Story: Weerinpat Janewatatnakul /Agriculture and Food Cluster, Photos: Coffee ++ Thailand Project
The prime time for Robusta coffee farmers in Chumphon, Ranong and nearby provinces is during December-February. This is the harvesting season and the selling period of green coffee beans.
However, Robusta coffee farmers felt the impact of climate change during the latest harvesting season from the end of Year 2023 to the first quarter of Year 2024. Coffee started ripened in late November to beginning of December, compared the usual harvesting month in late October. It is evident that harvesting cycle happened later than usual. As a result, coffee production decreased, its prices surged.
Coffee++ Thailand Project implemented by GIZ Thailand in collaboration with Nestle (Thai) Ltd held awareness raising activities at the buying stations in Chumphon and Ranong provinces during January – mid of March 2024. Project team members advocated coffee farmers on the cause of climate change and its impact on coffee production.
Soil aggregate stability testing sessions were also demonstrated so that farmers could monitor soil aggregate stability and identify the difference between healthy soil and common soil having low organic matter content. In addition, rainfall simulation test was demonstrated. So farmers could compare infiltration of soil samples of different aggregate stability.
Both demonstrations help farmers aware of the importance of soil health improvement. When the rain falls, soil erosion can be varied depending on soil quality.
Regenerative Agriculture Practices and other topics that are of farmers’ interest and further support needed. Regenerative Agriculture is a holistic approach to sustainable farming that focuses on preserving and restoring farmland and ecosystems which provides benefits to farmers, society, and the environment. The approach aims to improve soil fertility and nutrients. At the same time, it helps fix carbon and various forms of biomass in the soil, which helps reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, production systems are more resilient to environmental impacts, pests, diseases and hazardous chemicals while increasing capacity among farmers to adapt agriculture land use to climate change, reducing farmers’ risk from economic and environmental impacts and increasing in prices of agricultural inputs which is beneficial to the livelihood of farmers in the long run. ■
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