Sustainable Development Approach for Farmers and Community: A Case Study of the Royal Initiated "New Theory" and Community Enterprise in Chaloem Phra Kiat District, Saraburi Province

Abstract

     The objectives of this research were to study: 1) the way of living of farmers that followed the Royal Initiated "New Theory", and 2) activities of Community Enterprise by studying 31 farmers who practiced the Royal Initiated "New Theory" and 35 members of the Pu Kae Agricultural Housewife and Baan Mongkol Chaipattana Communities Enterprise. The results revealed that 1) farmers had the average 13.42 rai of the Royal Initiated "New Theory" area dividing into 0.86 rai of pond, 7.87 rai of rice field, 2.90 rai of farm and fruit orchard, and 1.79 rai of residence and backyard gardens. The factors affecting the success of the Royal Initiated "New Theory" were the group strength, updated news, acquiring training and technology transfer, receiving productive line, marketing support including knowledge and understanding of the Royal Initiated "New Theory". However, the farmers had no coordinating activities for production and sharing market, and 2) the ability of the Pu Kae Agricultural housewife group is higher than of Baan Mongkol Chaipattana in every aspect: management and responsibility for the community enterprise, work plan of the community enterprise, production and process of goods management, marketing management, knowledge and information management and output of the community enterprise which contributed to the success of community operation.