Social Innovation for Disadvantage Mitigation of Farmers: Case Study of Comprehensive Agro-localisation Product Development, Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

This article employs participatory action research in conceptualizing the social innovation extracted from the implementation of the Comprehensive Agro-localisation Product Development, Chiang Rai (CAPD). The project’s main objective is to equip 50 targeted farmers in 4 districts of Khuntan, Chiang Khong, Phayamengrai and Muang Chiang Rai with necessary skills to formulate parallel occupation to farming.

With the participatory reflection process with farmers, it is found that all objectives of the project are met. Farmers indicate that the outcomes of the project are beyond their expectations. Farmers state that they have enhanced the social and economic values of their produce. More importantly, they are able to select the agricultural produce with scientific quality to be used as ingredients of “Natural Cold Process Soap”. Ultimately, farmers can select appropriate channels of marketing their natural cold process soap.

According to 4 types of social innovation categorization by Painter (2018), the participatory reflection workshop with CAPD working group committees reveals that the success of the project stems mainly from the organizational social innovation. Specifically, the success are a result of 3 key organizational social innovations namely (1) Comprehensive and reflexive learning organization innovation (2) The quintuple helix management innovation namely private, public, educational institutions, civil society, and farmers group (3) Supportive thinking innovation providing a platform of sharing and inquiry of knowledge for farmers.