Thai farmers pin hopes on microbes to end annual burning crisis

Authorities in Chiang Rai began encouraging local farmers to try microbial solutions last year. Microbial products have long been used in Thai agriculture, but demand for newer formulations targeting straw decomposition has grown sharply since the burning crackdown intensified a few years ago.

Thailand has restricted burning for years, but a recent crackdown has put government environmental goals on a collision course with traditional agricultural practices. A product called Soil Digest developed by a Thai scientist, uses five strains of Bacillus bacteria, and one of which is derived from traditional fermented soybeans.

The product provided the solution decomposed the terrible stubble on the fields in a matter of days and helped restore the soil. Thai farmers hope that the use of these microbes could help to end annual burning crisis.