Local wisdom to agribusiness viability: market empowerment and institutional support among smallholder Pak Liang farmers in Southern Thailand

Information from the abstract

This study explores the relationships among local wisdom, market conditions, institutional support, and agribusiness viability among smallholder Pak Liang farmers in southern Thailand. The constructs include local wisdom (farmers’ knowledge), which encompasses production-oriented knowledge of Pak Liang cultivation; market conditions (economic environment); market participation (selling through traders); market empowerment (control over pricing and branding); and institutional support (political/institutional framework), including public programs and coordination. Agribusiness viability reflects farmers’ perceived capacity to sustain income and production. Each construct was evaluated using seven five-point Likert items and analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and regression methods. The study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, analyzing survey data from 400 farmers in Nakhon Si Thammarat province alongside qualitative evidence from interviews, focus groups, and observations. Results indicated that farmers’ knowledge, economic conditions, and institutional support positively influenced agribusiness viability, with the latter showing the strongest correlation. Qualitative insights revealed that while local wisdom contributes to product quality and continuity, its economic potential is limited by reliance on traders, weak bargaining power, and inadequate market access and support.

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Related topics: Agriculture and Agroindustry Studies · Agricultural Innovations and Practices · Agricultural Development and Management