Title: Understanding pluriversal ontology: the cases of three alternative agriculture communities in Sisaket province, northeastern, Thailand
Author: Thita Ornin
Year: 2024
Keywords: Alternative Agriculture, Post-development, Pluriverse, Ontology
Theme: Post Development
Advisor(s): Carl Nigel Middleton
The full thesis available here.
Abstract: In reaction to the global development paradigm, the concept of Pluriverse has played a pivotal role in exploring alternatives to development, aiming to foster a world that accommodates multiple worlding with the goals to facilitate various approaches to collective well-being, moving away from anthropocentric, linear growth within the modern capitalist development. This thesis seeks to understand alternative agriculture cases in the Northeast of Thailand through the Pluriversal ontology conceptual framework and to determine its usefulness through the following proposed framework; (1) alternative agricultural development discourse analysis, (2) friction and assimilation with modernity and (3) post-development values. Taken an inspiration from various global south countries’ literature especially from South Asia and Latin America, the thesis adds empirical case studies from Sisaket province, Thailand, to the literature. Firstly, the Buddhist community of Srisa Asoke which engages in natural farming guided by a stringent Buddhist moral code. Secondly, the Taam and People Association, a social movement which comprises individuals whose wetland livelihoods are impacted by the Rasi Salai dam. Lastly, Raitong and SCFN Farmers, a social enterprise-oriented organization dedicating to support smallholder organic farmers in participating in the global food market while adopting the principles of organic farming and fair-trade global standards.This thesis is a qualitative study based on the use of primary and secondary data and extensive fieldwork, including participant observation and numerous in-depth interviews with identified community members.It argues that the case studies can be identified with more than one alternative agriculture development discourse at a time, and that discourses are fluid and influential to one another. The three alternative cases also illustrated coexistence with the mainstream development, creating friction and strategic self-assimilation with modernity represented by state, surplus, and science. And the post-development values discussed in this paper including simplicity, justice, equity and non-hierarchy, rights, non-violence, the economy of care and gender inclusivity, prosperity and dignity, autonomy and self-reliance, solidarity and reciprocity, common ethics, oneness with nature, although similar values are found in alternative communities worldwide, the practical nuances of these values from Thailand differ from other countries in the Global South. The values aligned with post-development can empower the communities to maintain their alternative identities, allowing them to practically navigate within the mainstream context while holding onto diverse imaginaries. This is to say that alternative agriculture movement, all has varied ontological realities which were influenced by interplays on external development agendas, and internal idealism. All can shape forms of social change in their own scale whether the approaches are called reformative or transformative
