Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Healthy Forests for Sustainable Livelihoods

Highland Research and Development Institute (HRDI) (
Government
)
#SDGAction60637
Description
Description
This initiative aims to 1. Address community issues and enhance quality of life while ensuring a healthy environment. Development is community-driven, using information, knowledge, innovation, and local wisdom under good governance. 2. Promote well-being and community self-reliance in a healthy environment through adaptable development processes: 2.1. Support farmers to secure stable incomes amid changing conditions by promoting alternative crops that provide year-round earnings and help conserve the original Miang forest. 2.2. Respond to challenges from Pa-Pae’s aging population by empowering elderly, mainly women to grow greenhouse vegetables, a light-labor and space-efficient activity that generates income, builds pride, and enables them to share knowledge within the community. 2.3. Strengthen collaboration among government agencies through an integrated, area-based development approach for sustainable highland growth.
Implementation of the Project/Activity

Native tea, or Miang, is a long-standing tradition among ethnic groups in Southeast Asia, reflecting both cultural heritage and natural resource conservation. The Pa-Pae community in Chiang Mai Province, with 2,449 households, traditionally depended on Miang reforestation for income. However, falling Miang prices and lack of alternative livelihoods led to debt and deforestation, as villagers replaced Miang with chemical-intensive monocrops. In 2015, the Highland Research and Development Institute (HRDI) began supporting Pa-Pae to restore balance between livelihoods and nature through sustainable agriculture, local participation, and good governance. Villagers adopted integrated Miang-based agroforestry over 30,000 hectares, cultivating coffee and other crops under Miang forest cover. Household incomes rose, environmental awareness increased, and conflicts with government agencies declined. Amid growing global climate challenges including droughts, floods, and pests threatening highland ecosystems, the project “Healthy Forests for Sustainable Livelihoods” has strengthened climate resilience. Using GIS technology, land-use boundaries were mapped to prevent forest encroachment, and each farmer received a land-plot map for proper and lawful land use. Farmers have shifted from deforestation to cultivating high-value crops such as Arabica coffee under Miang shade and expanding organic Miang production. Environmentally-friendly practices like precision vegetable farming have reduced chemical use, lowered greenhouse gas emissions, and increased soil carbon storage. The community now participates in the Low Emission Support Scheme and Thailand Voluntary Emission Reduction Programme, contributing to Thailand’s goals of carbon neutrality and net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

In the Pa-Pae community, GIS technology has been used to establish land-use boundaries, preventing forest encroachment and ensuring proper separation of farmland and forest areas. A land-plot map, jointly developed by local authorities and the community, serves as a shared database showing each plot’s location, size, ownership, and use, clearly distinguishing residential and agricultural zones from forest land. These maps help prevent land-use conflicts, support community planning, and guide farmers in managing their land according to academic and legal principles. They are digitized for easy access, with printed copies available in areas without internet. Importantly, the maps are now recognized by authorities as a basis for granting legal land rights in reserved areas, enabling villagers to live and farm lawfully.

Coordination mechanisms

HRDI has established a Sub-Committee on Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions, comprising representatives from relevant government agencies, the private sector, and farmer leaders in target areas. The Sub-Committee aims to enhance HRDI’s operations and minimize its impact on global warming, in line with Thailand’s national targets, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2040, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and reach net zero emissions by 2065. These efforts are also consistent with the goals of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Evaluation

1. Community Strength Assessment Ten indicators are used to classify communities into three levels: •Level A: Strong community and learning center •Level B: Community driving development •Level C: Community in early development stage Assessments are conducted annually. The Pa-Pae community achieved Level A with a score of 84.60%. 2. Evaluation of Performance Achievements Annual evaluations measure progress against key objectives. The Pa-Pae community has achieved the following: 1.Promotion of Environmentally Friendly Occupations Villagers have combined new knowledge with traditional wisdom to develop alternative livelihoods, increasing average household income by 3.3 times. 2.Strengthening People and Community The community has built self-reliance through various community enterprise groups, with members gaining experience from training and study visits both locally and externally. 3.Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation About 90% of watershed forest has been restored. In 2021, Pang-Makluay village in Pa-Pae community was certified by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization for storing 7,406.578 tCO₂eq, and received the Haze Free Reward from Chiang Mai Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. The community also won the 2021 Thailand Excellent Participatory Governance Award from the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission. 4.Role Model Community Pa-Pae now serves as a provincial learning center for sustainable highland development, offering a replicable model for other areas in Thailand and beyond.

