In this video, we examine the cassava plantations of northern Thailand, the very first step in the supply chain for one of the most commonly consumed foods. Cassava is the third largest source of carbohydrates in the tropics after rice and maize. It is also an essential ingredient in a wide range of products, including bio-fuel, animal feed, and medicines. As the world’s largest exporter of cassava, Thailand sends this crop across the world, including to China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the US.

This video was shot by MMN in Mae Sot district of Tak province in northern Thailand in June 2022. Mae sot district is close to the Myanmar borer and has a well-established migrant community. There are also many migrant workers from Myanmar who commute to work across the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge on the Moei river. This bridge connects Mae Sot in Thailand to Myawaddy in Myanmar. 

Join us on a visit to a cassava plantation in Mae sot and hear from migrants, who will share with us some of the challenges they face in their work and daily lives.