Project Title: Bio-fertilizer Production and Sale Increase

Project Location: Bio-fertilizer Work Station Moo12, Baan Phak Kha, Tambon Lin Fa, Amphur Yang Chum Noi, Jangwat Srisaket

Name and Address of PCV: Cristine E. Kirwan, Moo 7 Baan Phak Kha, Tambon Lin Fa, Amphur Yang Chum Noi, Jangwat Srisaket

Individuals/Groups Responsible: Mr. Satman Nawong, Chairman of Bio-fertilizer Group / Bio-fertilizer Group Members

Total Funds Requested: 11,400.00 Baht

Date of Request: March 23, 2005

Background Information / Project History:

The Sub-district government office or the Tambon Aministrative Office (TAO) of Tambon Lin Fa, initiated the Baan Phak Kha Bio-fertilizer Group approximately four years ago. Baan Phak Kha is one of three villages within Tambon Lin Fa where the community farms almost all year round. The main crops are red onions, garlic, red peppers and rice and are sold at district, provincial and inter-provincial levels. The TAO’s mission is to progressively transform the community farming from mainly using chemical fertilizers and pesticides to using more organic methods. This is in hopes of giving life back to the already deteriorated soil, and protecting the health of it’s community members, while creating an income producing local group.

The TAO asked for volunteers, within the Tambon, to be apart of a group that could attack our problem of aggressively using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. About 25 volunteers from Baan Phak Kha decided to develop a bio-fertilizer group that could help their fellow farmers incorporate bio-fertilizer into their farming and eventually replace the chemicals they were already using.

Over the past four years, the group’s development has been a slow pace but steady pace. They have constructed a small bio-fertilizer factory within Baan Phak Kha and are regularly producing the bio-fertilizer. The group produces enough fertilizer to support about 20% of the community’s demand, according to TAO statistics. Last Year, the TAO supported the Bio-fertilizer Group desire to increase production through providing them with a pellet-making machine that increases their production by 50%. With the increasing community demand the group is in need of an increase in production. However, at the moment the group does not have the electrical power to continue with it’s production.

Project Objectives / Benefits:

The project’s objectives include: 1) Obtaining a 15-watt electricity transformer to power the pellet-making machine as well as other machines that will come in the future. 2) Producing our own bags for the bio-fertilizer that includes the name of the group, the location, the ingredients and instructions on how the fertilizer is used.

This will help achieve the TAO’s, Bio-fertilizer Group’s, and communities’ goal of increasing the amount of organic fertilizer used in the community’s farming.

There is an array of benefits that will come from the increased production of the bio-fertilizer. This will improve the health of our community, increase the Bio-fertilizer Group’s profit and highly improve the condition of our local environment. The group members are great role models by using the bio-fertilizer and demonstrating that the change from chemical to organic farming is possible. The Bio-fertilizer Group’s profit making is due to increase and in turn will keep more money within the community. With this increased production, community members will save money because the chemical fertilizer is more expensive and needs to be purchased from outside. Since the bio-fertilizer is produced within the community this will save on transportation costs as well.

The community is also concerned about their health, their children’s health and the health of those buying their products. The community members make most of their income from selling their crops not only within the province but also to surrounding provinces. As we all know, many people die each year due to the constant physical contact of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Not only are they using it during farming but ingesting the chemicals as well. The community could officially begin to certify their products as organic and sell them along side the chemically grown crops of their competitors using health safety as a marketing strategy.

Community Involvement:

The TAO, Bio-fertilizer Group members initiated this project and the community members will be involved in a reciprocal relationship with the group by buying the fertilizer. A local electrician will do the installation of the electrical transformer and community members will color the bio-fertilizer bags.

Sustainability:

By providing this Bio-fertilizer group with the tools it needs to meet the community demands, this project should be on going long after I leave. The group will not only be income producing, but will be a group that can encourage the community members to see the positives health and environmental effects of organic farming.

Budget:

Item / Amount / Price Baht / Price $US
Electrical Transformer / 1 / 4,700.00 / 123.68
Electrician Fee / 1 person / 500.00 / 13.16
Bags / 900 (3 months supply) / 4236 / 111.47
Bag Print/Screening / 2 sides / 2,000.00 / 52.63

Project Total: 11,400.00 Baht$300

Project Schedule and Initiatives:

1)Buy transformer and set up date for installation. (2 weeks)

2)Order bags and print/screening. (2 weeks)