Buddhist Agriculture Fights the COVID-19 Crisis and the Food Security of Communities in Uthai Thani Province

Abstract

The purpose of this research article was to study the feasibility of doing Buddhist agriculture in the household and developing Buddhist gardens for food security of the communites in Uthai Thani Province. It was a mixed methods research from the study of relevant documents, in-depth interviews with 16 key informants, small group discussions with 12 experts, and activities on the development of Buddhist agricultural gardens. The results of the research revealed that Buddhist farming of the household had a possibility because most of an area of Uthai Thani Province was agricultural area, good climate, learning about agriculture from a local philosopher. A management system that can be developed into a Buddhist agricultural garden by conducting activities to convey ideas and cognition, how to work using training, how to apply the sufficiency economy philosophy. The application of Buddhist principles in the implementation of the household gardening of Buddhist agriculture to create stability for the community and 3 prototype families applied for participation by the researcher's selection as the families attending training and making a Buddhist agricultural garden developed to be a prototype of the community's agricultural Buddhist garden. The model Buddhist agricultural garden followed the principles of sufficiency economy theory and integrated agriculture until it can be self-reliant and can be a good dependency of the community in terms of agricultural food. Household farming consisted of growing vegetables, raising animals, and crop rotation, using organic, growing vegetables to eat with the safety and stability of the family. The rest can be distributed or can be sold as family income as well.