This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015

OrganicNetworkManagementinMekongRegion

CaseStudy:TowardsOrganicAsiaNetwork1

AnochaParameesak2,ChomchuanBoonrahong3

PaperpresentedtotheInternationalConferenceonGrossNationalHappiness

Paro,Bhutan,Nov.4-6,2015

Abstract

This research was determined to study the concepts, beliefs, and goals in the

networkmanagementofTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA),which isoneof theorganizations

thatpropelsorganicagricultureinASEANlevel,bystudyingfromexistingdocumentsand

in-depthinterviews usingsemi-structuredinterviewswithqualitativedataanalysis.The

resultstatedthatTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA)hasaconceptexplainingthatworkingasa

wholenetworkcreatesconnectionsintheworkflowsofindividualsandorganizationsthat

possess similarknowledgeandexpertise inorganicagriculture,whichwill empower the

strengthening of the network, knowledge exchanging in agricultural procedures,

integrationsoflocalwisdom,andlatesttechnologyinformingnetworkingmodelsbetween

thesuccessfulunitstoexpandbenefitstonewtargetgroupsandfarmersthathavebeen

increasinginnumbers,believingthatbyworkingthroughthe4mainprograms,whichare

1) Youthempowermentanddevelopment,2)Laboratoryresearchandpolicyactuation,3)

Knowledge exchange and technique supports, and 4) Alternative market provision for

thosewhoare interested inorganicagriculture,will affect inhavingnewguidelines for

organic agriculture, in which Towards Organic Asia (TOA) will be a part in changing

societiesandtheworld.

Keywords:concepts,beliefs, ASEANagriculturalnetworks

1 This article is based on the ongoing study and the original concept was presented at the International Conference on

Green and Clean Politic(ICGCP). 2015, 29-31, October, . Maejo University, Thailand

2 A master student in Public Policy and Pubic Management Program,School of Administrative Studies, Maejo University,

ChiangMai Thailand 50290,

3 Instructors, School of Administrative Studies, Maejo University, ChiangMai Thailand 50290,

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015

Introduction

Thecurrentsocialmovementscannotbeachievedbyanindividualoranorganization

alonebutwithhelpsfromeveryexistingunitsinasocietyandfromothernetworksin

themovementsonthesubjectsthataretroublesomeandareinneedofthesociety.The

gatheringofASEAN is oneof theoccurrences that every country signifies in order to

establish world-class negotiation powers and develop ASEAN countries’ progresses

towards the future. Asia is considered another significant region of theworld for its

abundanceof resources especially food security1,whichhas recentlybeen challenged

from thechangesofworld-classdevelopment contexts thatASEANmembercountries

have toemphasizeas chancesand threats sinceAsia isaplace thathasmanynatural

resourcesandonethemainfoodsourcesoftheworld,butmostofthepopulationsstill

live in poverty and lack food security in their households. A study report of

International Institute forTradeandDevelopment(ITD) in2010summarizes that the

factors that affect food security are 1) changes in atmospheres that interfere with

productionefficiency,2)energycrisesthataltercroppingto thecroppingofrenewable

energyplants,3)naturaldisasters,4) the introductionto freetrade,and5)somefree

investment cases that affect some agricultural products to be transformed for better

exportationrates (InternationalInstituteforTradeandDevelopment,2010: online).

And in the report of global food policy as provided by International Food Policy

Researchfoundthattheoverallcostsofworld’sfoodhavebeenincreasingcontinuously

since 2007 and causing a major population with starvation and a lack of proper

nutrition.AnotherreportofFoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNationsin

2012 presentsapredictivenumberwhichstatesthatinthenext10years, theuniversal

costsofgrainswilladdupby10%,meatby30%,andtheneedsbyover70%(Bangkok

Business,2013: online). Thefoodsecurityhasthusbecomeamainandimportant

policypointofdevelopment.

