Thailand

Traditional knowledge and organic farming in Saraburi, Thailand

Lek Som Nun

I was born here in Saraburi and my memories of this place are still strong. I am a farmer, like my parents. On my farm I grow rice, mangoes, papaya and other fruits. When I was a child there were no machines, just buffalo and cows that we used to assist us in the fields. At that time life was easy.

When I was young the farmers and the animals worked at certain times of the day, because the animals and the people would get exhausted. The introduction of machines meant that people worked all day and night. People now work 24 hours a day, as even at night you can see the light of the tractors.

In the fields we never used chemical fertilizers , we used the waste from plants and animals as fertilizers. When I was young no one even knew about chemicals. W e hadn't even heard of cancer .

When I grew up I had my own family and I had to learn about chemical fertilizers and pesticides. We learnt that the chemicals gave you higher yields as it protected the crops from insects and help them grow . In the past if we had a problem with the insects we would use the natural pesticides. When the chemical fertilizer came it was ready to use and it was easier to use and prepare . The convenience of chemical fertilizers and pesticides meant that people used them a lot . I think that this has turned the environment bad. W e also didn't reali z e that the chemical pesticides had a negative impact on human skin, unlike the natural fertilizers. For this reason some people have started thinking about going back to traditional farming methods.

Going back to using the traditional and natural alternatives is troublesome for many people, as some of the knowledge has been lost. I am trying to transfer my knowledge and the knowledge my father gave me to the farmers in this region. This is very difficult though, as many of the plants and the knowledge is gone. I am trying to make the best use of what's available in the area.

Some of the plants and fertilisers in Lek Som Nun's ‘workshop'

	Cummin: used for cooking and as an insect repellent when applied to skin. It was also traditionally considered a sign of beauty when applied to the skin.
	Kaffir Lime: used for cooking and medicinal purposes.
	Som Rat: used as a natural pesticide.
	Biodegraded organic waste material to be used as a fertiliser