Chad lives in Northern Thailand, where he makes a living by farming rice and maize. He has also recently introduced longan, lychee and pineapple to his plot. As a farmer, he and his family struggle with the threats introduced by climate change.
“Since my family makes a living through farm cultivation every year, we are very invested in maize and rice. But our crops are not as productive as they’re supposed to be. The seasons have been changing, making cultivation in the upland area very challenging. Some years bring us out-of-season rain some years and a lack of rainfall other years. For us farmers, we rely on the rainy season so the plants can grow. In growing crops for my family, I have had to contend with the lack of rain.”
Climate change is significantly altering global weather patterns, making rainfall increasingly unpredictable. This has severe consequences for smallholder farmers, who rely heavily on timely and adequate rainfall for their livelihoods.
Warmer temperatures lead to increased evaporation and more moisture in the atmosphere. This leads to more intense rainfall events, heavy downpours, and floods. Disrupted rainfall patterns can lead to prolonged droughts or unexpected heavy rainfall. Unpredictable rainfall can lead to crop failure, as plants may not receive sufficient water during critical growth stages or may be damaged by excessive rainfall.
“Once I had already sowed seeds on my plot, but then unseasonal rain arrived. This makes the crops grow poorly compared to how they should be, and that results in lower income. Our products are priced lower than before. My family simply lacked the knowledge of how to grow crops other than monocropping.”
“In the past. I did not think about doing sustainable agriculture but after participating with Plant With Purpose, I have turned to sustainable agriculture, the reduction of chemical fertilizers, and integrated farming.”
“In the past, my family only planted cash crops and it had to be invested in large amounts of money. The prices of the products were also unstable.”
Plant With Purpose teaches farmers sustainable agriculture techniques that can increase crop yields and improve soil health. Each Purpose Group provides training in business skills, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, enabling farmers to diversify their income sources and improve their market access. These can be very valuable for people in a precarious situation like Chad.
“When I joined the program, I became much more aware about the environment and its concerns. Before, I had never seen people in the community plant trees in the forest. After the project started here, we got training about how to work in our watershed. We farmers are helping each other take better care of the forest, protecting it from wildfire in the summer. We come together to care for tree seedlings so we can plant them in the community forest and the trees will produce fruit."
“I feel excited and challenged by some of the demonstrations I’ve seen at my Purpose Group’s Farmer Field School. I saw trainers build a nursery, and before I didn’t have this knowledge. I want to thank the team that gave me a chance to get started with my tree nursery. I’ve begun sowing the seeds and I have tea trees that are growing.”
“Planting trees will take time and my family also saves money in the Purpose Group every year. There are some savings and activities from the start that I joined the project – specially the nursery. The tree has to take time to grow for several years. Given time, trees will produce fruit. I plan to plant tea in the area in the plot because I think that in the future it will produce an income. I have some understanding about the environment and I think about sustainability. We must use the resources in the community wisely, and we have to change our way of thinking about environmental management.”
The organization's emphasis on spiritual well-being can provide emotional support and a sense of purpose, which can be crucial for individuals facing economic hardship. “These activities make my personal relationship with God better because I have more time to pray,” notes Chad.
“If we compare the appearance of our home, past and present, we have seen some good changes. This is why we build fire breaks and plant trees. The community has recently gained an understanding and concern for the environment and we take care of the forest.”
“My family has several tree planting activities, including longan and lychee. Every year, the trees will produce fruit and it will give my family some income. Planting trees not only earns an income but makes the environment better as well. And I am cultivating the tea seedlings in the nursery that are growing mature enough to plant in this rainy season. I believe that in the future it can produce income for my family from selling tea. At the same time it also restores the soil health and creates green areas in the near future.”
