Thai farmers’ wellbeing index rises slightly in 2023
Survey shows that though most farmers nationwide are “well”, they still trail behind in education and environment
Thai farmers’ wellbeing was generally positive last year, as indicated by a slightly improved score on the national wellbeing index, the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) said on Friday.
The wellbeing score for farmers nationwide rose to 80.79 in 2023 from the previous year’s 80.46, OAE said.
The annual index measures the wellbeing of farmers across five metrics: Economy, health, education, society and environment. It is used as a key performance indicator for policies and projects under the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.
Last year’s index showed that farmers in the South displayed the highest overall score of 82.29, followed by 81.22 in the North, 80.98 in the Central region and 80.14 in the Northeast.
On the health aspect, the average national score was “excellent” at 99.86, very slightly up from 99.85 in 2022.
The OAE attributes this score to the increased implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), which promotes safe and environmentally friendly farming, which benefits both farmers and consumers.
From the society aspect, the average score was again “excellent” at 92.83, up from the previous year’s 91.06. The office said most farming families in Thailand take care of each other and maintain positive ties in the community. Plus, the government has also been preparing Thailand’s fast-ageing society for the future by promoting the quality of life for senior citizens across various aspects.
In terms of economy, the average score came in at a middling 76.97, down from 87.88 in 2022.
The OAE said its survey showed that fewer Thai farmers have full ownership of their farms compared to 2022, while most of them have reported rising household debts. Plus, more farmers are drinking and smoking to deal with economic problems.
From the environmental aspect, the average national score is 62.39, down from 62.67 from the previous year and has been categorised as “needs improvement”.
The OAE said in 2023, fewer farming areas had achieved the target under the ministry’s rehabilitation project, while most forest areas adjacent to farms have been reportedly shrinking due to forest fires and encroachment.
The education score, meanwhile, still needs improvement at 52.2, though it has risen slightly from 50.39 in 2022. The survey found that 48.42% of Thai farmers, most of whom are aged over 60, have completed less than basic schooling.
Based on this wellbeing index, the OAE has suggested that related agencies focus on improving the environment and education levels for Thai farmers, ideally by providing basic education to older farmers with a focus on the importance of conservation and land-quality improvement using modern technology.
