Sell What They Grow, Buy What They Eat: Changes in the Availability and Consumption of Food in the Central Thailand Farmers’ Community

Abstract

This study explores the dynamics of food insecurity among rural farming households in central Thailand. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Ban Khok between 2014 and 2023, it examines how commercial agriculture, labour demands, and digital technologies have reshaped food production and consumption. Guided by the frameworks of food security and political ecology, the analysis highlights a shift from self-reliant food practices to dependence on market-based and convenience-oriented alternatives. The findings show that despite being food producers, many farmers no longer consume what they grow, leading to increased nutritional risk, chronic illness, and cultural disconnection. A local concept reflecting economic constraints over ecological balance exemplifies this shift. The study concludes that food insecurity in this context stems not from scarcity but from structural dispossession and loss of food agency. It recommends context-sensitive interventions that address autonomy, biodiversity, and climate adaptation within local food systems.