Local Governance for Enhancing Resilience to Climatic Challenges Among Older Farmers: A Case Study from an Extreme Drought-Prone Area in Thailand

The aging agricultural labor force presents significant challenges to farm productivity and sustainability, particularly when compounded by climate change. This issue is especially critical in countries like Thailand, where the agricultural workforce is aging rapidly. Notably, 2.84 million older adults are engaged in the agricultural sector, representing 59.2% of all older adults participating in the economy. A Swiss Re Institute (2021) study ranked Thailand as the fifth most vulnerable country to GDP impacts from climate change. Furthermore, projections indicate that climate change could inflict cumulative damages on Thailand's agricultural sector, totaling 0.61–2.85 trillion baht from 2011 to 2045, averaging 17.9–83.8 billion baht annually. Without adequate preparation, Thailand risks significant economic downturns driven by agricultural productivity and production losses.

 

Effective local governance is one of the most crucial determinants of coping with the crisis above. This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research. The quantitative research included a survey of 2,500 older farmers in 2024 from three provinces in Thailand: Chiang Rai in the northern region, Buriram in the Northeastern region, and Uthai Thani in the central part, where extreme drought exists. The qualitative approach involved focus groups with older farmers and in-depth interviews with policymakers and older farmers.

 

The findings revealed that flexible and adaptable local governance is among the most critical factors contributing to the resilience of older farmers. Drought management for older farmers in Thailand requires coordination among multiple agencies with distinct roles, emphasizing the need for integration to ensure effective communication. Agencies must collaborate to share information and coordinate efforts to disseminate accurate, comprehensive, and timely information. Examples include broadcasting weather forecasts from the Meteorological Department, coordinating cloud-seeding operations, and providing water and resource management guidance through the Irrigation Department. More importantly, its communication strategies must specifically target older farmers. Various communication channels should be utilized, particularly platforms that older farmers can readily access, such as community radio, village loudspeakers, and local media. Additionally, digital platforms and social media can be leveraged to inform younger family members, who can relay the information to older adults. To ensure accessibility, communication materials should be simple, straightforward, and audience-specific. This includes tailored communication, such as using local dialects or translating complex information into user-friendly formats, as older farmers may have difficulty understanding formal language or technical terms. This effectively supports their resilience in drought.  After implementing drought management measures, the government must assess the effectiveness of its communication strategies. This evaluation should determine whether the information was delivered efficiently to older farmers and identify gaps or barriers in the communication process. Based on these insights, necessary adjustments should be made to enhance future communication efforts, ensuring they are tailored to this demographic's needs, preferences, and limitations.

Keywords: Adaptive Governance, Older Farmers, Risk Reduction, Resiliency, Drought