Management and Reduction of Burning Practice in Agricultural Areas and Policy Recommendations to Tackle PM2.5 in Thailand

Open burning of agricultural residues in agricultural lands is one of the major sources of air pollution especially fine particulate matter having aerodynamic diameter not larger than 2.5 micrometer (PM2.5). Studies have found that the burning agricultural residues left from the cultivation of 3 main cash crops, i.e. rice, sugarcane, and maize, contribute significantly to PM2.5 in both rural and urban areas.

The government and relevant stakeholders have recognized and placed the importance of solving the problem of fine particulate matter at high priority. Consequently, the Cabinet has made it as the National Agenda of the country on 12 February 2019. Subsequently, the Action Plan to Drive the National Agenda “The Mitigation of Particulate Pollution” was adopted as the resolution of the Cabinet on 1 October 2019 which an along with setting guidelines and measures under the National Agenda Action Plan in 2019. Integrated efforts have been also made by various sectors to control, regulate and mitigate the particulate problem, in particular PM2.5, during the critical period and at the sources, in addition to the improvement of management efficiency. However, it is still not keeping up with the situation of air pollution problems that still tend to be high and exceed the standard.

The study was conducted under the project to develop guidelines for burning management in farmland to solve PM2.5 problems in Thailand. Through the cooperation of the Thailand Environment Institute together with Pure Earth and related agencies to conduct an action study. The project employed participatory study process by brainstorming from groups of rice, maize and sugarcane farmers in the target areas in order to provide guidelines for the management and reduction of burnt in farmland and policy proposals to address PM2.5 problems and this will be beneficial and support the implementation of related operations in the future.