Climate change adaptation in practice: Jasmine rice in the weeping plain: Adapting rice farming to climate change in northern Thailand (Summary)

Oxfam supports communities and organisations around the world that are already developing the tools and techniques that can be used to adapt to global warming. This case study is one in a series that highlights some of this work to assist programme practitioners in sharing and learning on climate change adaptation. In 2007, after the Yasathorn Province in Northeastern Thailand experienced its longest rainy-season dry spell in decades, Oxfam along with partners Earth Net Foundation decided to take action to safeguard the livelihoods of the region's farmers. In consultation with farming communities, Oxfam and ENF implemented a one-year pilot climate change adaptation project designed to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on the production of organic jasmine rice. As part of the project, men, women and children were educated about climate change and its potential impacts in Thailand; were provided with loans to design, construct and implement their own on-farm water management systems; and shared ideas with other farmers about how they could adapt their farming practices to cope with climate change. As a result of this project the communities reduced their food insecurity by maintaining a sufficient level of rice output despite the harsh conditions, and diversified their food crops to include fruits and other vegetables, some of which was sold at market for cash income. Key recommendations

• Participation of farmers in every stage of the project contributed to its success.
• Use of scientific data by farmers, government officials and scientists helped participants make informed decisions and was important in all steps of project implementation.
• Low interest loans for farmers enabled repayment without incurring further debt.
• Farmers’ new knowledge on climate change helped them apply their existing experience and skills to find solutions.