Comparing the Collaboration of Smallholder Farmers through Participatory Guarantee System Practices in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

Organic agriculture based on the participatory guarantee system (PGS) is frequently touted as a tool for improving ecosystem sustainability and self-reliance and for alleviating the poverty of smallholder farmers in Thailand. However, specific criteria must be fulfilled for products to be certified organic. In this paper, we investigate the similarities and differences between three cases of organic agricultural production (based on the participatory guarantee system) in four provinces in northeastern Thailand: Nong Bua Lam Phu, Nakhon Phanom, Ubon Ratchathani, and Nakhon Ratchasima. A total of 135 smallholder farmers were selected to act as informants, and semi-structured interviews were held. The participatory guarantee system was utilized, considering the farmers’ diverse agricultural backgrounds and socio-economic conditions. For agriculture to be adapted with the ultimate aim of sustainability, policy support will be necessary in the form of financial measures and capacity building.