Proceedings | MIS area | Year 2015
 

Expert View on Issues in Thailand Agricultural Information System for Sufficiency Economy Philosophy-driven Sustainable Development

by Phannaphatr Savetpanuvong; Voraphan Raungpaka
  
  The e-CASE & e-Tech Fall 2015 Conference in Kyoto, Japan 8-10 September 2015

Abstract

Agricultural sectors play a vital role in ASEAN economic community especially in Thailand; however, farmers who own factors of production have inadequate information for decision making as a result of digital divide and information asymmetry. By interviewing three experts in agricultural economics, agricultural information systems, and rural development, problems are revealed as follows. Firstly, existing information systems are disparate, disintegrated and distorted for the advantage of intermediary. Secondly, formers spend high effort in data access and information seeking via traditional channel such as telephone and television for market price, demand and supply information. Thirdly, recentness of such information is very low attributable to lack of internet infrastructure in remote area. And fourthly, information management are in silo fashion and not centralized to provide single view of useful information to farmers. To solve cobweb cycle problems as a result of lagged response to price change for existing commodity production as well as a reflection on recent changes in local and global demand, Agricultural-related information is required to aggregated, processed, and disseminated via easy-to-access channel to farmers. Once information asymmertry and transaction cost issues in agricultural sectors are solved, it will improve farmers’ well-being and happiness in accordance with H.M. King Bhumibol’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy which incorporates moderation, reasonableness and self-immunity.

Keywords: Agriculture, Information System, Sustainability, Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, Rural Development