Part 6/12:

Modern agricultural inputs such as herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers are central to current practices but have degraded soil quality and harmed biodiversity. In Thailand, heavy fertilizer and chemical use lead to soil with diminished organic matter, requiring additional chemical amendments to sustain fertility. Furthermore, methane emissions from flooded rice paddies contribute significantly to Thailand's greenhouse gases, exacerbating climate change.

The adaptation methods—like alternate wetting and drying—offer some relief, yet the challenges posed by rising temperatures threaten to diminish rice yields further. At current rates, rice productivity—a staple for nearly half the global population—stands at risk unless alternative resilient varieties or practices are adopted.