The Recovery and Encouragement of Local Rice Growing as Green Dawk Pa-yawm Rice in Pa Phayom Sub-District, Pa Phayom District, Phatthalung Province

Abstract

The research on recovery and encouragement of local rice growing as green Dawk  Pa-yawm rice in Pa Phayom Sub-District, Pa Phayom District, Phatthalung Province was conducted to study history of production patterns and conditions in the community farming, to create a learning process and transfer a green rice farming technique which is suitable for Dawk Pa-yawm Rice and a community to Pa Phayom District  people, and to recover and encourage of  green Dawk Pa-yawm Rice in Pa Phayom District.  Participatory Action Research (PAR) was applied in the study quantitatively and qualitatively. 

The results showed that Dawk Pa-yawm Rice is an original rice of Pa Phayom District which has been extinct from this area for many years. The production patterns and conditions of Dawk Pa-yawm Rice in Pa Phayom District are like other rice. The concept of “Taking Dawk Pa-yawm back to its home” is a concept which was formulated for farmers’ need  in Pa Phayom District. They recognize retaining and conserving the original rice, Dawk Pa-yawm Rice, which has been extinct, and bring it back into their area again. That concept has been transformed to perform with cooperation of individual and related organizations. It’s been demonstrate in the rice fields of that area of two times. The effecting of 2 times’ demonstration was the farmer discovered the body of knowledge and the concept of farming.  Besides that, they found significant problems of Dawk Pa-yawm Rice such as cherry shells, fungal diseases, and weeds.

The result of the demonstration plots were the learning process, transfer of knowledge, and establishing a network for sharing knowledge within their community, a cooperation network, a learning extension in and out of the area, and a transfer of awareness to younger generations. Besides, the farmers have confidence in their approach underway. At the same time, the farmers become more tangible that when they risk a problem or hardship beyond their capacity, they can rely on a network of sharing knowledge to help each other enough.