Guidelines for Grassroots Economy Development of Muslim Community: A Case Study of Women Occupational Group Developing Garcinia Processed Product, Baan Hat Sai, Tharn Khiri Subdistrict, Saba Yoi District, Songkhla Province

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the contextual potential of the Muslim community and to propose guidelines for grassroots economy development of the community. This qualitative case study was conducted with the women occupational group working on processing garcinia product at Baan Hat Sai, Tharn Khiri Subdistrict, Saba Yoi District, Songkhla Province. There were 16 key informants from the group consisting of the chair person, committees, members, and local leaders. The tools used were non-participatory observation, group interviews, and opinion exchanges at a personal level. Data were analyzed by means of content analysis and analytic induction. The results showed that Baan Hat Sai community has an appropriate context and potential for grassroots economic development due to various natural resources, especially garcinia – an economic crop that can generate extra incomes for the community's households and women occupational group. In order to develop grassroots economy for the women occupational groups in this Muslim community, guidelines for developing garcinia processed products are suggested as followed. The group should register itself to be a community enterprise for learning how to develop their own group's strength, along with supporting knowledge from the relevant government sector. This can help elevate the value chain of garcinia from upstream, midstream, and downstream, e.g., quality product harvesting. using appropriate innovations and technologies to process products, branding, and marketing through various channels. This can enhance sustainable development for Muslim women occupational groups in response to the sufficiency economy philosophy.