SD/upgrading Nan Brand

Chatrudee Theparat

The Royal Initiative Discovery Institute joins Nan province to upgrade Nan brand

The Royal Initiative Discovery Institute signed memorandum of understanding to public agencies in Nan province to upgrade Nan brand and community products.

Interior, Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives, Commerce, and Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation Ministry, Nan province and local administrations signed memorandum of understanding (Mou) to the Royal Initiative Discovery Institute (RIDI) on November 5 to provide budget and technology to develop and upgrade Nan’s community products and Nan Brand.

Those agencies will continue for grassroot development which was implemented for 13 years by RIDI in Nan province. The development plan of each village, Tambon, District and province will be included in annual state agencies’ plan in order to provide budget for next step development while RIDI will continue to support on academic and technology.

In late 2009, the RIDI initiated projects in three Nan districts: Song Khwer, Tha Wang Pha and Chalerm Prakiat, covering 20 villages and 250,000 rai of farmland and 8,588 farmers.

The royally sponsored initiative specializes in rural development using the sufficiency economy philosophy to tackle the problem of poverty, deforestation, drought and flooding.

The three districts Song Khwer, Tha Wang Pha and Chalerm Prakiat, covering 20 villages and 250,000 rai of farmland. There are 120,214 rai farmlands can access water supply, an increasing 209,970 rai of forest while 35,735 families can get benefit from water supply.

Average revenue each household is increased to 92,645 baht per year from 41,395 baht a year in 2009.

Director General of RIDI Weeradep Piraroj said communities in Nan province can earn income, self-reliance and develop their community businesses, launched their Nan Brand and is on the process to strengthen their sustainable development after RIDI implemented grassroot development for 13 years covering on infrastructure, soil and water development, promote occupation and community businesses among villagers.

Mr. Viboon Vaewbundit, governor of Nan Province said the province and local administrations will support three Districts to build village model while related agencies will provide for the development.

Related agencies will help the villagers to develop smart farmers, to support growing alternative crops after rice growing, to assist farmers to access market; to upgrade productivity by using innovation and technology; farm processing and management for community businesses in order to upgrade Nan Brand; and conducting household account.

He said the province planned to expand the project to other Districts because still are remote areas which needs special development following on RIDI guideline.

The Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation was founded on 24th November 2009 by the cabinet meeting, given the need to accelerate and expand rural development work across the country. The Royal Initiative Discovery Institute (RIDI) was also established to manage the knowledge and wisdom of royal initiative projects of King Bhumibol the Great and to promote the use of them while integrating them into the country’s overarching development approach.

The foundation and the Institute share a common goal in seeking collaboration from all involved parties to create a set of multi-pronged approaches to sustainable socio-economic development by integrally implementing the King Guiding Principles, the universal knowledge and local wisdom to each region of the country in different degrees, and the problems will need to be tackled accordingly.

They strive to foster participation by all stakeholders, namely policymakers, academics, community leaders, civil society organizations, and international development bodies to raise awareness and support in order to jointly tackle the country's fundamental problems.

The foundation not only promotes rural development; it also manages knowledge coming from different parties or sources as mentioned. In addition, the foundation disseminates information about royal initiatives, universal know-how local wisdom and success stories among all parties.

The three-step implementation principle, the development thrusts, consists of understanding, outreaching and development are the steps of rural and community development. These steps will create ownership in the community, which will lead to sustainable development.
After identifying the concepts underlying the philosophy and working practice, the foundation and the institute interpret that knowledge into the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation Methodology, and began to pilot the prototype integrated-solution project in Nan province in 2009.