Development of a High-Value Agricultural Product Cluster to Increase Income for Rural Farmers: Case Study of Bresse Chicken Cluster in Northern Thailand

Abstract

     The aim of this paper was to reveal the success factors of a high-value crop cluster which provides additional income to farmers in remote areas. The Bresse chicken cluster managed by the Royal Project Foundation was selected as a case study due to its high potential. The actors, their roles and benefits as well as the performance of the cluster to help farmers overcome constraints and enhance abilities to compete in the market were investigated. Data were collected from the reports of the Royal Project Foundation and from stakeholders by using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results from the study showed that the outputs of the cluster are not just an increase in farmers’ income, but also the achievement of capabilities. The major success factors for long term clustering are the presence of a strong functioning network and partnership among the stakeholders. These result from the platform opening for vision sharing and research being conducted by the stakeholders, the personality traits and competencies of a cluster engineer, and the equality of benefits provided to stakeholders involved in the cluster. Continual knowledge support from academic organizations as well as good functioning of knowledge sharing in the cluster are also key success factors.