Journal of Fisheries & Livestock Production
Open Access

Abstract

Most of aquaculturists in Thailand operate as small scales and individual farms; therefore the development of aquacultures needs to be managed as community organizations to increase higher power of negotiation from the middlemen. Selected community organizations included Chacheongsao Province Sea Bass Aquaculturist Network Group as non-juristic organization, Tambon Tasoong Aquaculturist Group registered as juristic organization, two tilapia aquaculturist cooperatives including Pan Fisheries Cooperative, Ltd., and Nakornnayok Aquaculturist and Processor Cooperative, Ltd., and shrimp aquaculturist cooperatives in four watersheds i.e. Samroyyod-Pranburi, Tatong, Pak Phanang, and Chanthaburi. The purposes included: 1) The study of cost-return in aquaculture groups 2) Analysis on the factors of success of the community organization 3) Study factors of success and guidelines to strengthen aquaculturist capacity via community organization. Data were collected from deeply interviewing 30 group members and 10 leader communities and local government agencies in each organization. The research methods are cost-return, Context Input Process and Product (CIPP model), SWOT-TOWS analyses and member participation. The results show that the cost-return of fish aquaculture in Pan Fisheries Cooperatives and Sea Bass Aquaculturist Network Group can earn profit while Nakornnayok Aquaculturist and Processor Cooperative face loss. In the case of shrimp, three shrimp cooperatives in Tatong, Pak Phanang, and Chanthaburi can earn profit excluded Samroyyod-Pranburi. There were four internal factors of success in establishing community organization. The first two factors were resource persons including the members and the leaders. The third factor was organization office and running capital. The fourth factor was the community operation. There should as well be external support and opportunity for successful operation. Recommendations for community organization development included: 1) Member development to realize that collaboration was to strengthen their capacity. 2) The leaders must be honest and fair and available for organization work, as well as be acceptable among the members. 3) There should be office to conveniently serve the members especially funding. 4) The organization should offer full services to members including production promotion, provision of input supplies, information provision, and collaboration with relevant agencies.

Biography

Kulapa Kuldilok is a Lecturer at Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, Thailand. Her interests range from fisheries and aquaculture management as well as, agricultural production and marketing. Her previous research interest included strengthening aquaculturist capacity via community organization, capacity building for Thai fish farmers towards ASEAN Economic Community: Status and outlook, and study on efficiency of wholesale and retail markets of royal project’s safe fruits, vegetable and coffee product and consumers demand on safe fruits, vegetable product and coffee.

Email: kulapa.s.k@gmail.com