai Num Choke Textile Co., LTD has been developing unique Thai fabrics by mixing torch ginger fibers and cotton fibers for exportation and to reduce cotton fiber importation. THTI has been modifying fibers from torch ginger leaves for use in the Islamic fashion trade.

Insurgency in the three border provinces of southern Thailand causes privation of people, which most of them are rubber farmers. In addition, the price of natural rubber is in steep decline. Therefore, CORDAR decided to use torch ginger, which is intercropped with rubber as an initiative for using supplementary cash crops to relieve the poverty by selling torch ginger products and fibers. The results from CORDAR studied showed that all torch ginger stalk part (leaves, stem and peduncle) can be used for high quality fibers when harvesting torch ginger at six months after planting and stalks were soaked in fiber extract solution for six days. This knowledge and technology were transferred to local farmers’ leaders in Rueso, Narathiwat. Moreover, CORDAR encouraged farmers’ leaders to set up torch ginger growing associations to produce torch ginger flowers and stalks and set up community enterprises for torch ginger fiber processing. Thus, this initiative brings about sustainable local economic development and builds a stronger community. For additional benefit, this initiative also reduced air pollution from burning torch ginger stalks because torch ginger flowers usually were consumed only and stalks were considered a waste product.

CORDAR set up this initiative as an extension course to promote using torch ginger as a supplementary cash crop and processing torch ginger fibers for textiles. Therefore, torch ginger production and fiber processing technology are continued to be transferred to farmers by training. CORDAR supported and assisted local farmers in Rueso to make their own decisions on improving torch ginger products, fibers and marketing. Regular farmers and community enterprises’ meetings are held, thus farmers and community enterprises feel a greater sense of responsibility and enthusiasm on developing their products and marketing. In addition, torch ginger farmers associations and community enterprises also take action like paying it forward for transferring, sharing and discussion on torch ginger production and processing technology to other farmers associations and community enterprises around the area of Narathiwat. Consequently, communities can stand on their own feet and can make decisions on how to improve their products and marketing by themselves. Furthermore, CORDAR presented posters about using torch ginger fibers both in national and international conferences and exhibited fabrics from mixed torch ginger fibers in fabrics trade fairs and textile industry trade fairs. Lately, community enterprises have been developing fabric products from torch ginger fibers for selling. In the future, community enterprises in Rueso will be a prototype of torch ginger fiber production and selling fabrics from torch ginger fibers.

Yes

Yes, this initiative has been evaluated by 1) receiving the Thailand Public Service Award 2017 in the category of the Service Initiative Awards – Good Level, 2) presently, will receive the Success of Researching and Utilizing Innovation Certification from Chulalongkorn University (CU) and from Office of the Public Sector Development Commission Thailand (OPDC).

The outcome of evaluation this initiative is good practice for torch ginger production, and torch ginger fiber processing with high quality. Local farmers established torch ginger grower associations to produce and sell torch ginger flowers and stalks, and established community enterprises to process and sell torch ginger fibers and fabrics. Local farmers can more conveniently access government services and feel more confident for consultation about torch ginger production and processing technology.

The indicators of this initiative are local farmers earning more income from selling torch ginger flowers and stalks and torch ginger fibers. Farmers around Narathiwat and the southern border voluntarily produce torch ginger flowers and stalks as a cash crop and establish farmers associations and community enterprises for torch ginger fiber processing. Therefore, communities in Narathiwat are stronger, livelihood and quality of life of local farmers are better. Textile companies were satisfied about using torch ginger fiber. Furthermore, torch ginger fiber is used more for apparel and Islamic fashion.

CORDAR researched appropriate technology for torch ginger production and fiber processing. The results demonstrated that harvesting torch ginger six months after planting and soaking with fiber extract solution for six days were the most effective method for producing high quality fiber. Torch ginger fiber quality was evaluated in corporation with Thai Num Choke Textile Co., LTD and THTI. Torch ginger production and fiber processing technology were transferred to farmers’ leaders. CORDAR took farmers’ leader to other organizations and community enterprise for learning about plant fiber products. For example, a study trip at Hemp Fiber Processing Enterprise in Chiang Mai, and a study trip at Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage in Chiang Rai for mulberry paper products to get some ideas of using natural fibers for apparel, bags, paper and other products. CORDAR encouraged and supported farmers’ leader to set up torch ginger grower community groups and community enterprises for fiber processing. Torch ginger farmers also participated for supplying torch ginger stalks for estimate fiber quality and participated for setting up torch ginger grower associations and community enterprises. For torch ginger fiber extraction equipment, CORDAR supplied or searched finances for buying fiber extraction machine. Subsidies of the first torch ginger fiber extraction machine was supported from government budget, and ITAP. In addition, CORDAR assisted community enterprises dealing with textile companies to sell torch ginger fiber. Information about torch ginger production and fiber processing was disseminated by cooperation between CORDAR and other government sectors, such as The Provincial Agricultural Extension and Agricultural and Cooperative Office. Furthermore, CORDAR cooperated with The Provincial Industry Office to publish about technical development fabric products and how to make a profit from selling fabric products from torch ginger fiber.

Working in the southern border of Thailand, CORDAR have to understand about the culture and tradition of local people, especially with regard to the insurgency situation. Therefore, seeking a supplemental local crop took a period of time to consider using it to improve the livelihood of local people. The criteria is local crops should be planted as an intercrop, easy for management and production and can make a profit by value-added, having a market to buy farmers products and can be used as a prototype crop for other regions. How to convince local people to trust government sectors is a challenge for us. Transferring knowledge and technology about torch ginger production and processing, support for setting grower associations and community enterprises, searching for finance for fiber processing, and collaborating with other government sectors and textile companies were the important strategies to make local farmers confident in CORDAR and confident to use torch ginger to improve their quality of life. The next roadmap of using torch ginger is studying the effects of phytochemicals of torch ginger fiber on antifungals and antibacterial for fabric products, phytochemicals for pest control, and enhancing fabric products from torch ginger fiber for cultural identity.