KALASIN, 19 June 2015 – Villagers in Phon Ngam district of the northeastern province of Kalasin have tapped into the government’s income creation program and used the funds to solve drought problems.
Residents of Phon Ngam spent part of the budgets from the employment program and the One Tambon One Million Baht project to build solar-powered water pumps. The renewable energy system led to employment opportunities in the community and alleviated the effects of the prolonged dry season.
Local people say the solar pumps help supply water to more than 400 rai of farmland in two villages, enabling their rice paddies to survive the crisis. They added that farmers switched to water-saving agriculture during the summer to ensure sufficient water supplies for consumption and farming.
The villagers commented that the government should continue to set aside budgets for the two aid projects, so that they can expand their water management system to all parts of the district.
