MAIZE LOWLAND
SARABURI, THAILAND
Our Maize Cluster Farm Group is from Hin-Son Sub-district, Kaeng Khoi District of Chumphon province, Thailand. The group has 98 members with total 4,800 rai (average 30 rai/farmer and 8 farmers have more than 100 rai). There are 10 members who can produce two crops/year due to installed dripping irrigation system. The cluster farm group has other channels of incomes from input supply, harvesting service commission and drone and machinery service fees.
CHALLENGES
-Low yields
-Land management after harvesting such as residues
-Rain shadow zone causes drought period
-No electricity for irrigation system (to pump water for usage)
-There are irrigation canals in the area but cannot be used due to the level of canal is lower than the fields.
SOLUTIONS NEEDED
1.Land management after harvesting
2.Yield improvement and increase of yields
3.Plowing techniques to manage corn stumps
4.Irrigation for drought period
5.Groundwater drilling
INNOVATION OPTIONS
1.Machines for land levelling, breaking soil compaction and mixing stumps into soil
2.Irrigation for production
3.Crop rotation
In discussion
1.Field maize processing ideas such as snacks, whiskey, chips or waffles
ACTIVITIES' TIMELINE
Technical Working Group Meeting
March 5, 2024
Target Crops Selection
March 27, 2024
Target Crops Selection
Select target crops based on the three sustainable pillars of project's concept: Going Green (Climate Smart Agriculture), Increase Value of Agricultural Products and Sustainable Agricultural Machinery.
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Area Selection for each Target Crop
April - May 2024
2024 PSC Meeting
May 27, 2024
The meeting is to provide oversight and support from a management level, facilitating the exchange of ideas and opinions between the Thai and German delegations.
2024 Project Steering Committee Meeting
In June, the project and DOAE team visited all cluster farm members and local DOAE to collect the group's information together.
Data collection at First Visit
Data collection
June, 2024
Situation Analysis
July - August, 2024
DOAE, farmer heads and project team went to Bali region for agricultural knowledge and practices exchange.
Indonesia Study Tour
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Regional Study Tour 2024 in Indonesia
August 11-17, 2024
Germany Study Tour 2024
September 1-7, 2024
Plan Discussion
September 26, 2024
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Discuss with the cluster farm group and local DOAE about the plan for demonstrations and innovative solutions suggestions. The members agreed as following plans.
Plan Discussion with the group
Explore Machine Companies and Related Innovations
September - October 2024
1/2024 Working Group Meeting
Develop three sustainable pillars for project's concept. Each pillar aligns with DOAE and MOAC's policy.
Explore companies which provide suitable machines for land levelling, soil compaction breaking and mixing stumps into soil. Additional technology for instant soil test kit with six different parameters is also introduced.
Maize Harvesting Observation
October 21-22, 2024
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We observed maize harvesting process, local machinery sellers, service providers in the area, collecting center and whiskey processing for the trial of field maize whiskey
Maize Harvesting Observation
Technical Working Group Meeting
November 26, 2024
2/2024 Working Group Meeting
Updates on progress of each target crop's demonstrations and activities in 2024. Present the activities plan of 2025.
Follow Up Study Tour
All participants of both Study Tour give inputs of the topics they gained, what can be applied with their work and what's next to follow up.
Study Tour 2024
Follow Up Meeting
December 16, 2024
Demonstration of Land Preparation Machines
November 28, 2024
Demonstration of Land Preparation Machines
Farmer members attended the lectures session and demonstration for observation and knowledge exchange.
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Land Levelling and Soil Compaction Breaking
November 28 - December 4, 2024
Land levelling or the controlled plots took five days and another two days for soil compaction breaking.