Kingdom of Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Targets

2017

THE GLOBAL

LDl CHANOWON

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1. It is well known that with increase in population land is under pressure to meet the rising

demand for food production. The conversion of forests to other land uses, the use of unsuitable

areas for agriculture are contributing to land degradation, by decline in soil productivity which in

turn affect the agricultural productivity and human well-being. It leads to political, social and

environmental security problems; especially, the balance of water, energy and carbon cycle

including climate change. Land degradation in Thailand mainly due to improper land utilization,

inappropriate land management and deforestations that in turn lead to soil erosion. About 4.8% of

forest land was converted to other land use types during 2002 to 2013. In addition, the land

productivity has declined in 21% of the land area of Thailand with 0.03% loss of Soil Organic Carbon

(SOC) during 2000 to 2010.

2. As signatory to UNCCD, Thailand reaffirms its commitment to achieve SDG 15 especially

Target 15.3 which states that "By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil,

including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land

degradation-neutral world" with an Indicator 15.3.1 "Proportion of land that is degraded over total

land area" through the LDN target setting process.

3. Thailand is committed to achieve Land degradation neutrality by 2030. The specific targets

identified to achieve the same at national level are as below:

• Target 1: Increase the proportion of national forest cover through reforestation and

rehabilitation degraded forest including headwater and mangrove forests by participation of

local community.

• Target 2: Restore and rehabilitate degraded land to be productive land, emphasized on

sustainable agriculture.

• Target 3: Reduce soil carbon loss and increase soil carbon sequestration by soil and water

conservation and promote awareness raising and community participation in land

management.

4. In line with the commitments of Thailand in the framework of UN Conventions on Climate

Change (UNFCCC) and Biological Diversity (CBD), the Government of Thailand is committed to

combat desertification and land degradation and to reach a situation of Land Degradation Neutrality

by 2030, through the following measures:

Targets Measures Institutions Increase the proportion - Review and conduct agricultural land use - Ministry of Natural of national forest cover planning in consistent with national Resources and Environment through reforestation directions and development targets indicated - Office of Natural Resources and rehabilitation in national strategy and Environmental Policy degraded forest - Promote reforestation and fast growing - Ministry of Agriculture and including headwater trees especially at the household and Cooperatives and mangrove forests community level under the appropriate - Land Development by participation of local concept and mechanisms such as tree banks Department community. in order to increase biodiversity and soil - Department of Natural

carbon stocks. Park, Wildlife, and Plant

- Promote the development of community Conservation

rules that relate to the forest conservation, - Royal Forest Department

reforestation in the area of forest complex

that connects to the corridor of land owned

by the state by participatory of all sectors

Restore and - Apply principle of sufficiency economy in - Ministry of Agriculture and

rehabilitate degraded agriculture, sustainable land development, Cooperatives

land to be productive good agriculture practices, organic farming, - Land Development

land, emphasized on integrated farming and agricultural system Department

sustainable agriculture, enhance resilient to climate change in - Department of Agricultural

corporation with local wisdom Extension

- Support and promote learning and land - Department of Agriculture

management for land degradation neutrality - Royal Irrigation

- Formulate strategy and action plan to Department

halt land degradation - Department of Water

- Increase efficiency of water management Resources

for agricultural areas - Department of Ground

Water Resources

- Department of Royal

Rainmaking and Agricultural

Aviation

Reduce soil carbon loss - Promote soil and water conservation -Land Development and increase soil measures by both mechanical and vegetative Department carbon sequestration measures, appropriate soil improvement in - Department of Natural by soil and water agricultural areas in highland and lowland Park, Wildlife, and Plant conservation and - Promote campaigns to reduce stubble Conservation promote awareness burning plant, control the forests burning - Royal Forest Department raising and community and agricultural residues management participation in land - Develop land productivity and soil management. organic carbon database in national level by

2022

5. To achieve land degradation neutrality and the identified targets the government of

Thailand would aim to mobilize all stakeholders, such as the public sector, private sector and the civil

society both at the national and local level to implement measures identified to achieve LDN targets

by 2030 as a part of an overall SDGs.

6. Thailand will promote LDN leverage plan to link LDN with important national agenda such

as SDG, financial resource, and other relevant cooperation. Accelerate aligning National Action

Program merged with LDN and adopted monitoring system as set by the convention to monitor land

degradation. Lastly, the effective indicators should be developed to improve accuracy result of

monitoring in different levels of national, watershed and affected area.

7. Finally, the above mentioned issues of LDN (paragraph 5 and 6) have been added to the

intervention of Thailand for COP13, focusing as one priority agenda of the COP13 that had been

proposed for the consideration of the cabinet and consequently, there was the cabinet's resolution

to adopt the intervention for COP13 of Thailand during the meeting on 5 September 2017.

Endorse by

/T~

(Mr. Lertviroj Kowattana) Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives

Chair of the UNCCD National Committee

This document has been prepared with the support of the Land Degradation Neutrality Target

Setting Programme (LDN TSP), a partnership initiative implemented by the Secretariat and the

Global Mechanism of the UNCCD, with support of the following partners: France, Germany,

Luxembourg, Republic of Korea, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, European Space Agency, Food

and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Global Environment Facility, ISRIC - World Soil

Information, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Joint Research Centre of the European

Commission, Soil Leadership Academy, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations

Environment Programme, World Resources Institute.

The views and content expressed in this document are solely those of the authors of this document

and do not necessarily represent the views of the LDN TSP or any of its partners.