Page 113 - Final Report Improving information and developing a repository of sustainable soil management practices in Asia

ห้องสมุดกรมพัฒนาที่ดิน

10. KHANAP NAK COMMUNITY WAY: RESTORING DESERTED SHRIMP FARMS

WITH NIPA PALM FOREST PLANTATION

1. General Information and description of best practice/technology

Introduction

It started in 2001 when Associate Professor Dr. Nopparat Bumrungrak, Professor of

Faculty of Science, Songkhla Nakarin University, wanted to conduct research regarding utilization

from nipa palm trees and was interested in restoring deserted shrimp farms to become land in use.
Therefore, Mr. Kovit proposed areas at this location to be made as demonstration plots. Based on

soil and water analysis, it was found that this area was suitable for planting nipa palm. The task
started with the area of 3 rai to be transformed from deserted shrimp farms into nipa palm forests.

There was extension of planting nipa palm trees more. After having planted for 7 years, yields
from the nipa palm trees started to be collected.

Problem conditions of the area before taking actions

"Khanap Nak sub-district", Pak Phanang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province is the
area at the river mouth adjacent to the gulf of Thailand. There are natural water resources which

villagers call "Hua Sai Canal" and "Na Kote Canal" which have been recently dug to connect with
the seashore. This makes Khanap Nak sub-district have 3 kind of water resources in the same area,

namely fresh water, salt water and brackish water. The traditional main occupations of the people

of Khanap Nak sub-district are padding rice farming and upland crop farming. Since 1987, there
has been a trend of raising sea shrimps in industrial ponds. As a result, areas used for conducting

rice farming and nipa palm farming have been transformed into a large number of ponds raising
sea shrimps. After farmers faced problems of failure in raising sea shrimps, water and waste from

shrimp ponds were discharged into rivers and canals. Raising shrimps did not work out. Shrimp

ponds were deserted. As a result, the problem of saline soil arises. Sea water intrudes into
agricultural areas

Operating facility House No. 3, Moo 2, Khanap Nak sub-district", Pak Phanang district, Nakhon
Si Thammarat province

Land user Mr. Kovit Chantarangsee

112