Coping Strategies against El Nino-Induced Climatic Risk: Case of Northeast Thailand

This second phase of the study is expected to produce actual and accurate information concerning socio-economic information and measures to cope with the El Nino effects at the farm level. Evidence of abnormal weather was apparent in Thailand in 2001 when the rain was less than the previous years' and the high temperatures were from January to March 2002. However, the rain came early in May 2002. Thus, the period of 2001 is suitable to represent an abnormal year for the study of the second phase of the project. The objectives of the second phase are to analyze and evaluate drought impacts at farm-household level, farmer's responses and government measures to overcome the problems. The research was conducted in two different provinces, namely Lop Buri in the Central Plains and Nakhon Ratchasima in the Northeast Plateau, where the effects of abnormal weather were experienced in 2001. The emphasis of this study is on production, cropping systems, household characteristics, farmer's attitudes toward measures and mechanisms to solve the problems, and food security at household and community levels.