Besides the cooperation inASEAN level, there are severalminor cooperation aswell,

suchasthecooperationofthecountrieswithinMekongarea,whichisamajorgroupin

SoutheastAsia and theworld. The group consists of 5 countries,which areThailand,

Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Burma. The sub region of Mekong is filled with the

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015abundanceofnaturalresourcesinsoil,water,forests,fisheries,energy,biodiversityand

races, including diversities in politics, economics and societies. It has an overall

populationof320million.Ithasbecomeoneoftheregionsthatcountriesfromallover

theworldtakeinterestininvestments,butthecountriesinthisregionstillsufferfrom

poverty,politicalinstability,andpropermanagement,whichcauseinvestorstohesitate

inestablishingtheirbusinessesinthearea.Assoonasthesecountrieshaveenteredthe

international cooperation between countries in trading, cultures, education, security,

andothers,theyhaveeversincestrivedtoreestablishtheirpoliticalstabilityandapply

the Good Governance principles in every aspect of their governmental business

management.

However, besides the cooperation in ASEAN level on food security, which is a

cooperation of the governments, there are cooperation of many other private

organizations that strive to manage the mentioned subject, such as International

PeoplesAgroecologicalMultiversity(IPAM),Searice,MekongSchool,andToward

Organic Asia(TOA),etc. Toward Organic Asia(TOA)isanetworkofcooperationwithin

MekonggroupandisanimportantgroupinSoutheastAsiainmanagingandcombining

cooperationnetworksintheworksoforganicagricultureandfoodsecurityinregional

levels by being one of notmany networks that provide activities in farming levels to

organic agricultural policies,manage learningprocedures in grossnational happiness

continuously and realistically. Themembers consist of the countries dinMekong sub

region,which areThailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and another country in

Asia–Bhutan.

From the above information, it can be seen that the cooperation of the countries in

Mekong is crucial to the development of the countries themselves and ASEAN.

Establishingnetworksisanotherusefulmethodthatleadstointernationalcooperation,

whichisessentialandisinharmonywiththecurrentconceptinpublicadministration

thatemphasizesnetworkmanagement.Inthepresenttime,ithasbeenfoundthatthere

aremanytypesofnetworks,suchasworkingarea-basednetworks,activityorproblem-

basednetworks,occupationorsocietystatus-basednetworks,etc.Moreover,thestudy

of networks is also available in many levels, such as local, regional, national, and

international levels, etc. Networks, therefore, have become essential parts in public

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015management to achieve organizational goals and policies. Agricultural networks are

also the ones that are essential, especially organic agricultural networks which are

public policies and national agendas of Thailand. The countries in Mekong area also

provide their own organic agricultural policies of their national policies. Organic

agricultureinASEANis,therefore,subjectedtodevelopmentsinceit isrelatedtofood

securitythathasbeensignifiedbythecountriesacrosstheworld.

The research has a determination to understand the concepts, beliefs, goals, and

network management and believes that proper network management will lead to

successfulpolicyandgoalestablishmentsof thenetworks like in thecaseofTowards

Organic Asia (TOA) which is another crucial part inmanaging organic agriculture in

Mekong sub regional countries that will lead to food security and sustainable

developmentofMekongsubregionalcountriesandASEANinthefuture.

Objective

Tostudytheconcepts,beliefs,andgoalsofTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA).

MethodsofDataCollection

InthisresearchonorganicagriculturalnetworkmanagementofMekongsubregion ina

study case of Towards Organic Asia (TOA), the researcher had studied guidelines in

organicagriculturalnetworkmanagementbyusingqualitative researchmethods.The

assignedmethodsareasthefollowing:

TheSampleGroup

The sample groupwas from interviewing a group of key informants, representatives

fromnetworkingunits,the6countriesand21organizationsfromBhutanand5Mekong

sub regional countries (Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand)who are the

networkcofounders,workers,andmembersofTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA).

