The social-ecological resilience indicators of organic rice production in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

Uncertainties in agriculture have been posing serious threats to organic farmers, especially the marginal ones in developing countries such as Thailand. Building resilience appears the most workable strategy to help them cope with those threats since its definitions and operation fundamentally focus upon the capacity to adapt to all types of change to be better in consequences. In this study, the author used a participatory principle and qualitative data analysis as tools. Sixty-two experienced organic farmers from four provinces in Northeastern Thailand were purposively selected as the informants. They were asked individually regarding the resilience concepts in agroecological contexts and related theories to generate a specific set of indicators whose qualities can maintain and recover organic rice production against ongoing change. Consequently, guided by three processes of qualitative study and the nominal group technique (NGT) aimed at converting abstract ideas into practical features aligned with resilience theories in agroecosystems, the organic farmers developed 28 indexes known as social-ecological resilience indicators (SERIs). The SERIs capture important components related to diversity and resource accessibility, such as ownership of legal credit sources and types of organic certification, to enhance adaptive capacity. The SERIs can serve as both quantifiable evaluation and qualitative guidance because the informants’ social, ecological, and cultural contexts are integrated. The SERIs are effective to provide empirical insights into practices and assets for building resilience. The SERIs are also vital to propose policies to encourage organic farmers to conduct adaptations and transformation during a period of change.