A joint FAO/Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) detailed technical damage and needs assessment mission in the fisheries and agriculture sectors consisting of two FAO specialists (fisheries and agronomy), two MOAC coordinators and local officers of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) and the Department of Fisheries (DOF), visited the six tsunami-affected provinces (Phuket, Phang-Nga, Ranong, Krabi, Trang, and Satun). The mission was undertaken from 11 to 24 January 2005. The purpose of the mission was to assess the damages caused by the tsunami of 26 December 2004 and to identify the emergency/rehabilitation needs of the tsunami-affected coastal communities in fisheries and agriculture sector. The damages to coastal forestry and the adverse impacts on the livelihoods of coastal communities were also observed as far as this was possible.
The most severe damage in terms of economic losses in the overall agriculture sector (fisheries, livestock and crop) were recorded in Phang-Nga (US$ 24.3 million) which shared over 50 percent of the total losses, followed by Phuket (19 percent) and Krabi (11 percent).
The fisheries sector was most severely hit by the tsunami. The total damage to the fisheries sector alone was estimated by the Government to amount to US$ 47.2 million, or 99 percent of the total damage to the overall agriculture sector (US$ 47.8 million). These figures do not include lost earnings which fisher folk could continue to gain if they were not affected by the tsunami. The tsunami caused severe damage not only to fisher folk and aquaculturists, but also to fisher folk who earn additional income from ecotourism. The estimated damage as reported by the Fisheries Rescue Coordination Centre on 10 January 2005 includes damage to 3 714 small fishing boats, 1 199 large fishing boats, 554 ecotourism boats, 6 063 fish and shellfish cage farms (amounting to 609 869 sq m), 42 shrimp farms (266 rai), 573 hatcheries (86 818 sq m), 17 shellfish concession plots (819 rai) and 47 063 sets of fishing gears. In addition, 83 public harbours/piers were affected. The damage to private jetties/piers for private boats or fishery associated businesses (e.g. ice plants, gas stations, fish landing and markets, etc) has not been identified as yet. The most severe damage to fishing boats and gears was reported in Phang-Nga and Phuket, whereas the most serious impacts on the aquaculture sector were in Phang-Nga and Ranong. On the basis of interviews with the victims and information from various sources, the most urgent needs appear to be boat and engine repair or replacement; repair or replacement of fishing gears; repair or replacement of floating cages and nets; fish seeds for stocking; repair of farm equipment; repair of shrimp pond and hatchery structures; supplementary sources of income; and sources of funds such as micro credit to meet operating costs.
A total of 9 728 rai of agricultural land used for rice, horticulture and other crop production which were owned by 1 157 farmers were affected by sea water intrusion, making it saline and toxic to plants, thus causing crop damage. Soil reclamation is required on the basis of the level of salinity present. If the level of salinity is high, the application of organic fertilizer and gypsum will be required. Crops that were damaged over large areas include fruit trees, cashew nut, oil palm, coconut, vegetables and grass land. Phang-Nga was the most severely damaged, followed by Ranong, Satun, Trang, Krabi and Phuket, in that order. With regard to livestock, 429 head of cattle and buffaloes, 2 574 pigs, sheep, and goats, and 7 727 poultry belonging to 4 889 farmers were dead or missing. The loss was estimated to amount to about 9.7 million baht. Another 5 257 head of cattle and buffaloes suffer from a lack of grazing land.
The mission recommends emergency assistance to replace crops and livestock lost as a result of the tsunami. Soil amendments in the form of gypsum and organic fertilizer should be provided, as well as tree seedlings (coconut, cashew nut, oil palm), rice and water melon seeds, and mineral blocks for cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats, and hay for buffaloes, for the provinces of Ranong, Phang-Nga, Phuket, Trang and Satun.
About 1 910 rai of mangrove forests in the tsunami-affected provinces were damaged (mostly flattened and broken trees), which was less than one percent of the total mangrove forest in the provinces. Other coastal forests, e.g. Casuarina forests, fresh water forests, rear-mangrove forests, were also damaged. No damage assessment to these forests has been carried out. It is suggested that an in-depth assessment of mangroves and other coastal natural resources should be carried out which would serve as a basis for the development of an integrated coastal area management plan.
The mission observed the active initiative and leading role of the Thai Government in tackling this unprecedented disaster, including emergency relief and support to tsunami affected victims, in which concerted efforts and partnerships with civil society and the international community are needed to minimize adverse impacts of the disaster on the large number of already poor coastal population.
As a follow-up to emergency phase and for the sustainable restoration of livelihood of the affected coastal communities, medium- and long-term interventions including participatory community-based fisheries and natural resource management, sustainable human resource development and institutional capacity building in coastal communities in tsunami-affected areas, as well as strengthening linkages between community organizations and local administration, need to be pursued, in addition to the provision/rehabilitation of production assets, such as fishing boats/gears and land reclamation. Strengthening local community organizations, micro-finance, natural disaster insurance, community based early warning system for disaster prevention/mitigation and rehabilitation of tourism would be required in this context under a multi-disciplinary approach.
The medium- and long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts also offer an opportunity for not just restoring livelihoods and rehabilitating ecosystems to the pre-tsunami situation, but to create conditions to overcome some previous weaknesses and create better livelihoods and sustainable natural resource management. It is suggested to focus on:
Technologies which assist in creating sustained employment-intensive activities which benefit especially the most vulnerable and marginalized. The main emphasis is on alleviation of poverty.
Real incentives and opportunities for people in coastal communities to build up economic activities into strong livelihoods that will also enhance and empower the local community. Long-term planning for promoting market-led and economically sustainable measures are needed.
Integrated and holistic approaches for sustainable enhancement of livelihoods of coastal communities with minimum impact on the environment considering the fact that the economic well-being of the community depends on maintaining a variety of eco-systems around them.
Effective mechanisms of delivering information and appropriate technologies to the affected communities.
Capacity building to explore new opportunities / diversification for enhancing livelihoods.
Micro-credit and other similar initiatives to re-establish and improve their livelihoods with greater involvement of village organization / NGOs.
In planning and implementing rehabilitation programmes it is important to consider the social inequity of vulnerable groups, and gender specific issues such as the women’s access to resources, culturally defined gender division of work and the multiple tasks women carry out as producers and caregivers.
