Drivers of adoption of eucalypt tree farming by smallholders in Thailand |
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| Authors: | Axelle Boulay Luca Tacconi Peter Kanowski |
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| Institution: | (1) Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC, 20577, USA;(2) Crawford School of Economics and Government, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia;(3) Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Eucalypt (Eucalyptus spp.) tree farming is a source of income for many smallholders in developing and emerging countries and critical to the resource
supply of many pulp and paper companies. These companies rely on smallholders adopting tree farming, sometimes by offering
a contract. This paper reports a study from four regions of Thailand, where smallholder eucalypt tree farming is important,
which investigated what characteristics of smallholders were associated with greater adoption of tree farming. A total of
461 eucalypt tree farmers and 171 non-tree farmers were randomly selected and surveyed in these regions, using a door-to-door
household survey. A logit analysis corroborated hypotheses about the drivers of adoption. Qualitative analyses were used to
inform interpretation of the quantitative results and shed light on the role of eucalypt tree farming in smallholders’ livelihood.
Results demonstrate that those with suitable land available are more likely to adopt eucalypt tree farming than others. In
addition, perception of land tenure security matters in the adoption of tree growing, but holding a formal land tenure document
does not. Adoption of eucalypt tree farming in Thailand is not part of a land use intensification strategy. Instead, eucalypts
are used as an alternative crop for low productivity land, on which eucalypts are the most profitable crop. Eucalypt tree
farming also gives smallholders an opportunity to diversify their income. In addition, this alternative land use has the advantage
of requiring low labour inputs between planting and harvest. This is particularly advantageous for many tree growers who have
off-farm income or rely on hired labour for farming their land. |
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