PD 184 Thai cuisine

1. Issues in Thai cuisine: From green revolution to MSG PD 184 Thai cuisine

2. Post 1945 : agricultural development • Leaning toward achieving the first goal while neglecting the second. • The first goal is to be competitive and second one is to sustain famers livelihoods. • Response to the failure of convectional agriculture

3. Green revolution • In the 1960s • Introduced by the world bank , the Rockefeller Foundation • Norman Borlaug; father of green revolution promoting GMO’s

4. Pre- Green Revolution • In 1964, • 75 percent of workforces were in agricultural sector • Generation of families were born into life of farm • Did not have access to improve plant varieties • Too poor to buy pesticides or fertilisers

5. Pre Green Revolution • Subsistence agriculture: feeding one’s family first. • Exceptional hard work • Poor soil, seed never germinated, flood, drought, insects and diseases were common. • Low yield • Season dependency & insufficient food supply • Farming minus proper technology: hard life

6. Green revolution • It was Thai Government policy to • Promote export oriented agricultural system • Higher yield to be price competitive in the market • Increase country growth’ rate • Improve poverty conditions for Thai farmer • Nation food security.

7. Green revolution • The fight is over: never look back • Minister of Agriculture introduced NEW RICE VARIETY developed by The Philippines • Improved yields & resistance to rice hopper insects • Irrigation system increase yield up to six tones per hectare : significant increase produtivity

8. Green Revolution is about • GMO’s seed & GMO techonology • Chemical Fertilizers • Chemical Pesticides • Irrigations systems • Mechanic farming equipment To achieve the policy that laid down by government.

9. Green revolution • New agricultural technology became corner stone of Thailand’ agricultural policy • Toward light industrial development utilizing labour resources no longer required on the farm.

10. Green revolution • Some forest has to make way for agricultural land Between 1961 and 1989 Forest land decrease from 187.5 million rai ( 1 rai =1600) to 85 millions rai ( office of agricultral Economic 1992)

11. Consequences of green revolution • Increase yield per hectare; productivity National development plans can be move toward industrial base economy • Competitive edge ( price and quality) • Important agricultural product exporter • Increase country’s revenue • Economy figures • Better standard of living in general ??

12. Consequences #2 • Environmental effects: soil erosion and soil exhaustion • Deforestation: more erratic rainfall pattern, flood, ,loss of top soil, decline in farmers’ traditional diets. • Socio-economic effects • Health; death & illness due to pesticide • 1998 there were 4234 people reported to suffering from pesticide poisoning

13. Not the same….. • “ Jasmine rice is losing its fragrance because the Ministry of Agriculture is promoting ne varieties. The new varieties cross with the old and made them less fragrance. Farmer are in debt because the price is reduced due to the loss of fragrant” ( Farmer interviewed at Rice conference.

14. Consequences • Socio-economic effects Farming became more productive. Kids can go to school, get some education. There are more lifestyle choice to choose from and other workforce sector. More time for ladies of the family for handicrafts, regional processed food and etc The structure of Thai family

15. Agricultural movement • 1980 initiated by local farmers & local non-government organization. • 1984 AAN Alternative Agriculture Network National network who provides main discussion forum of experience sharing and policy advocacy for sustainable agriculture including organic farming.

16. Agricultural movement • 1995 Agriculture certification Thailand ( ACT) set up to provide professional organic certification services for all farm product as well as processing and handing products. • 2005 NIA National Innovation Agency Initiate strengthening export capacity of Thailand organic agricultural products. 2008 Thai government allocated 4.8 billion baht of developing the local organic industry.

17. Government focuses on…. • Thai government focuses on Developing national standard, certification and accreditation Government offer little help toward organic production

18. An estimate of 8958 hectares of farmland are now under organic management • Only 0.04% of total farmland. • Primary food products: rice and fresh vegetable • Diversify to other organic products: medicinal herbs, tropical fruit, shrimp, palm oil

19. As a result • Export incomes of about 700 to 800 million baht in 2008 • The value is less than 1% of country food revenue. • NIA create a significant collaborative network among private sectors, researcher, and organic producers.

20. BUT • At Tops Market Outlet 70% of TOPS 300 items are imported. Thai producers are far from producing them The retailerr is willing to replace imported product with local products. (Phattaraporn, as quote from Bangkok Post, 18 May 2005)

21. Not 100% organic but “pesticide safe” • Safe food • Labels indicating “ pesticide safe vegetable” • Differentiation label pesticide safe is challenging in Thai market

22. Why buy “pesticide safe” • Healthier perception • Environmentally friendly Are two main reasons WHO? Older Higher education Higher family income

23. Why • Why organic products tends to be more expensive?

24. Slow food • Clean: • Good: • Fair: PLUS; Promote biodiversity Safeguard food heritage Food from scratch

25. MSG • Monosodium Glutamate • Kikunae Ikeda Crystal of Glutamic acid (AMINO ADIC) Unami = supreme Deliciousness ( Jeffery Steingarten) Vogue food’s writer Combination of all senses not only taste 1909 Aji no mo to

26. MSG • University of Miami School of Medicine discovers “ that adding monosodium glutamate makes food taste better and makes you want to eat more”

27. The Chicago Manual of Style • http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org