Introduction

The long journey of Para rubber began with its introduction into Thailand as an exotic in 1911 from Malaysia. The British colonial power promoted rubber, having brought seeds to Singapore from Brazil.

It has become a much more fa,miliar and important crop. From an ordinary commodity it became a strategic commodity during the second world war and an economic export crop since then. In 1993 12,065,010 rai were planted to rubber with 90% of that in the 145 southern provinces and the remaining 10% in the east and northeast regions. The importance and expansion of this crop had a great effect government organisations after 1960 (Rubber Plantation Assistance Act, Dec. 5 1960) until 1995. It also affected the lives of rubber farmers in that prices have been as low as 11-13-16 baht per kilogram (1973-1984) and have been as high as 25-30-40 baht per kg (1994-95). It’s become a golden crop, with an export value of 61 billion baht in 1993. Additionally, the value of rubber products exported was 12.5 billion baht in 1992, and the value has gradually increased since then.

While Thailand is facing a shortage of trees at the moment Para rubber is a foreign exchange earner for producing and exporting countires and it is a golden crop for various industrial countries as importers who have an assured source of raw material at a cheap price. And the losers from the introduction of Para rubber as an economic crop in the promotion of modern agriculture are local crops which perhaps at the moment have no value but which have a value in the long-term self-reliance of local communities. These crops could be medicinal herbs, forest vegetables, indigenous vegetables, ornamentals, etc. Thailand is one of the few countries with rainforests which are generally recognized to enjoy rich biological diversity. 80% of the world’s varieties are found in these zones. Also the special qualities of Para rubber which allow it to adapt to all conditions have led to forest encroachment to plant rubber. There are 3.28 million rai of reserved forests which have been taken over by rubber plantations. This is not to speak of the loss of soil fertility arising from the use of chemical fertilizers, and what is most important is the equivalent of losing one’s heart, because the continuity of the knowledge of people and communities has been lost, the people and communities who have lived constantly around the forest.

At the present the environmental problems are increasing by the day in their extent and their severity. In the case of rubber farmers there have been attempts to extend, to study and to learn and suggest alternatives, to improve their standard of living and environment by NGOs and relevant government agencies such as the Rubber Research Centre. The Rubber Replanting Fund has set up a Rubber Intercropping Research Project with local rubber farmers who are interested. The various parties join in studying and seeking new alternatives which do not neglect the knowledge of the previous generations, and suggest strategies to deal with each new condition. There are varioius processes of studying such as training and study tours, in order to create an ongoing understanding among people, communities and society.

The case study of rubber intercropping by farmers scattered throughout the five provinces of Trang, Pattalaung, Satun, Songkhla and Pattani is a study of the knowledge and experience that stems from local wisdom. The geographical diverstiy of the south from the mountaintops to the shore creates an infomral knowledge which it is becoming ever more necessary to pass on, to maintain a steady evolution of new knowledge.

The study of rubber intercropping has two activities:

1. a research project to validate an increased number of plants which are permitted to be grown with the rubber trees by the Ruuber Replanting Fund; and
2. a project to study crops which could be intercropped with rubber by farmers in general.



The Rubber Intercropping Research Project and rubber intercropping case studies is a project arising from the cooperation of four agencies:


1. The Rubber Research Station in Songkhla;
2. The Rubber Replanting Fund offices of
   
   • Songkhla (Rattaphum, Sadoa and Jana Districts)
   • Satun (KuanKaLong and KuanDon Districts)
   • Pattalung (Kuan Kanun district)
   • Pattani (Muang District)
3. NGOs
   
   • Rubber Smallholders Community Development Project
   • Southern Alternative Agriculture Network
4. Villagers and farmers




Basic Conditions


The Rubber Replanting Fund office has given permission for intercropping other plants while still allowing replanting loans as previously. It is agreed that this activity is official research work where participants give full cooperation. If after some time problems occur such that modifications are needed these modifications are allowed by notifying all participants. There is no form of assistance other than that normally provided by the Rubber Replanting Fund offices. Participating government and non-government agencies have the role of providing advice, information, follow-up and research data collection with the target group including collecting the summaries ande drawing conclusions and exchanging experiences.



Plants to Be Intercropped


Main Crop: Para Rubber
Intercrops: longgong, mangosteen, neem, satow, bamboo, jampada, riang, durian, (each personj may not use all varieties).



