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Exploring perspectives of environmental best management practices in Thai agriculture: an application of Q-methodology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2010

WIMOLPAT BUMBUDSANPHAROKE ,
DOMINIC MORAN  and
CLARE HALL
WIMOLPAT BUMBUDSANPHAROKE*
Affiliation:
School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Land Economy and Environment Research Group, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, UK
DOMINIC MORAN
Affiliation:
Land Economy and Environment Research Group, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, UK
CLARE HALL
Affiliation:
Land Economy and Environment Research Group, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, UK
*
*Correspondence: Wimolpat Bumbudsanpharoke e-mail: [email protected]
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Summary

In Thailand, horticultural practices are a significant source of non-point source (NPS) pollution, and the government is considering best management practices (BMPs) as control measures for reducing agricultural NPS pollution to water. A prevailing assumption that farmers’ reactions to regulations will be homogenous is not based on underlying insights into attitudinal positions that may explain alternative behavioural responses. This paper uses Q-methodology to identify attitudinal discourses relating to BMP uptake. The approach combines the strengths of qualitative and quantitative research in order to explore subjectivity. The study is conducted with citrus growers in the Ping river basin, where farmers are facing increasing competition from alternative water uses. Four ‘discourses’ or viewpoints are identified, namely conservationist, traditionalist, disinterested and risk-averse. The different attitudes of these four groups are likely to be associated with distinctive behavioural reactions to the adoption of alternative policy instruments for pollution control. These discourses could usefully inform targeted policies for the control of NPS pollution from agriculture.

Keywords

agricultural non-point source pollutionbest management practicesQ-methodologywater quality
Type
Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 36 , Issue 3 , September 2009 , pp. 225 - 234
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2010

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