THAILAND LAM NAM OON INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

THESE FAMILIES HAD BEEN DRIVEN FROM THEIR LANDS BY WATERS BACKING UP BEHIND THE NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED LAM NAM OON (LNO) DAM. A COOP SERICULTURE INDUSTRY IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS A MEANS FOR REORGANIZING THESE FARMERS AND SUPPLEMENTING THEIR INCOMES. THIS ACTIVITY IS A SUB-PROJ OF AN AID/RTG LNO RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJ AND IS MODELED AFTER AN EARLIER SERICULTURE SETTLEMENTS PROJ (4930271). UNDER THIS SUB-PROJ, 3 MEMBERS OF EACH OF 30 FARM FAMILIES ARE TRAINED PER YEAR IN THE CULTURE OF IMPROVED VARIETIES OF MULBERRY & HYBRID SILKWORMS.THE EARLY STAGES OF EACH SILKWORM REARING CYCLE ARE HANDLED BY THE FARMERS ON A COOPERATIVE BASIS IN CENTRAL YOUNG WORM REARING HOUSES-BUILT THROUGH SUB-PROJ FUNDING.TO PROVIDE FOR THE LATER STAGES OF THE REARING CYCLE, A CENTRAL MULBERRY PLANTATION IS ESTABLISHED AND IS EXPANDED AS THE NO OF PARTICIPANTS INCREASE.EACH FARM FAMILY DEVELOPS ITS OWN MULBERRY PLANTING AT THIS PLANTATION AND CONSTRUCTS ITS OWN OLD SILKWORM REARING HOUSE.THIRTY KM OF MAIN & FEEDER ROADS ARE UPGRADED TO PROVIDE ALL-WEATHER ACCESS TO THE PLANTATION. THIS SUB-PROJ IS ADMINISTERED BY THE RTG PUBLIC WELFARE DEPT (PWD), MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, WITH THE HELP OF THE SERICULTURE DIV OF THE DEPT OF AGR AND THE BANK FOR AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES (BCCC). AID LOAN FUNDS ARE USED TO REIMBURSE PWD FOR EXPENDITURES ON THE CENTRAL MULBERRY PLANTATION, CENTRAL YOUNG WORM REARING HOUSES & EQUIPMENT, FARMER TRAINING AND ROAD IMPROVEMENT. THE LOAN ALSO REIMBURSES THE BAAC FOR LOANS MADE TO FARMERS FOR THE COSTS OF THEIR OLD WORM REARING HOUSES & EQUIPMENT, MULBERRY PLANTATION AND INITIAL SUPPLY OF SILK WORM EGGS. THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THIS SUB-PROJ ARE THE RESETTLEMENT FARM FAMILIES EMPLOYED BY THE SERICULTURE INDUSTRY.