Partners

The Royal Forest Department, National Park Department, Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, Mae Fah Luang Foundation, The Center for People and Forests, BAAC, Kasetsart University, Chiang Mai University, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Thonburi, HOYA Corporation, PTT-OR and Charoen Pokphand Group Co., Ltd.

Goal 1

End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 1

1.1

By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day

1.1.1

Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)

1.2

By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions

1.2.1

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age

1.2.2

Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions

1.3

Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable

1.3.1

Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims and the poor and the vulnerable

1.4

By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance

1.4.1

Proportion of population living in households with access to basic services

1.4.2

Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, (a) with legally recognized documentation, and (b) who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure

1.5

By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters

1.5.1

Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

1.5.2

Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP)

1.5.3

Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030

1.5.4

Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

1.a

Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions

1.a.1

Total official development assistance grants that focus on poverty reduction as a share of the recipient country’s gross national income

1.a.2

Proportion of total government spending on essential services (education, health and social protection)

1.b

Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions

1.b.1

Pro-poor public social spending

Goal 13

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Goal 13

13.1

Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

13.1.1

Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

13.1.2

Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

13.1.3

Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

13.2

Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

13.2.1

Number of countries with reports under the Paris Agreement, as submitted to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

13.2.2

Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

13.3

Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

13.3.1

Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

13.a

Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

13.a.1

Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

13.b

Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities

13.b.1

Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with reports under the Paris Agreement, as submitted to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Goal 15

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 15

15.1

By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

15.1.1
Forest area as a proportion of total land area
15.1.2
Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

15.2

By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

15.2.1
Progress towards sustainable forest management

15.3

By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

15.3.1
Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area

15.4

By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development

15.4.1
Coverage by protected areas of important sites for mountain biodiversity
15.4.2

(a) Mountain Green Cover Index and (b) proportion of degraded mountain land

15.5

Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

15.5.1
Red List Index

15.6

Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed

15.6.1
Number of countries that have adopted legislative, administrative and policy frameworks to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits

15.7

Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products

15.7.1
Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked

15.8

By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species

15.8.1
Proportion of countries adopting relevant national legislation and adequately resourcing the prevention or control of invasive alien species

15.9

By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

15.9.1

(a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 14 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

15.a

Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems

15.a.1

(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

15.b

Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation

15.b.1

(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

15.c

Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

15.c.1
Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked

Goal 16

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 16

16.1

Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

16.1.1
Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age
16.1.2
Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and cause
16.1.3

Proportion of population subjected to (a) physical violence, (b) psychological violence and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months

16.1.4

Proportion of population that feel safe walking alone around the area they live after dark

16.2

End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

16.2.1

Proportion of children aged 1–17 years who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month

16.2.2
Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age and form of exploitation
16.2.3

Proportion of young women and men aged 18–29 years who experienced sexual violence by age 18

16.3

Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

16.3.1

Proportion of victims of (a) physical, (b) psychological and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized conflict resolution mechanisms

16.3.2
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population
16.3.3

Proportion of the population who have experienced a dispute in the past two years and who accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism, by type of mechanism

16.4

By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime

16.4.1
Total value of inward and outward illicit financial flows (in current United States dollars)
16.4.2
Proportion of seized, found or surrendered arms whose illicit origin or context has been traced or established by a competent authority in line with international instruments

16.5

Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms

16.5.1
Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials, during the previous 12 months
16.5.2
Proportion of businesses that had at least one contact with a public official and that paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials during the previous 12 months

