Preparing Urban Agriculture as a Tool for Food Security in a Municipality: A Case Study of the Huay Lan Subdistrict Municipality, Dok Khamtai District, Phayao Province, Thailand

Abstract

This research examines the socio-economic and environmental conditions of farmers in a subdistrict municipality in northern Thailand. The objectives are to explore the potential of urban agriculture in sustainable agriculture and food security and to spatially classify farm plots to support decision-making in the formation of a farmer coalition based on the collected data. The study surveyed 80 farm households selected based on their participation in a sustainable agriculture workshop in 2018, which focused on biochar technology and reducing open burning. Structured questionnaires covering social, economic, and environmental variables were used between December 2018 and January 2019. The impacts of natural disasters in 2021 and 2022 were also monitored. Statistical analyses, including mean, correlation, and clustering techniques (K-means and TwoStep clustering), were conducted. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were employed to create thematic maps based on the classification results. The findings highlight uncertainties in future food security due to labor shortages, low productivity, income, and chemical use. The spatial clustering results provide insights into weaknesses and development opportunities. A farmer coalition can advocate, train, share experiences, and engage the community in a commercial agriculture plan, enhancing food security. This approach leverages spatial clustering to identify improvements and drive sustainable agricultural development through collective efforts.