Tropentag, October 11 - 13, 2006 in Bonn "Prosperity and Poverty in a Globalized World – Challenges for Agricultural Research"

Valuable Added the Agricultural Waste for Farmers Using in Organic Farming Groups in Phitsanulok, Thailand

Naresuan University, Department of Agricultural Science,, Thailand

Abstract

The royal government of Thailand is very active in efforts to educate farmers in good agricultural practices, organic farming, and sustainable agriculture. This includes an active policy on improved livelihood, education of the rural population, and also reduced pressure environment caused by agricultural production. Group of farmers in Phitsanulok province, Thailand, have grown bananas and produced several products from bananas for widely food used, medicinal used, animal feed and other used etc. Banana peels are become serious environmental problem caused by the bananas production. Utilisation of bananas peel for organic fertiliser was studied by Naresuan University, Thailand. Potential of bananas peels to make organic fertiliser and development to commercial were done. Laboratories are in place to test efficiency of the fertiliser was investigated. This project organised several training course for the groups of farmers on “the development of compost manure fertiliser from banana peels”. During these courses the farmers learn to make organic fertiliser from the banana peels. Additional, the farmers learn organic farming is a whole-system approach to optimising the natural fertility resources of a farm. It works through traditional practices of recycling farm-produced livestock manures, composting, green manuring, and crop residue management. The training helps the farmers to understand major nutrient content of fertiliser, organic material in their community, soil organisms to break them down to release nutrients, understand how to use technology equipment for commercially and include marketing. The outcome of the project not only reduced cost of using chemical fertiliser but also increased income and strengthening farmers of the organic farming group.

Keywords: Agricultural waste, banana peels, organic farming, organic fertiliser

Contact Address: Udomporn Pangnakorn, Naresuan University, Department of Agricultural Science,, Department of Agricultural Science Faculty of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment, 65000 Phitsanulok, Thailand, e-mail: udomporn1yahoo.com.au