Pook Pinto Kao (fb.com/pookpintokao) is a non-profit group that acts as a matchmaker, connecting city dwellers with organic rice farmers. They will recommend a suitable farmer for you and tell you his/her asking price. Then you can contact the farmer directly before deciding to buy rice from him/her for at least 12 months. You’ll know in advance how much you have to pay and you pay directly to the farmer. Both buyers and farmers will receive better deals since there’s no middleman between them. The group’s goals include increasing the number of organic rice growers and eaters in Thailand as well as building friendship and understanding between them. This way, they help improve the quality of life for both farmers and buyers alike. Those who eat chemical-free rice enjoy better health while farmers can earn extra income and grow their rice with less impact on the environment. Moreover, organic farmers don’t use chemicals so they don’t have to risk their health while growing food for the country.
How you can help:
Fill in an application form located at a link on their Facebook page. You can sign up for rice as an individual, group or company and indicate how many kilos of rice you want per month. You can choose to subscribe to farmers who already utilise organic farming or those who are in transition to adopt organic farming. You can even visit the farmer whose rice you bought. It’s cool to tell people you have a farmer friend.