Govt ploughs ahead to list water-buffalo farming

The government has submitted a distinctive method of water-buffalo farming in Phatthalung for inclusion in the United Nation’s list of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS).

Earlier on Thursday a team of Thai delegates led by Thanawat Tiensin, who is the Permanent Representative of Thailand to the UN Agencies in Rome, along with Assistant Agriculture Attaché Ratchanok Sangpenchan and Supajit Sriariyawat submitted a GIAHS proposal to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome.

The proposal aims to see waterbuffalo farming in Thale Noi NonHunting Area in Phatthalung designated as an FAO agricultural heritage site. The proposal was submitted to GIAHS secretariat Yoshihide Endo. GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) will read through all proposals submitted worldwide from May 17 to 19 at the FAO headquarters.

The group is expected to make its determinations within six to 10 months. Should Thailand’s proposal be accepted, GIAHS will work with the country on further action plans.

The UN’s GIAHS was established in 2002 to conserve not only agricultural landscapes, or biophysical terrain, but also the wider social environment. It works toward ensuring food security and livelihood opportunities while alleviating risk, while also focusing on the sustainable use of natural resources.

According to the GIAHS website, there are more than 62 areas from 22 countries that have been designated as agricultural heritage sites by the FAO. Forty of them are in eight AsiaPacific countries and one territory. There is one in Bangladesh, 15 in China, two in India, three in Iran, 11 in Japan, one in the Philippines, five in the Republic of Korea, one in Sri Lanka and one in the Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.