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Amidst the fast-changing consumer behavior and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, community-based enterprises (CBEs), particularly startups, face the challenge of identifying strategic business models. The situation necessitates a collaborative and tailored approach to address the impediments CBEs encounter. Focusing on rural CBEs in Thailand, our research employs a participatory approach to value chain development, offering insights on enhancing value addition through stakeholder collaboration. The study explores how a participatory approach applied in rural Thailand facilitates overcoming obstacles and capitalizing on opportunities for economic growth, sustainability, and community inclusivity. By examining the application of participatory value chain development, this research contributes to a better understanding of how participatory value chain development can be tailored to meet the unique needs of community-based enterprises, particularly in post-COVID-19 market adaptations.

Enforcement of rules to increase farmers' involvement in participatory irrigation management (PIM) has been ineffective given the non-exclusivity nature of surface irrigation. In this study, we investigated the interrelationship of the social capital's role in higher participation in PIM and the effects towards farmers' efficiency using the case of rice farmers in Northern Thailand. We found that higher intention to participate in PIM collective activities is largely driven by the water user's social capital endowments. Farmers' efficiency level is positively associated with PIM participation and the condition of the collective irrigation management. Our findings suggest the importance of complementing current government efforts with policy interventions focusing on strengthening water user groups' social capital, such as improving group cohesion and their capacity for networking in compensating for various impediments faced by farmers.

This study addresses the marketing needs of agricultural product shops located at academic institutions in Bangkok, Thailand. The aim was to develop an effective marketing strategy that caters to the diverse consumer groups visiting the farm shop. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 400 consumers, including students, faculty members, staff, and outsiders. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with store stakeholders to analyze the findings. The study revealed distinct consumer preferences for agricultural products among different groups: staff and professors favor safe products in the evening, students prioritize affordable and ready-to-eat options, and outsiders show similarities with staff and professors but prefer online purchases. The marketing mix factors influencing consumer decisions include product taste, suitable prices, and online publicity. The SWOT analysis highlights strengths in the institute's reputation, weaknesses in management and limited product variety, opportunities in the health-conscious market, and threats from COVID-19. The recommended marketing strategy involves expanding the product range, enhancing online presence, improving product quality, and implementing a delivery system during the pandemic.

The idea of shared irrigation management is expected to result in a better production outcome for farmers. However, there is little evidence of whether collective action participation leads to a higher level of production efficiency. Using cross-sectional survey data from irrigated rice farms in Northern Thailand, we found that a higher level of production efficiency is associated with higher participation in collective action. At the same time, engagement in collaborative works such as irrigation maintenance, group meetings, conflict resolution, and policy adherence has a marginal effect on farmers’ efficiency. Our findings suggest that complementing existing efforts in addressing irrigation issues with efforts to mobilize collective actions among farmers leads to an improved on-farm outcome.

The alternate wetting and drying (AWD) as water-saving technology aligns with the good agricultural practices (GAP) principles, particularly in the environmental management of water conservation. Thus, GAP adopters as farmer groups are seen as viable AWD adopters in the initial stages of scaling out the adoption in Thailand. However, the understanding of integrating AWD as water-saving management among GAP adopters remains scant. Using the case of rice GAP farmers in Thailand, the study found a higher probability of adoption intention among GAP compared to non-GAP. AWD perceived advantage, knowledge, and the suitability of rice farms for AWD adoption trials are positively associated with higher adoption intention. While higher fixed cost lowers the probability of adoption, variable cost is positively associated with higher adoption intention in the short-run production decision. In order to scale out the adoption of AWD, farmers’ understanding of the safe and proper application of AWD, together with assistance for crop insurance in the case of crop failure, will be crucial. Risks connected with the adoption decision continue to be the biggest barrier to adoption, especially among small-scale farmers.

This study analysed the factors affecting the adoption of organic rice production in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaire completed by 108 farmers: (58 organic rice farmers and 50 non-organic rice farmers) in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. A t-test was employed to investigate the differences in the demographics of organic and non-organic rice farmers, and percentage mean, and standard deviation was used to describe farmers’ attitudes. Logistic regression was employed to investigate factors influencing organic rice adoption, educational level, and farm size were significantly different between the organic and non-organic rice farmers. Education (positive), farming experience (positive), age of household head (negative) and farm size (negative) had highly significant (p ≤ 0.01) influences on organic farming adoption. The farmers’ attitude toward environmental concern was the most important reason for adopting organic rice farming. This research identified the factors affecting the adoption of organic rice farming; this information can be used to encourage farmers to practice organic rice farming in the targeted organic rice area in Thailand. In addition, the farmers’ attitudes toward organic farming systems could be used to help support farmers practicing organic rice farming.

Ecological problems are increasing globally, studies are being done seriously for environmental protection; Efforts are being made to improve the deteriorating relationship between development and the environment. Since the publication of the issue,=Development and the Environment' by the World Bank in 1992, several articles on the relationship between development and the environment have been published in the economic literature, most of which suggestthe government policies to improve this deteriorating relationship. In the direction of environmental protection, there have been many policy changes in various developed and developing countries, which have yielded promising results. Some countries have adopted the policy of financial incentives; some countries have given colour codes based on the pollution of factories. Some countries have adopted a policy of campaigning against pollutants and some have started following a policy of punitive recovery based on polluted emissions. Many countries have begun making industrial workers and the public aware of pollution because they are the worst affected by pollution. These efforts have yielded good results. In Asian countries, many positive trends can be found in environmental protection through governance. On the other hand, environmental policies & laws were strengthened, particularly in the 1970s and again in the 1990s. India follows the basic principle of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). According to which, countries responsible for climate change have to contribute more to emission reductionsthan other less accountable countries. Thus, India is not bound by these responsibilities but can make voluntary contributions. At the world level, ever since the environment has become an important issue in international politics, India has been working on it responsibly. India is trying to fulfil the commitments made at the world level. India signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016 with the objective of reducing greenhouse gases under UNFCCC. India is actively working with China and G-77 for joint programme development on the agreement. UNFCCC has given a number of presentations on finance, technology, forestry and other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphosphonates are primary agents in the current pharmacological arsenal against osteoclast-mediated bone loss due to osteoporosis, Paget disease of bone, malignancies metastatic to bone, multiple myeloma, and hypercalcemia of malignancy. In addition to currently approved uses, bisphosphonates are commonly prescribed for prevention and treatment of a variety of other skeletal conditions, such as low bone density and osteogenesis imperfecta. However, the recent recognition that bisphosphonate use is associated with pathologic conditions including osteonecrosis of the jaw has sharpened the level of scrutiny of the current widespread use of bisphosphonate therapy. Using the key words bisphosphonate and clinical practice in a PubMed literature search from January 1, 1998, to May 1, 2008, we review current understanding of the mechanisms by which bisphosphonates exert their effects on osteoclasts, discuss the role of bisphosphonates in clinical practice, and highlight some areas of concern associated with bisphosphonate use.