Moving to Food Security in Ban Don Bay, Surat Thani Province

Abstract

This collaborative research with academic service employed community participation in Ban Don Bay, Surat Thani province. The objective was to promote the food security for communities around Ban Don Bay. There were three activities involved; Activity 1 studying the aspects of the food security of households around Ban Don Bay, Activity 2 creating community plans to improve food security, and Activity 3 organizing public activities to promote the sustainable food security. Approximately 400 households around Ban Don Bay were study participants in Activity 1 where questionnaires were used to collect data. In Activity 2 and 3 involved community leaders, subdistrict administration organizations in the Ban Don Bay conservation network. Regarding the food security around the Bay of Ban Don, the aspect of self-sufficiency in food was a predominant problem. Instead of self-reliance, households mostly used hard-earned money to buy food for daily lives. In the aspect of coastal and marine natural resources, households were concerned with the sustainability of their resources.  In Activity 2, local leaders created a plan for food security together. In the 1st year, a fish farm will be built. To create abundant resources in the ecosystems, conservation of fish species will be implemented as a result of Activity 3 in five subdistricts in Surat Thani Province; namely Khaotan, Bang Pho, Bang Sai, Phumriang and Tha Thong.