Thailand:The Saraburi Dairy Farming

Project•

Background

• Began in 1984 to encourage dairy farming among women in Muek Lek land area in the Saraburi Province in Central Thailand

• Result of cooperation between the Svita Foundation, the Bangkok Bank, the Thai Institute of Scientific Research and the Saraburi provincial administration.

Activity Profile

• Muek Lek Region Crop Profile– 82% Maize (Production)– 17% Mungbean and Soybean

(Production)– 1% Rice (Family consumption)– Average Net Income of 10, 000 Bt

($270.00)

Activity FA MA FC MC WhenPrepare land for crop

X March/August

Plant crop X X X X April/Aug

Weed field X April/Aug

Harvest X X X X July, Nov

Raising and Selling Eggs and Pigs

X Daily

Activity Profile: Production

Activity Profile: ReproductionActivity FA MA FC MC WhenFinances X Daily (busiest

after harvest)

Cleaning X Daily

Food Preparation

X Daily

Laundry X Daily

Childcare X x Daily

Animal Care

X Daily

Household repairs

X When needed

Access and Control Profile: Resources

Resources M Access F Access M Control

F Control

Land X X XEquipment X XLabor - Production X XLabor - Reproduction

X X X

Capital X X X XEducation/Training X X X X

                 

Access and Control Profile: Benefits

Benefits M Access

F Access

M Control

F Control

Income X X X

In-Kind Goods

X X X

Education X X X XPolitical Power

X X

Assets Ownership

X X X

                 

Analysis of FactorsInfluencing Access and Control

• Economic Conditions: Average Family Income: 10,000 Bt ($270.00)

• Poor but not impoverished area• Families could borrow money at a 20%

interest rate which, although steep, helped many make it through times of drought

Analysis of Factors:

• Thai government appeared to support increased milk production within the country– Limited dairy imports– Forced dairy companies to purchase

10 units of local milk for every unit of imported powder

–

Analysis of Factors

• Demand for milk:– Between 1972-1982, the demand for

milk grew 25% every year.– In 1983, production of milk lagged

behind production.

Summary of Muek Lek Prior to Dairy Project

• Women and men share the productive and reproductive labor

• Men have more control of resources and benefits

• The majority of farmers are poor• The demand for milk is high and

the government supports local production.

The Project Cycle Analysis Women’s Role in Project Identification

Women's Needs – Increased production without travel

time– Increased control if the cows and

income belonged to the women– A project that can be streamlined to

the current product demands of the surrounding area.

The Project Cycle Analysis Women’s Role in Project Identification

Women’s Needs - In Saraburi, women and men were

consulted at the preliminary stages of project planning.

The Project Cycle Analysis Women’s Role in Project Identification

Defining General Project Objectives- The project objectives were explicitly related to and adequately reflect women’s needs

Increased Access: cows do not need to graze so they will be near home.Increased Control: Women will be in

control of production and, hopefully, profit.

                 

The Project Cycle Analysis Women’s Role in Project Identification

• Defining General Objectives– A a number of local women

participated in setting objectives.– Earlier efforts to get dairy production

off of the ground in Thailand did not involve a women’s initiative.

The Project Cycle Analysis

Women’s Role in Project Identification• Defining General Objectives

– Lessons from earlier programs:• In 1960’s – Thai/Danish dairy project

began and by 1980’s was experiencing some difficulties

• Low yields from cross-bred cows/Lack of infrastructure

• New project would include imported cows that would produce a higher yield.

                 

The Project Cycle Analysis

Women’s Role in Project Identification• Possible Negative Effects

– The only negative effects could be a women borrowing from the bank to buy a cow and then encounter difficulty in raising it.

– In the study, one women’s cow died but she was able to recover financially by purchasing another one and making a profit.

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

• Project Impact on Women’s Activities– The project affects production and, in turn,

reproduction.– The project does not plan to change the

women’s locus of activity.– This is not a missed opportunity for

women’s role development because of how the local women respond to the increased income.

                         

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

• Impact on Women’s Access and Control– Women will have access and control of their

cows (resources)– This does not necessarily mean that the women

will control the benefits.

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

Implementation

• Personnel– The project is sufficiently aware of and

sympathetic to women’s needs.– Women are involved at every level of

project implementation.– Training: 71% of those trained were

women

–

                                         

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

Implementation

• Organizational Structures– The organizational form does

enhance women’s access to resources • Money• Cows • Supplementary Materials

                      

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

Implementation

• Organizational Structures– The organization does have the power to to

obtain resources needed by women from other organizations.

• The Thai government is backing the project and is invested in its outcome.

• There is the financial capability to help the women through the transition process.

                 

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

Implementation• Operations and Logistics:

– Delivery channels are accessible to women.

– The feed mill is in the village and is operated by the dairy farmers.

– There are NOT mechanisms in place to make sure that the project resources and benefits are not usurped by males. (Mill)

– Free veterinary services

                                           

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

Implementation

• Finances– Funding levels are adequate for

program continuity• Bangkok Bank and the Women’s World

Banking • It is possible to trace the funds for the

women from allocation to delivery with a fair degree of accuracy.

                         

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project Design

Implementation

• Flexibility– There does not seem to be a management

information system that helps to detect the effects of project on women.

– There does seem to be flexibility within the project to adapt.

•

                                         

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project

Implementation

• Data Requirements:– Tools in put in place to measure

financial data:• Maize Farming: 10,000 Bt (270 USD)• Dairy Farming:37,000 Bt (999 USD)                                

The Project Cycle AnalysisWomen’s Dimension in Project

Implementation

• Collection and Analysis: • There is not a mechanism in place to

measure impact on women.• The project was largely established to

augment female farmer’s income and so the measurement stops with the finances.

                                       

The End