Incentives for Farmers to Participate in the Rubber Intercropping Research



1. The incentive for farmers comes from their uncertainties about the price of rubber and their search for a valuable substitute for when the price of rubber is low, and they hope that this crop will get additional income for them.
2. The common knowledge and belief of farmers that if they plant other crops with rubber they will get certain success even if it is slower than the normal ways of planting; also, they won’t have to start from scratch when the rubber needs to be replanted.
3. There is an incentive in the system of land holdings as it concerns dividing property for inheritance, which gives a benefit to multicropping rather than monocropping, since land used for multicropping of more valuable and can thus be divided further and still remaiin usable for farming.
4. The effects on the environment are visible; for example:
   
   • rubber has a shallow root system; it is impossible to prevent damage to the soil;
   • the regulations of the Rubber Replanting Fund make it impossible at the beginning to plant other crops which could be beneficial;
   • monocropping rubber together with the modern agricultural system is leading to the disappearance of indigenous plants, medicinal plants and other trees;
   • monocropping rubber involves the use of chemicals which have an effect on health and the environment.
   
   
5. Land holdings are not large, and therefore want to use the land for the greatest possible benefit by planting a large variety of plants.
6. The villagers prefer to plant edible crops which they can consume, share and sell.




Basic Recommendations in Rubber Intercropping For Consumption and Sale


From the first year, in order to produce food and get an income, there should be a cropping plan as per the following list, with the fruits and vegetables being intercropped with the rubber:
Year 1-4:

1. Upland Crops (Bananas, peppers, eggplant, various vegetables, etc)
2. Vegetables, i.e. pak meang, khokhe, fig, ginger, galangao, bon som, krawan, bua bok, pepper, makmok, phad kud, elephant yam, juak, thammang, hong plum, etc.;

Year 5-10 will see the additional havest from matured fruit trees, such as jampada, rakam, mongosteen, longgong, durian, lamai, mamuk and maprang.

In addition, many miscellaneous plants can be used at any time, i.e. bamboo, rattan balsam, thang, phrayam, or beetel for building materials, making handicrafts, medicinal herbs, etc.
(Note: In planting, consideration must be given to the condition of the soil, the water, and the elevation.)



Experience With Rubber Intercropping


Plants used in intercropping should respond to needs and provide a variety of benefits.

1. To provide daily, monthly and yearly income;
2. Use as food so as to reduce expenses in buying food and in the market which may have pesticide residues;
3. Use as medicinal herbs to reduce reliance on doctors;
4. Use as wood in various tools and housing;
5. Ornamental plants, to build refreshment for your soul.




The Reasons for Farmers To Intercrop Rubber Rather Than Monocrop



1. To increase income, rather than relying on a single source which is not enougth to feed the family;
2. To produce fruits for consumption and sale;
3. To use the land more efficiently since the agricultural land is limited;
4. To reduce market risk, because the price of rubber fluctuates;
5. To make rubber plantations more like rubber forests and help preserve the environment.




Observations and Recommendations for Rubber Intercropping



1. A mixture of trees should be planted together with understory;
2. If jampada is planted with rubber, some of the branches of the rubber tree should be cut to allow the jampada to grow fully;
3. It has been observed that when longgong are grown with rubber, the longgong does not develop fully because the wrong fertilizer is used, termites eat the roots, the ground is too wet and there are worms in the bark;
4. If longgong is planted in rows between rubber then the space between the rows of rubber should be expanded and the longgong should be planted 1 to 2 years after the rubber;
5. Planting namwa bananas near to fruit trees stunts their growth because the mature banana has deep roots (some farmers report that the roots are as long as the stem.) The banana will compete for nutrients. Changing to egg bananas, lady’s fingers bananas may be better since their roots are shorter. It has been observed that planting these bananas makes trees grow faster than if namwa bananas are planted;
6. Intercrops should not be planted after the rubber is more than three years old because the crops will be stunted;
7. In the experience of the research station it has been found that planting fruit trees such as longgong with rubber, no fruit has been produced in seven years; research is continuing;
8. Kapok can be planted and can be sold for a good price.




