Strengthening Farmer Capacity for Hydroponics Project in Pangnga

Supported by FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand

Strengthening Farmer Capacity for Hydroponics Project is one of the projects aiming at helping villagers in Pangnga affected by Tsunami devastation. With the goal to strengthen the villager groups, we have supported the villagers to establish a hydroponics farmer group. The project is implemented with villagers’ participation in every process from the beginning such as production, revolving fund management, marketing survey, market expansion, survey on daily income and expense, and closely monitoring the group. Since the project has been implemented in July, the following planed activities have been conducted. 

1. Assist the farmers to establish the hydroponics farmer group and sub-groups including the facilitation of the preparation of group rules and regulation membership and institutional structure/mechanism, this includes the facilitation for periodic group and sub-group meetings once in a month.
2. Assist the establishment and the management of group revolving fund and its workable mechanism including the opening of bank account, introduction of record keeping system, establishment of roles associated with operation and re-utilization of revolving fund, etc.
3. Assist the planning and implementation of joint group activities such as procurement of materials for nutrient solutions, production of nutrient solutions, distribution and sell of nutrient solution to the group members.
4.  Assist the group in identification and expansion of markets of vegetables produced by the group in Phang-nga, Phuket and other potential areas with a special focus in hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, etc.
5. Monitor the group activities and review performance of the hydroponics farmers periodically and provide advice and operational assistance. Report emerging issues and propose solutions to problems throughout the period of agreement.
6. Submit quality periodic report (every 2 months) by the group. The activities and impacts of the project at local level are reported in time so that improvements for project implementation could be made based on the findings and recommendations of the WFT and the national consultants.
7. Undertake participatory marketing survey and analysis of the market potential.
8. Undertake household expenditures and income survey of the group members.
9. Provide one day group training to 80 group members on:
   1. Group promotion and management
   2. Revolving fund operation and management
   3. Marketing, value addition, packaging, processing etc.
10. Organize study trip to the successful farmer group organization