Plant Conservation For Food Security Of The Pwo Karen Community In The Area Of Western Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary Of Kanchanaburi Province

Abstract

The thesis entitled “Plant Conservation for Food Security of Pwo Karen Community in the Area of Western Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, Kanchanaburi Province” consisted of the following objectives: 1) to study the background of Pwo Karen people in the  area of Western Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, Kanchanaburi Province; and 2) to study the plant conservation process as well as problems and obstacles in plant conservation by using the local wisdom and local culture of Pwo Karen people in the area of Western Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, Kanchanaburi Province. The study applied a qualitative research method by way of field study. The data were collected from studying documents, in-depth interview, and focus group discussion with key informants that were divided into 4 groups, in a total of 27 persons.

          From the study, the following results are found:

The Pwo Karen people have their own spoken and written language. Their tradition and culture are related to beliefs, lives, living, forest, and nature while crop rotation is most related to their livelihood. Most people believe in Buddhism and Christianity. Apart from this, the faith in Ruesi or Rishi and ancestor worship are what have been passed down and practiced strictly from the past until the present day. The people have a simple and modest life where they depend on forest and nature. They also love being solitude and peaceful.

The Pwo Karen people have crop rotation as their livelihood. Therefore, crop rotation is an important factor contributing to plant conservation. All processes of the cultivation use natural methods without using any chemical substance. Once the seeds are collected, they are wrapped in the rags, put in the dried bottle gourd or bamboo tube, placed on the fire shelf to preserve the seed. The community applies Sīla (5 precepts) and Sāraṇīyadhamma (states of conciliation) as a link for coexisting, which results the community in food security and sustainable plant conservation.