Mr. David Koruni?, Chief Executive Officer of FWD Insurance, states that "We're pleased to launch this initiative in our 10th anniversary year. FWD Insurance is committed to empowering individuals in Thai society to live their lives to the fullest without worrying. Starting in 2021, we have been collaborating with communities and agencies to reduce inequality and create sustainable societal advantages. We identified the Lahu community as an ideal prototype, leading to the establishment of the Lahu Doi Pu Meun Community Development Project in Mae Ai District, Chiang Mai Province. The community has a rich history of Assam tea cultivation that dates back over 50 years, with subsequent generations continuing to make it their primary source of income to this day."
The "Lahu Doi Pu Meun Community Development Project" is geared towards promoting sustainable growth in three key areas: society, economy, and environment. According to our field study research with a group of Doi Pu Meun community members, many young people had left their homes and abandoned farming in search of better-paying jobs in the city. In addition, the use of traditional planting methods and natural processes had led to low-quality yields and inconsistent tea quality, which had contributed to the community's uncertain income. FWD Insurance recognized the potential for the community's advancement by enhancing the quality and standardizing production of Assam tea from Doi Pu Meun, making it well-known and generating more income for the community. To achieve this objective, FWD Insurance has partnered with the School of Bioresources and Technology from King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, as well as the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA). The development initiative is divided into three major projects.
Seedling Bank Project:
This project has been operated since 2021 to systematically manage a tea seedling within the community. This involves everything from breeding high-quality tea plants to expanding the number of seedlings and ensuring that seedling and seed resources are managed in an efficient manner. The project also includes educational components on how to systematically manage the seedling bank, providing community members with the tools they need to effectively maintain the seedlings.
Tea Quality Development Project is designed to achieve two primary objectives.
(1) Improvement of the Tea Incubator House: In partnership with the Postharvest Technology Innovation Center at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, the community's tea leaf drying plant has been re-designed and developed to replace the previous solar drying process that was dependent on weather conditions and affected tea quality. The innovative "Smart Tea Incubator House (SMART)" increases productivity, ensures higher quality standards, and adds long-term value to tea products for more sustainable revenue.
(2) Imparting knowledge to improve the harvesting process, including the care of tea seeds and seedlings, organic fertilizer fermentation training, seed propagation, and harvesting in compliance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
Assam Tea Value-Added Project:
This project, which has been underway since 2022, aims to create other products using tea leaves that will boost the popularity and higher demand of Assam tea from Doi Pu Meun. One such product is using tea leaves as a cooking ingredient. The first initiative of this project is a collaboration between FWD Insurance and "Chef Chumpol Jangprai," a 2-star Michelin chef renowned for Thai fine dining experiences. Chef Chumpol has developed three savory dishes and two drink menus that will be available as special menus at Waanthai restaurant from March 6 to May 31, 2023.
"The upcoming phase involves training community members to sell their products through different channels like online platforms and exhibition booths. The objective is to make the community self-sufficient after receiving guidance and support in economic, social, and environmental matters. This prototype model will serve as a valuable learning experience for future community development initiatives that FWD will continue," Mr. David said.
Source: Neo Target
