Thamonwan Jitsong (Paeng) is a master student in Natural Resources and Environmental Law at the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, Thailand. She is now working on the study of the role of local government organizations towards the promotion of sustainable agriculture reflecting on the link between impacts from influential agricultural policies and health risks in the area of Nan Province, Thailand. Her study is under the supervision of Dr. Claire Lajaunie, with the support of Prof. Dr. Amnat Wongbandit, head of Natural Resources and Environmental Law Department, Faculty of Law, TU.  Paeng contributes to the improvement of sustainable agriculture implementation at the local level as part of the study of Global Policies in the BiodivHealthSEA Project.

Summary

Student’s name: Thamonwan Jitsong (Paeng)

Topic: Local Government Organization and the Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture: Reflection on Agrochemical Impacts in Nan Province.

Objective:

1. To analyze legal measures that can strengthen the implementation of the promotion of sustainable agriculture in Thailand resulted from agrochemical impacts experience in Nan Province.
2. To connect the link between international commitments, national and local authority and duties toward the promotion of sustainable agriculture.
3. To establish the capacity of Local Government Organization in the role of promoting sustainable agriculture.
4. To study the existing law and regulations and suggest the appropriate legal measures to empower and direct Local Government Organizations in implementing sustainable agriculture into their policy-making and local rules and regulations.

Background:

Reflecting on the case of Nan, a province situated in Northern Thailand, people have long been relying on agriculture. Despite limited plantation areas, influences from national policies and market demand of certain commercial crops have been motivated drastic increase of cultivation areas, which followed by immense uses of agrochemicals for the purpose of the most harvests. Impacts of agrochemical use not only shown in ruining farmers and people’s health but residues also found in animals and in the environment as well as danger from unsafe waste management. With awareness of the link between local agricultural practice and health, this Study aims to eliminate legal barriers and suggest possible legal adjustments to empower Local Government Organization in implementing The Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture for the purpose of the most effective and sustainable local agricultural problem solving.

Methodology:

This study will be analyzing the existing documents of domestic laws and regulations concerning sustainable agriculture, related international and regional commitments are considered. Field works, local observations, interviews in the area of Nan province are included.

Benefit:

The BiodivHealthSEA Project allows Paeng to explore the interconnections of different disciplines working the works of environmental conservation.  Coming from the field of law, the Project is a special space for her to see the concrete links between different subjects involving environmental issues. Aside from the chance to interact with both professional and young researchers from various parts of the world, it is also her opportunity as a jurist to exercise and analyze principles and provisions of law in another aspect. As an environmental law student, she learns the importance of the local level as the destination of the implementation of global environmental concepts. Participating in this Project sets strong foundation to her realization of responsibility towards becoming a global citizen.