Suwannaphum District of Roi-et province is situated in the southern part of the northeastern region, the poorest and driest region of the country. The majority of the people have practiced rice farming for many successive generation.

Since the time of modern agricultural practice was adopted in Thailand some 50 years ago, small tractor has almost entirely replaced water buffaloes in agricultural practices. Diesel oil has been used at about 50-80 litres per season for the average of 5 ha. This is an average area being held by a northeastern family. The use of small tractor has produced unfavourable effects to the ecological system. Not only has it hardened the soil by the compression of its weigh but also made burning of thick rice straw and weeds along the dike necessary .The too-thick straws and weeds make plowing too difficult for a small tractor since it was not originally designed to fare against these biomass.(When water buffaloes were in used, they grazed on these straws and weeds thus kept only a fair amount just easy for plowing by the animals).

With the chronic problem of low price of rice, most farming families do not gain as the related expenditure and cost of living are becoming higher and higher. Instead, more and more families are generally making a loss. Besides, the environmental problems has become more serious--the Green-House Gas accumulation by burning diesel oil / leftover rice straws and the probability of expansion of desertification. Nonetheless, the problems have not yet been fully realized by average population and no concrete effort has been in place by responsible authority.

The project has conducted a study the situation and has found out that many of community members wished to conserve the indigenous ways of life, especially, in agricultural practices. Being planned as a pilot project, 80 families have expressed their interest in launching the activities which would contribute to the reduction of the GHG accumulation and alleviation of poverty.

Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects):

1.To build capacity of community members on conservation of indigenous ways of life and on
awareness of potential negative effects of accumulated Green-House Gas
2.To raise conservation awareness and reduce the consumption of diesel oil in agricultural
Practices
3.To set a good example for other communities regarding harmonization of environment
conservation and poverty alleviation

Activities to be carried out under project:

1.Training members on renewable energy application and energy conservation
2.Seminar on Gender Issue and Climate Change
3.Community traditional activities such as collective force for harvesting
4.Study tour/ experience exchange on water buffalo raising
5.Processing of natural fertilizer and vegetative rehabilitation of rice-field by planting trees

Project participants and/or beneficiaries:

1.The Centre for Local Technology Transfer (under the Suwannaphum District Agricultural Office)
2.Six participating Tambol Administrative Organizations
3.Suwannaphum District Local Development Office
4.Suwannaphum District Livestock Development Office
5 Other NGOs/CBOs active in the locality

Anticipated results of project:

1.Reduction in expenditure: 60 % of diesel consumption 50 % of chemical fertilizer
2.Target communities gain more knowledge about climate change phenomenon by ceasing practice on field burning