A legal and SAFA-based framework for improving the environmental integrity toward Thailand's agriculture sustainability

Abstract

Agriculture is an important sector for Thailand and other countries. The law enforcement are one of the key success factors of sustainable agriculture. The alignment of sustainability indicators of the agricultural sector with specific legal frameworks and the recommendation for improvements has never been carried out. This research aimed to develop a framework to assess the aligned laws with the sustainability assessment of food and agriculture systems (SAFA) framework for improving the environmental integrity of agriculture. This study uses the SAFA framework to evaluate agricultural sustainability, focusing on target-based indicators in the environmental integrity dimension. The laws were classified as fully (dark green), partially (yellow), or not aligned (red) with SAFA indicators. The assessment findings reveal Thailand's legislative alignment with agricultural sustainability goals. In the dark green category, the Air Pollution Reduction Target and the Clean Water Target are remarkably well-known, meeting all the criteria of the SAFA framework. The Water Conservation Target, Land Conservation and Rehabilitation Plan, and Species Conservation Target are all included in the yellow category. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target, Renewable Energy Use Target, and Waste Reduction Target indicated major deficiencies and are classified as the red category. The specific and measurable targets, establishing clear timeframes, and adopting a proactive approach in legislation enactment to enhance the alignment legislation with the SAFA framework should be developed and promulgated toward sustainable development in the agricultural sector. The developed framework on the assessment of aligning law with SAFA framework can be applied in other countries toward sustainable agriculture.