16.6

Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

16.6.1
Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar)
16.6.2

Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services

16.7

Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

16.7.1

Proportions of positions in national and local institutions, including (a) the legislatures; (b) the public service; and (c) the judiciary, compared to national distributions, by sex, age, persons with disabilities and population groups

16.7.2
Proportion of population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability and population group

16.8

Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance

16.8.1

Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations

16.9

By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration

16.9.1
Proportion of children under 5 years of age whose births have been registered with a civil authority, by age

16.10

Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

16.10.1
Number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists, associated media personnel, trade unionists and human rights advocates in the previous 12 months
16.10.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information

16.a

Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime

16.a.1
Existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles

16.b

Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

16.b.1
Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law

Goal 17

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Goal 17

17.1

Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection

17.1.1
Total government revenue as a proportion of GDP, by source
17.1.2
Proportion of domestic budget funded by domestic taxes

17.2

Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries

17.2.1
Net official development assistance, total and to least developed countries, as a proportion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee donors’ gross national income (GNI)

17.3

Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

17.3.1

Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources 

17.3.2
Volume of remittances (in United States dollars) as a proportion of total GDP

17.4

Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress

17.4.1

Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods, services and primary income

17.5

Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries

17.5.1

Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries

17.6

Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

17.6.1

 Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed

17.7

Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed

17.7.1

Total amount of funding for developing and developed countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies

17.8

Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology

17.8.1
Proportion of individuals using the Internet

17.9

Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

17.9.1

Dollar value of official development assistance committed to developing countries

17.10

Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda

17.10.1
Worldwide weighted tariff-average

17.11

Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020

17.11.1

Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports

17.12

Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access

17.12.1

Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States

17.13

Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence

17.13.1
Macroeconomic Dashboard

17.14

Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

17.14.1
Number of countries with mechanisms in place to enhance policy coherence of sustainable development

17.15

Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development 

17.15.1
Extent of use of country-owned results frameworks and planning tools by providers of development cooperation

17.16

Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

17.16.1

Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

17.17

Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships 

17.17.1

Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure

17.18

By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

17.18.1

Statistical capacity indicators

17.18.2
Number of countries that have national statistical legislation that complies with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics
17.18.3

Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding

17.19

By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

17.19.1
Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries
17.19.2

Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration

Name Description

3.All 2,048 households in Pa-Pae gained legal access to farmland ensuring ongoing support from government and private sectors. Conflicts with authorities have been resolved, and community participation has strengthened self-reliance.

4.The Pa-Pae Community Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation Group manages 32,377 hectares of watershed forest, absorbing 142,900 tCO₂eq annually, reduced smog and PM2.5 levels. a drop in hotspots from 419 in 2020 to 108 in 2023.

Staff / Technical expertise
The use of knowledge sets from the "Royal Project Model", which have been researched and tested to be practically applicable, including the HKM (Highland Knowledge Management) database containing more than 700 items, for dissemination to the communities.
Staff / Technical expertise
A crucial tool for efficient planning and monitoring of highland development, aiding in the classification of village clusters and the analysis of potential in individual plots. A highland community database, aids in planning, spatial development, and equ
In-kind contribution
The integration of work with public agencies, have been encouraged to participate in formulating a community development plan with integrated and aligned activities for planning Sustainable Highland Development.
Financing (in USD)
The allocation of government budget to support environmentally friendly occupations, which generates more than US$16.89 in annual income for highland farmers.
No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
partnerships banner
False
Action Network
SDG Acceleration Actions
Share
FacebookTwitterLinkedIn
Timeline
01 October 2007 (start date)
08 January 2026 (date of completion)
Entity
N/A
SDGs
1 13 15 16 17
Geographical coverage
The Pa-Pae community, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Other beneficiaries

The Pa-Pae community in Chiang Mai Province with 13 Villages, 2,048 households, 612 Farmers, 12 Enterprise groups with 411 members, 33 Government Agencies under the 5-Year National Action Plan for Sustainable Highland Development (2023-2027), approved by the Cabinet

More information
Countries
Thailand
Thailand
Contact Information

chanokkan suriwong, Programme Coordinator

suriwongpu20@gmail.com