Reconfiguring Farming Systems of Smallholders with Market-Led Approach: A Case Study in Northeast Thailand

Agricultural research and development organizations are under pressure to shift from increasing productivity of crops to increasing the profitability and competitiveness of smallholders and linking small-scale farmers to profitable markets. This paper discusses the efforts to assist small-scale farmers to become more sustainable and market oriented. Data were taken from a 5-year participatory action project in a village in Northeast Thailand during 2014-2018. We found that a market-led extension approach can enable farmers to optimize their returns from farming by selecting farm enterprises based on market opportunities for both existing and new products. Farmers need to apply post-harvesting management, including processing, grading, standardization of produce, value adding, packaging, branding, and certification in the process. Collaboration and long-term commitments on the part of scientists, local stakeholders, policymakers, and funding organizations need to be furthered strengthened.