Organic food – Part 1

People are vegetarian for any number of reasons, but one of the most commonly cited rationales for giving up meat are the health benefits that accompany a vegetable and grain based diet. 

by Julia Chinnock

Along with vegetarianism, there are other lifestyle modifications and food choices that promote good health, like eating organic foods. Recently, Bangkok has seen a rise in the number of restaurants offering several dishes or even full-menus of local, organic fare.

We tend to think of “organic” as a relatively new trend in food. And while it’s true that only within the last few years it has become fashionable and hip for Bangkok restaurants to “go green,” organic farming was actually the only way of farming in Thailand until 30 or 40 years ago, after which farmers were first introduced to the chemical pesticides and fertilizers of the Green Revolution. Now that the trend seems be shifting back to the days of more natural farming, Thai farmers are also changing to meet market demand by planting organic crops.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Lalana Srikram, who goes by Tui, and her husband Bryan Hugill of Raitong Organics Farm to discuss organic farming, rice and food. Bryan likened the use of fertilizers to a drug addiction and, in 2006, they “kicked the habit” on Tui’s family farm in Sisaket, becoming the first certified organic farm in the province. It took two years to wean the soil and plants off the “drugs” and, in 2008, they became fully certified. Today they grow organic jasmine rice, which gets milled into white, brown, GABA rice and green tea GABA rice on the farm (marketed as Khao Srikram).

Tui explained that, as a family farm, they made the switch for several reasons. First, she wanted to keep the land in the family, since for generations it has been their primary source of income. But, if this was to continue, they wanted something they could be proud of. Farming is a difficult business—she watched her parents work very hard over the years to earn enough money so that she and her siblings could get an education.

In order to keep the farm both economically and agriculturally sustainable these days, finding a niche market was key. This economic reality, combined with her background in Fair Trade, as well as passion for the environment lead to their decision to completely do away with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. A completely new way of looking at how the farm yielded food was needed. A move that would benefit the land they love, while simultaneously improving the local environment and the well-being of people who consume their rice.

Tui and Bryan took the initiative to first show her extended family that they “can do it.” Along the way, people in the community began to take notice and became increasingly curious; support for their efforts grew. This was also spurred on by the number of farmers in her community that were getting sick and beginning to talk about the possible correlation between the chemicals they were spraying on their lands and their health.

Soon, the provincial government took notice too and began to support their efforts, which Tui and Bryan explained was instrumental in generating community involvement and participation. In fact, the local primary school has also joined in the action by strongly encouraging students to convert all the vacant land in the school grounds over to vegetable production, which are then sold locally to raise funds for the school.

At this time, Raitong is primarily committed to rice cultivation, but has plans to expand by growing herbs, spices, and edible flowers from this monsoon season onwards. As the rice cultivation operations grow, Tui and Bryan are looking to expand by partnering with other farms in the area, particularly by helping their neighbors through the difficult certification process and guiding them in diversifying their crops, together with the re-creation of once-prevalent food forests in the hopes that in the future, their community will be healthy, economically prosperous and chemical-free.

As more and more Thai framers break the addiction to chemical fertilizers and pesticides, we can look forward to an increasing number of Bangkok eateries featuring local, organic seasonal cuisine. In the coming weeks, look for part two of this article in which ROB’s vegetarian column will feature Bangkok restaurants that serve Khao Srikram organic rice and various other vegetarian, organic fare.

For more information on the farm, please contact:

Lalana Srikram

• Email: info@raitongorganics.com
• Mob: 081-347 5920