Self - Management for Forest and Sea Communities for Sustainable Food Security

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the community context and the potential of forest and sea community resources, the processes of self-management within these resources, and to propose guidelines for strengthening community food security towards sustainability in Tha Thong Community, Bandon Bay area, Surat Thani Province. A mixed-methods research design was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The population comprised 5,650 residents of Tha Thong Community, Bandon Bay area, Surat Thani Province. A sample of 361 individuals was determined using the random sampling table of Krejcie & Morgan (1970). The quantitative component employed a questionnaire as the principal research instrument, with stratified random sampling applied for participant selection. For the qualitative component, data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with 15 key informants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, namely percentages and means, while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis.

The research findings revealed that 1) The context of Tha Thong Community in the Bandon Bay area was characterized as both a natural food source and a vital source of sustenance for the community. It demonstrated potential in several dimensions, including land resources, cultural beliefs, conflict management, leadership, and the establishment of networks and partnerships. 2) The process of self-management for food security was evaluated to be at a high level. By dimension, the stages with the highest mean scores ( = 3.79) were problem awareness and collective consciousness, and building a sustainable community. These were followed by the stages of establishing shared commitments ( = 3.76), continuous development (  = 3.72), and community self-management ( = 3.59), respectively. 3) Guidelines for strengthening community food security towards sustainability comprised six key areas: 1) food production, 2) food processing and preservation, 3) food marketing and distribution, 4) information and knowledge management, 5) finance, and 6) network building.