Research that works for developing countries and AustraliaThailand - Country Office
Country OfficeKey indicators and performance for 2006-07 Indicator: All new projects under development are focusing on implementation of results of earlier ACIAR projects Performance: Fisheries project commenced to complement results of earlier project on shrimp virus testing including field validation. Thai involvement in Laos rice based systems project builds on earlier ACIAR work in Thailand. Indicator: NGOs and farmer groups continuing to build upon ACIAR–funded pilot projects using their own resources Performance: World Vision expanding “clean vegetable production” to at least four other provinces. Communities also scaling out work on low-cost fish feed production using own resources. Achievements from 2006-07 Annual Report The program with Thailand continues to capitalise on the benefits arising from technical and policy research to underpin trade of agricultural products. It emphasises the importance of policy research and market chain incentives in underpinning agricultural developments. Opportunities to promote the application of technology, using both conventional extension methodologies and new approaches, are sought for the benefit of farmers in upland northern Thailand and northeast Thailand. A project to extend earlier work in Thailand with low-chill fruits has tested a wide range of species (plum, peach, nectarine, pear, and persimmon) in Thailand, and varieties are now being tested in Vietnam and Laos to replace poor quality, locally-grown cultivars. Work in all three countries has produced promising outcomes. In Thailand, the Department of Agriculture has established stonefruit demonstration orchards at four farmer sites in Khun Wang Province and at four sites in Ang Kang Province. At an ACIAR demonstration block on Royal Ang Kang Research Station, crops from trees of peach cv. Tropic Beauty carried about 120–150 fruit per tree, with an average fruit weight of 150 grams (18–22 kg per tree). At a conservative price of 80 baht ($3) per kg, returns should equal $23,000 per hectare. At the World Vision demonstration plots at Ban Kon Pan Village near Chiang Rai in northern Thailand significant improvements in orchard management have lifted fruit quality, and newly introduced varieties such Tropic Beauty are performing well. Surveys have revealed that Thai consumers prefer large, highly coloured fruit with high sugar concentrations and low acid. Studies continue to determine how best to raise the understanding of marketing and supply chain management, which should help to implement quality assurance systems and give better access to export markets. Earlier ACIAR work helped Thailand to establish a national system of recording and evaluating the breeding and performance of beef cattle and buffalo. This system which has been run by the Department of Livestock Development uses a PC software system, 'Herd Magic' to record the data for genetic evaluations to rank animals for genetic merit and monitor genetic progress within and across herds. A new ACIAR initiative has helped to translate the HerdMASTER program (the latest tool on a Microsoft platform) into the Thai language, to enable more efficient data collection.
Two socioeconomic studies are helping Thailand to deal with the intricacies of trade liberalisation and technical change. One study is examining the impact of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures (important quarantine considerations) on the ability of agricultural-exporting developing countries to achieve the full benefits of trade liberalisation. The study is designed to provide policy recommendations for further improvement of the current WTO procedure for SPS dispute settlement, and for enhancing technical, scientific and institutional understanding of SPS measures in India and Thailand.
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