The longitudinal effects of the "Green Revolution" on the infant mortality rate in rural Thailand

Objectives: A rapid increase in the ratio of rented farming land to total farming land and the stratification of peasantry has been reported in rural Thailand since the 1960s. The problem is especially severe in the central region, where the commercialization of agriculture called the "Green Revolution" has been rampant with enhanced integration of agricultural resources by absentee landlords. We analyzed the problem by evaluating its effect on the health status of infants in rural Thailand. Methods: We examined three indicators; IMR, NMR and PNMR as dependent variables in relation to the ratio of rented land as independent variable. The surveyed period was between 1963 and 1998. ANCOVA analyses were applied. Results: IMR and NMR showed a statistically significant association with the ratio of rented land (F=7.77, P<0.01; F=32.88, P<0.0001). The longitudinal time-trends of IMR and NMR also showed a significant association with that of the ratio (F= 10.97, P<0.05; F=29.87, P<0.001). PNMR did not show any significance. Conclusion: The ratio of rented land is a factor that reflects the extent of commercialization of agriculture and explains the substantial regional diversity of the mortality rates in Thailand. The existence of nutritional deterioration and vulnerability induced by the "Green Revolution" is suggested, since NMR reflects endogenous factors of the area and is sensitive to nutritional and sanitary conditions rather than PNMR. Further empirical studies that emphasize the linkage are necessary to attain a lower IMR in Thailand.