CREATING VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS FROM LOCAL MATERIALS IN A PARTICIPATORY MANNER BAN CHAIYA BASKETRY COMMUNITY GROUP, MOO 4, SAKHRAI DISTRICT, NONGKHAI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aims to study the participatory creation of value-added products from local materials of Ban Chaiya Basketry Community Group, Moo 4, Sakhrai District, Nong Khai Province. The current research is divided into six parts as follows: (1) a study the types of products produced from local materials, (2) the creation, scrutinizing, and evaluation of ideas about local products that may be suitable for tourists, (3) the development and testing of the ideas concerning local products, (4) the search for approaches to create added values to local products for tourists, (5) the creation of the prototype for the new local product with local participation, and (6) a survey of opinions concerning the prototype of local product. The research process comprised two parts. The first part was the qualitative research which was the participatory action research (PAR). A focus group discussion was conducted involving four groups of concerned people in Ban Chaiya, Moo 4, Sakhrai District, Nong Khai Province, i.e. 1) the group of researchers consisting of the researchers, experts on product processing, and experts on food science, 2) the group of main research informants consisting of local wisdoms, community members, and the head of the products from local materials group, 3) the group of research informants consisting of local products entrepreneurs, souvenir shop keepers, home stay service providers, and tourists, and 4) the group of experts consisting of experts on products from local materials. Altogether, 30 people participated in the focus group discussion. Part 2 was the quantitative research. The research sample totaling 300 people consisted of local products entrepreneurs, souvenir shop keepers, home stay service providers, involved work agencies personnel, tourists, and community development personnel. A questionnaire was used as the data collecting method. After that, a survey of opinions toward the prototype products was conducted by giving the prototype products for trial use before answering the questions. The research sample was purposively selected from the old research sample. The research data were processed and analyzed by a computer program. Statistics used for data analysis were descriptive statistics of percentage, mean, and standard deviation. As a research result, a product suitable for the local area was obtained. This product is called Kratib, a cylindrical container for cooked sticky rice, which was made from the dried leave branches of water hyacinth plant. The results of trial use of the prototype Kratib indicated its outstanding features as follows: 1) it is made from natural material by local wisdom, 2) it keeps heat well and has good quality, 3) it has its own outstanding image, 4) it has its own background, and 5) it enhances economic strength of the community. Consequently, the community has gained the body of knowledge and can have a new value-added product that responds to the need of the customers while still retains the identity of local wisdom. The community has tried to sell the product in the real market and has found that the product receives good response from the customers resulting in the community recognizing the value of its own way of life and weaving culture. Also, the new generation of weavers both within and outside the community has emerged with the confidence that they can generate income and enhance the economic strength of the community.