Guidelines for natural food conservation for the community around the upstream forest of the Chi river basin

Abstract

The study of guideline for natural food conservation of communities around the upstream forest of the Chi river basin has aimed to find a way to cultivate the natural food plants of a community in the buffer zone between a national park and the community around and upstream forest in the Nongbuadang District, Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand. This study was phenomenological, with a, qualitative method used to collect data from four key informant (KI) groups; local wisdom (10 persons), government officials form Phukeaw National Park (two persons), village headmen (seven persons) and villagers using natural product in forest (40 persons). It was found that there are two patterns of natural food use for villagers from the forest; 1) consumption in the household; and 2) finding for sale in the local market. There are two levels of problems: 1) impact from government policy with national development relating to land use for increasing potential of agriculture production; and 2) behavior of villagers regarding resource use. However, the present government is mainly organized to conserve resources. Nevertheless, the guidelines of natural food conservation are created so the government must empower communities with villager participation, create cognizance in villagers around the forest, use local wisdom as a mechanism for transferring knowledge, set up a public network for learning and working including group responsibility, and create a pattern of demonstration plots.