The Management of Community-Based Herbal Community Enterprise to Reduce Economic Inequality Dimension

Abstract

This research article aims to achieve two primary objectives: 1) to formulate a management model for herbal planting plots to enhance production potential; and 2) to create the added value to herbal produce through the application of essential oil extraction technology. The targeted demographic included participants from the herbal community enterprise group, herbal farmer group, and other related groups in Bueng Thawai Sub-district, Tao Ngoi District, Sakon Nakhon Province. This qualitative study was conducted following the research methodology of participatory action research. The total of 40 participants in this study were derived through purposive sampling method. In order to collect qualitative data, in-depth interviews and group discussions were implemented. Then the derived data were analysed using content analysis method.

The findings revealed that 1) the herbal plantation management model could be found consisting of three crucial components as follows: (1) a standardized management system for plantation management resulting in a cultivation increasing to 2,321 plants/rai, equivalent to a quadruple increase; (2) a participatory group management system based on production and products; and (3) community data management leading to knowledge guides that could stimulate learning towards generating income for the community. Furthermore, 2) value addition to herbal produce through essential oil extraction technology had been found to create new products which could strengthen community economic stability, including herbal massage oil, herbal incense, and herbal essential oil. These results had been achieved through participatory community management based on appropriate data, knowledge, and appropriate technology of supporting the community and reducing reliance on external resources. This had also resulted in an average income of 53,785 baht/year/household after the project, leading to a decrease in the number of people earning less than the poverty line by 0.14 times. It could thus be observed that this research could address an alternative solution to reduce economic disparity.