tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7145117592063944458.post2004418839407292330..comments2023-11-02T03:40:09.064-07:00Comments on Human Perspective on Development and Environment: Community & The Urban/Rural DivideCIEE - Thailandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00702040572805817922noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7145117592063944458.post-32472178688380800292011-11-27T12:58:36.864-08:002011-11-27T12:58:36.864-08:00That is a really interesting observation Aiden; I ...That is a really interesting observation Aiden; I believe urban migration is one subject that needs to be discussed more if we are to try to understand the trajectory of future farming practices in all nations that currently have economies heavily dependent on agriculture. According to the United Nations, by 2030, 4.9 billion people will be living in urban areas (compared to the 3.2 billion today). The age demographic tends to lean heavily towards the younger generations, but as families not to leave the city they slowly move the rest of their family into the city with them. Interestingly, Thai families seem to have split their lives between city and village life. It was interesting to see the older and very young generations living in the village while those in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s worked in the city. While they have given up their life as rice farmers for the time being, they may return to this practice in their later years. (Remember how the farmers at the AAN meeting were all 50+?) Because this trend of urban migration is supposed to increase in the next 30-40 years, it is difficult to predict how this will affect future generations living in Thailand. As Ariel pointed out there is definitely a great sense of solidarity in these communities, so the return to a village might be a trend that continues to play out. However, the trend of urban migration will definitely increase the quantity of food needed to be produced per farmer in Thailand, probably resulting in the need to develop large scale farming projects because the burden on small scale farmers would be too great.<br /><br />Megan HarringtonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7145117592063944458.post-23007842029202522662011-11-26T04:53:15.146-08:002011-11-26T04:53:15.146-08:00Aiden, having stayed in the same village as you I ...Aiden, having stayed in the same village as you I can concur that the villagers all had this sense of solidarity and commitment that seemed to run very deep. Your host father was a good friend of mine, who was the head of Issan’s Alternative Agriculture Network (AAN). He was a busy man, and while we were staying with him he had a large group of those working for the agricultural department of the government staying with him. These government employees were there to learn about his organic farming and production of local varieties. They spend a few days staying with Paw Boonsong and would take tours of his fields, learn to make compost, and sit in the back room and watch him package his own rice. From talking to them, I found that the Thai government on a whole may not support organic farming over chemical agriculture, but that there are sectors of the government who are. Even more importantly that there are many employees within the government which believe in alternative agriculture full heartedly. Thus, I think that change might be sneaking up on the Thai government from within its own ranks.Ariel Chezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13217745644310770886noreply@blogger.com