Spring 2003 Sustainable Agriculture Speaker Tour Speaker Profiles

Mr. Bamrung Kayotha is a Jasmine rice farmer, a leader in the Assembly of the Poor people’s movement in Thailand and the Southeast Asia representative for La Via Campesina, an international movement that coordinates peasant organizations of small and medium sized producers, agricultural workers, rural women, and indigenous communities from Asia, America, and Europe. He has spoken at the United Nations as a representative of poor people’s issues in developing countries. Mr. Bamrung is an accomplished and captivating speaker, who is accustomed to speaking in translation to a variety of audiences. His life as a farmer and community leader has given him a wealth of experience on farming techniques, alternatives, and history. He is also familiar with farming communities in Japan and South America, and is able to draw upon lessons learned in his travels. As a Jasmine rice farmer, he has personal, first-hand knowledge of the history, benefits, and drawbacks of growing Jasmine rice to sell on the global market. He can also place Jasmine rice farming in the context of movement toward sustainable farming systems.

Mr. Ubon Yuwa is a regional representative from Thailand's Alternative Agriculture Network, which works directly with Thai farmers to promote sustainable agriculture. He has a wide range of knowledge regarding sustainable farming techniques, seed varieties, and Thai agricultural policy. He is also a leading expert on the sustainable agriculture pilot project currently in progress through the Alternative Agriculture Network. Ubon is able to easily converse on a wide variety of topics, and specifically to relate Jasmine rice farming to its many contextual factors; including the place of Thai farmers in the global market, green revolution farming techniques, social movement and rural-urban migration in Thailand. He has a lifetime of hands-on experience with Thai agricultural traditions and techniques as well as knowledge of the Fair Trade Jasmine rice network established between the European Fair Trade Association and Jasmine rice farmers in Surin province of northeast Thailand. In Thailand, he has spoken with numerous groups of American students through the Council on International Education Exchange study abroad program at Khon Kaen University.

Ms. Chalida Maneepakorn works with student groups and organizations, with the Alternative Agriculture Network, and with a network of non-governmental organizations in northeast Thailand to help students find a role in promoting sustainable agriculture and development. She is currently working with students in Thailand to explore Jasmine rice farming and its significance in the context of rural and urban development. She has substantial experience with American students as well, working closely with the Council on International Educational Exchange study abroad program at Khon Kaen University. Her role in the tour is especially important as the tour is being planned and organized with essential help from student groups around the USA who are interested to hear about student activities and the role of students in Thai society.

Ms. Margaret (Peggy) Reents was the Coordinator for ENGAGE Thailand (2003) and is a proficient Thai-English translator. She accompanied the Thai delegates to the USA and traveled with them to translate for speaking engagements, discussions, and daily needs while in the United States.

Ms. Laura Millay was the ENGAGE National Coordinator based in the United States (2003) and preparing and organized the tour with local ENGAGE representatives and organizations in the United States. Also a proficient Thai-English translator, she met the Thai delegation in Seattle upon their arrival April 13th, and traveled with the tour to assist in translation for occasions in which the speakers have separate speaking engagements and facilitation of arrangements and logistics with local hosts.