Adaptation Strategies of Community Enterprises Producing and Distributing Palm Sugar Food Products in the Sathing Phra Peninsula, Songkhla Province, in the Digital Era.

Abstract

Amid the ongoing transformations in socio-cultural dimensions, local environments, and current economic conditions, the traditional livelihood of Palmyra palm production in the Sathing Phra community of Songkhla Province has been significantly affected. This study aims to examine the adaptive strategies of entrepreneurs producing Palmyra palm products in the Sathing Phra Peninsula. Employing a qualitative research approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, combined with both participant and non-participant observations. Key informants were purposively selected, consisting of the chairpersons and members of community enterprise groups producing Palmyra palm products in the Sathing Phra Peninsula, as well as product distributors, totaling 20 participants.
The findings reveal that producers and distributors of Palmyra palm products have developed sustainable survival strategies, including new product development, process improvement through technology adoption to enhance production standards, and online market expansion. These strategies represent a paradigm shift in adaptive behavior amid modernization, serving as a practical model for other types of community-based enterprises. Governmental and local agencies are encouraged to promote digital wisdom initiatives to enhance production and marketing capabilities, thereby fostering the long-term sustainability of local cultural enterprises in the digital era.