◎孫宇青
Thailand has long served as one of the globe’s main rice bowls, but chronic water shortages are pushing the country to move away from a grain that dominates its fields and has defined a way of life for generations.
泰國向來是全球稻米主要供應國之一，但長期缺水讓這個國家無法再固守單一作物，必須為往後的世代定義新的生存方式。
Laddawan has spent the past forty years coaxing rice from her plot in central Thailand, but she is tired of watching her farmland squeezed dry by increasingly severe droughts.
過去40年來，拉德旺一直在泰國中部的自家土地上細心照料水稻，但嚴重的旱災持續蹂躪這片土地，此情此景已讓她感到厭倦。
"I plan to replace some rice paddies with limes," she told AFP after attending a government-run workshop urging farmers to diversify their crops.
在參加完一場由政府舉辦、鼓勵農夫種植不同作物的農作坊後，她告訴法新社記者：「我打算不種稻米，改種萊姆了。」
At a workshop held in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok, Laddawan was sold the seeds fruit trees.
拉德旺在曼谷附近暖武里省的一場農作坊上買到果樹種籽。
These alternatives will drastically reduce water consumption but also break the monoculture that has deteriorated Thai soil for decades.
這些替代方案將大幅縮減用水量，也將打破數十年來造成泰國土質惡化的單一作物栽培模式。
"We have no choice, we need to adapt," Laddawan said, explaining that she used to plant three rice crops annually, but next year will only have enough water for one.
拉德旺表示，她過去每年種植3次水稻，但水資源只夠在明年種1次，「我們沒有選擇，只能改變。」
新聞辭典
parched：形容詞，乾枯的；口渴的。例句：Due to low rainfall and record-breaking heat this summer, the land across the country is incredibly parched. （由於降雨量太少和破紀錄的高溫，整個國家的土地都乾涸了。）
diversify：動詞，使多樣化。例句：To survive the economic depression, this company aims to diversify their products. （為了在經濟不景氣下存活，這家公司計畫拓展商品多樣性。）
全通翻譯 引用自 http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1001187&day=2016-06-16
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