Food Security: from Agricultural Development to Sufficiency Economy

Abstract

The objective of this research is to examine the evolution of concepts and agricultural policy relationship concerning food security issue developed by multi-dimensional approaches. “Food Security” concept emphasizes on the change in structure aiming to find out the solutions at the global level, whereas, “Rights to Food” focus on individual level of accessibility to adequate resources. The issue of food also extended to the concept of “Food Resource Base” synthesized by the social movement on alternative agriculture and natural resources management based on powerful relationships of agricultural stakeholders at every level. The increasing of international concerns for food security has considerably challenged and affected to Thailand’s agricultural and national development policy reform. The Ninth National Economic and Social Development Plan (2002-2006) adopted the philosophy of sufficiency economy as a main guiding principle to achieve sustainable development, and the Eleventh national Economic and Social Development Plan (2012-2016) enhanced food security issues as an agricultural development planning to improve related organizations including government service and individual level. These strategies will effectively support Thailand encountering the insecurity of food in the future.