Economic fruit trees zoning for supporting land-use alternatives of rubber farmers in Bueng Kan and Nakhon Phanom

Abstract

The spatial data on land suitability for numerous types of economic fruit strongly encourages the strategies for reducing rubber plantation areas and land-use planning in northeastern Thailand. The objective of this study is to evaluate land suitability for economic fruit, namely the Eastern economic fruit trees (Durian, Mangosteen, Long Kong, Rambutan), Litchi, Tangerine, and Aromatic Coconut using geo-informatics technology and to define the alternatives of potential areas for economic fruits to replace the rubber plantation with respect to socio-economic and environmental concerns. The study area, comprising Bueng Kan and Nakhon Phanom provinces, is located in the upper northeastern part of Thailand and covers an area of about 9800 sq. km. Land suitability evaluation is based on the FAO guidelines to establish multiplication models obtained by integrating the land quality that each economic fruit tree requires. The land qualities for economic fruit trees are water availability, soil properties, and topography. Then combine land-use alternatives from the integration of high and moderate suitable areas for planting each type of economic fruit and formulate alternative plans for rubber farmers. The results showed a map of land suitability for four different types of economic fruit and land-use zoning for economic fruit into seven zones. Bueng Kan and Nakhon Phanom provinces have a total rubber plantation area of 2,427.34 sq. km. These figures represent 2.72, 21.16, and 1.49 percent of rubber planting areas aged < 5 years, 5-20 years, and > 20 years, respectively. Land use alternative for planting economic fruit trees is efficient for the farmer's decision-making process in their rubber plantation areas near a felling age of > 20 years, which found that production of all 4 types of economic fruit trees is economically feasible.