Sustainable Farming and Watershed Protection. Reversing the Deforestation of Thailand’s Nan Province.

Summary

Located in northern Thailand, the Nan River is the longest of four tributaries contributing to Chao Phraya River and is a crucial part of the country’s water supply. The river is surrounded by a lush and pristine headwater forest, which helps the region naturally regulate the water supply and prevent both floods and droughts.

The fertile land around the river is well suited for agriculture and the region’s economic prosperity is based almost entirely on farming. To support themselves, local villages have started clearing the forests and overusing the local water supply to grow corn, a profitable but unsustainable crop. This deforestation around the Nan river jeopardizes water resources, biodiversity, and climate resilience, and has long-term negative consequences on the livelihoods and well-being of communities dependent on the river.

Assignment

In this project, we will be seeking alternative agricultural solutions for Nan province so that the local population can continue to support themselves economically without doing any further damage to their environment or their future prosperity.

As a part of this assignment, you will be tasked with gathering data and devising new methods of sustainable agriculture that fit the needs of the local communities. Questions we are looking to answer include how can the local villages change their agricultural practices to avoid further deforestation, what crops can replace corn to support the local economy, and what practices can be implemented to preserve the water supply.