Increase Your Knowledge

Find a Resource

Do Something

Share With Others

Agricultural Information

Environmental Information

Inst'l Profiles (NGOs, GOs, & Acad.)

Other Useful Information

Regional Information

Crops

Ecology and Soil

Techniques and Tools

Overview:

Though Issan is mostly known for its rice patties, agriculture is not uniform across the region. Other crops include garden vegetables, beans ("Tua" / ถั่ว ), Cassava ("Man Sam Ba Lang" / มันสำปะหลัง ), Sugar Cane ("Oi" / อ้อย), fruit orchards, and dry season vegetables planted along the receding Mekong river-bed.
While some farmers are able to plant two rice crops per season, others lack economical irrigation sources and are limited to a rainy season rice harvest and either a dry season bean crop or livestock grazing in the fallow fields.


From CIMMYT Country Profile:

The Northeast Region, with its poor soils, is not favored agriculturally. The region consists mainly of the arid Khorat Plateau and is characterized by a rolling surface and undulating hills, with sparse grasses covering much of the land. Harsh climatic conditions—short monsoon seasons and long dry seasons—often result in this region being subjected to heavy floods and droughts. Mountains ring the plateau on the west and the south, and the Mekong delineates much of the eastern rim. The Northeast Region is a slightly elevated plateau of 17 million ha at 100-300 meters above sea level. Rainfall varies from 900 to 2000 mm, with an average of 1250 mm per annum; 85% of this rain falls fr om mid-April to mid-October. Average monthly temperatures range from 30oC/17oF in December to 36oC/24oF in April. Principal land use in the region is rainfed paddy rice, upland field crops, forestlands, and grazing lands. A typical Northeast household cultivates 1-4 ha of upland crops (cassava, sugar cane, maize, horticultural crops) and raises one to three head of buffalo for use as draft animals. Many households also own a few head of cattle for draft and/or commercial sale.

Major Crops:
Rice

Cassava
Corn
Eucalyptus
Soybean
Sugarcane
Vegetables

Known NGOs or Institutions:
Chiangsaen International Institute for Skill Development
COERR- Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees
GABA Organic Germinated Rice Group
PATT- Plant a Tree Today Foundation
PLAN International- Thailand
Population and Community Development Association
Raks Thai
Surin Farmers Support
Thai Craft
Water Charity

Volunteer Write-ups:
Nakhon Phanom
Mukdahan 1
Mukdahan 2
Ubon Ratchathani