STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS TO MONITOR SUSTAINABLE HIGHLAND AGRICULTURE : A CASE STUDY OF THE ANGKHANG ROYAL AGRICULTURAL STATION, DOI ANGKHANG, CHIANG MAI PROVINCE, THAILAND

Abstract

The concept and practices of sustainable development for highland agriculture have been introduced in northern Thailand via the Royal Project Foundation (RPF) since 1969. The sustainability pathway has initiated by introducing of substitute temperate perennial fruits as commercial crops that earn greater benefit than opium to highlanders. However, there is no an appropriate a set of environmental and sustainability-relevant indicators to monitor and measure the progress and success of such practices. The objective of this research is to study appropriate environmental indicators to be introduced and used to monitor sustainable highland agriculture and its potential for application through a case study on the demonstration plots of the Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station. The conceptual framework of Driving Forces-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR) and the agri-environmental indicators developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as well as relevant data collected by direct observation were used to develop environmental indicators, measure and describe issues of the state of study area, in order to formulate and develop a semi-structured questionnaire and then applied to experts. A purposive sampling method was used to select eight experts who have relevant knowledge and background on environment and/or agriculture as well as their work experiences at the Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station. Selected environmental indicators by expert judgments were introduced to the officials of the study station by using questionnaire for in-depth interview. The study found that the relevant data of study were 17 environmental indicators which be grouped into 4 categories, namely farm management, use of farm inputs and natural resources, environmental impacts of agriculture and farm structure and farm financial resources. The research findings revealed that experts and officials mutually agreed on ten environmental indicators including farm management standard, nutrient management plan, pest management plan, soil conservation management, nutrient use, pesticide use, land use, biodiversity, farm income and agricultural output that are appropriately used to monitor sustainability highland agriculture. The study has shown some limitations, challenges and also recommends such a set of environmental indicators should be further studied, properly introduced and modified to highland farmers as well as research on the suitable social and economic indicators to enhance sustainability of highland agriculture in a holistic approach.