Background
Agricultural burning is a prevalent practice among farmers in many countries, particularly in developing nations, for disposing of organic crop residues before and after harvests and for controlling weeds in the fields. However, the incineration of agricultural waste can lead to severe air, soil, and groundwater pollution, and it can even ignite wildfires in some regions. In Thailand, an agriculture-based country, extensive areas are dedicated to crops such as rice, sugarcane, and maize, and open burning is a common practice. The open burning of rice residues, pre-harvest burning of sugarcane, and the burning of bagasse in the sugar industry contribute significantly to the concentration of particulate matter pollution. In particular, the northern provinces face significant challenges to due to forest fires. Despite the implementation of numerous laws and measures by government departments—including burning bans—the problem remains inadequately addressed.
To address this issue, the project sought to develop a platform that brought together multiple stakeholders—including polluters and the public—to collaborate on finding solutions. This platform aimed to establish a certification system for “burn-free” and “chemical-free” practices to encourage farmers to adopt burn-free agriculture and motivate consumers to purchase agricultural products with these certifications.