Interesting Agricultural Techniques



1. Plants that can be planted with rubber and have interesting results: ginger, galangol, krawan, kala, and rattan.
2. There is some interest in planting bamboo inside rubber plantations, but it may be better to plant around.
3. The Indian Long Pepper can be planted with rubber because they like shade.
4. Pak miang grows well in rubber plantations. Farmers in Phang Nga and nearby plant a lot.
5. Dead rubber trees should not be replaced because the new tree will not grow well. A different tree should be planted like balsam.
6. Rubber plantations should have ground cover to maintain moisture and control weeds.
7. It is good to plant four bananas around a fruit tree because it will provide shade and moisture.
8. If insects penetrate the tree block up the holes with coal and cover with plastic. The insects inside will all die. If worms eat the leaves of egg-plant, spray with the water from rinsing rice. The worms will die.
9. A trench should be dug around trees planted with rubber to prevent the rubber roots from competing for nutrients and when there is too much shade branches of the rubber should be cut off to allow light to reach the plants. If the rubber trees have started being tapped, cutting branches will have no effect on the quantity of latex.
10. Native pineapples should be planted as a food and medicinal plant between rubber plots. They can produce for a hundred years and even under the shade they can still produce.




LESSONS LEARNED


Providing information on agroforestry systems in rubber growing communities goes against the mainstream, i.e.:

1. Most farmers are accustomed to monocultures, which are convenient and easy to manage. In a time when lifestyles are changing quickly, the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizer provides a convenience which fits in with the new way of life. No consideration is given to the increase in expenses or to the effect on soil and water or on the long-term effects on the health of users and consumers.
2. The forms and techniques of agroforestry demand commitment from the producer and the consumer. More time is needed than in monocultures. The problem of labour shortages within the family is a big problem for this form of agriculture. Farmers whose children have left to seek employment outside the home must therefore consider the size of their plot, the labour available, and their capital.
3. Support from the government system, be it from the agriucltural offices, the rubber replanting fund, whether it is in the form of capital or supplies and equipment, mostly benefits monocultures. For example, support is given in the form of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and machinery. The promotion of agroforestry systems has not received as much support as iot should.
4. Anyone who is interested in agroforestry systems probably believes in the methods and long term goals to a certain degree. What is important is to plan to reduce dependence on various forms of external input such as capital, or outside genetic resources so that the farmer will be able to develop his/her own agroforestry system.
5. Agroforestry systems demand more work from both sexes and all ages. Studies have found that agroforestry creates better relationships within the family than monocultures because the diverse nature of agroforestry can engage people of both sexes and all ages, especially in the harvesting of a variety of produce. For example, with jampada the women work to produce a kind of basket that protects from insect pests; children climb the tree to put them on the fruit, and the men transport the jampada from the orchard for sale. Having a variety of trees and plants means that harvesting is shared within the family to a greater degree.
6. Successful promotion of agroforestry should begin with some degree of interest and recognition of the problems of modern agriculture. What is important is to provide information informally to the whole family, not just to one person. Working with only one sex will create an imbalance in the way the work is perceived.
7. The rural way of life in the village is becoming more hurried, in line with social changes. A training process which pulls people out of the village therefore creates problems and has an effect on the villager’s way of life, income and social relations. These ties will gradually weaken because of the pressure of expenses and greater reliance on external inputs. Therefore training should take place wherever the target group already works. Training participants should also be compensated for their time so that they do not suffer loss of income during the training. The amount of compensation should be considered in relation to the process of selecting training participants.




ANALYSIS


The Relationship Between The Target Area and Rubber Monocultures:

1. Thai society has been under the influence of a concept of forest resource management for not less than a hundred years. This sees importance only in timber, and not in the forests themselves. The components of a forest give many products in addition to timber. These may be indigenous vegetables, medicinal herbs, ornamentals, and fruit. When timber has been harvested from a forest every body thinks that the forest is now degraded, yet the forest can regenerate itself. Using thje benefits of the forest by planting a monoculture is therefore destroying the opportunity of the forest to regenerate. Encroachment of reserved forest has occured as a consequence of forest concessions to the point that only 20% of the country is now covered in forest.
2. Planting monocultures which do not provide a source of food leads to the disintegration of relationships between individuals. When relationships between individuals weaken, there is an effect on relationships between communities and societies. Conflicts lead to litigation. The moral authority traditionally conferred on village leaders is being usurped by government officials.
3. The idea that forests are timber destroys the opportunity to develop products from other plants, and their productive use by the people becomes a crime. At the same time an opportunity is opened up for academic studies on biological resources which is legalized.
4. The search for alternatives in intercropping has created a process of research, drawing conclusions and continuous development.