ResearchTools

Theresearcherusedin-depthInterviewsthatcontainpre-identifiedinterviewquestions

andsequencesandby inquiring from thekey informantsusingopen-endedquestions

fortheinformantstoexpresstheiropinionsandfreelyanswerthequestionsunderpre-

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015assigned subjects. The researcher set interview goals and found answers from the

representative of member organizations, especially the cofounders, consultants, and

staff of thenetworkbyquestioning thebackground, concept, beliefs, andgoals of the

network, alongwith inspecting in theirmeetings or annual activities of the network.

The researcher stuck with the principle of neutrality to be able to consider and

understandthecircumstancesandguidelinesinorganicagriculturalmanagementofthe

networkwhichwereobtainedfromthein-depthinterviewswiththenetworkmembers

andparticipantsintheproject.

DataAnalysis

After the data collection process, the researcher brought the data into an analysis

providedbythemethodofQualitativeDataAnalysiswhichappliesDescriptiveAnalysis.

Thistypeofanalysesanalyzestheoccurrencesduringaresearchbysequencingdataby

contentsandcategoriesaccordingtotheconceptofresearchingandanalyzingthedata

fromdocuments (ContentAnalysis)orrelateddocumentsorevidencessuchasofficial

documents,writings, books, textbooks, reports, educationalpublications, journals and

researchesthatcoverorganicagriculturalmanagementintotheanalysistoexplainthe

actual phenomenon in organic agricultural management of Mekong sub regional

countriesinthisstudycaseofTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA).

Theresearcher chosetheDescriptiveAnalysismethodtoanalyzetheobtainedcontents

(ContentAnalysis)alongwiththeobjectiveandconceptsaboutnetworkmanagement,

the elements of network establishments, and organic agriculture by considering the

accuracyofthedatawithalookattheobjectiveandconceptofthisstudybyapplyingan

analysis on the relations between the network member organizations related to

TowardsOrganicAsia.

TheResult

InthisresearchonorganicagriculturalnetworkmanagementofMekongsubregion ina

studycaseof TowardsOrganicAsia(TOA)abouttheconcept,beliefs,andmanagement

goals ofTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA)andoftheorganizationsthatco-foundedTowards

OrganicAsia(TOA).ItwasfoundthatTowardsOrganicAsiaisanorganizationthatwas

founded by cooperation between various network member organizations in various

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015countriesfromgovernmentandprivatesectorsandnon-governmentalorganizationsin

Mekong sub regional countries and Bhutan. Towards Organic Asia network was

originallyfoundedfromtheconceptpresentedbyDr.WantanaSiwa4 withan

inspiration from Bhutan who expressed their vision through their national policy of

GrossNationalHappiness (GNH)which leads toaction inBhutaneseNationalOrganic

Program (NOP)work plan in order to promote Bhutan in becoming a 100% organic

agriculturalcountry.

In2011,SchoolforWellbeingStudiesandResearch(SfW)andSuanNgernMeeMaaco.,

ltdbegunTowardsOrganicAsiaProgramunderavisiontocreateessentialcooperation

between the member countries in Asia region to manage the movement of organic

agriculture in Asia and to promote positive guidelines and gather cooperation from

moreunitstocreatefoodsovereigntyandsustainability.

In the 1st phase of the project (2011-2014) therewas amovementwith 21 network

member organizations from Bhutan and 5Mekong sub regional countries, which are

Burma,Laos,Cambodia,Vietnam,andThailand,havingSfWandSuanNgernMeeMaa

co.,ltdtocoordinateandsupportthemovementoftheaction.Inthis2ndphase(2015-

2020), there is a current goal to recruit new alliances to the network until it covers

everycountryinAsia.

TheManagementConceptofTowardsOrganicAsia

Inthepast,themovementsonorganicagricultureandfoodsecuritywouldbeoperated

inlocallevels,sothesetofknowledgeandexperiencesweremostlybasedinlocallevels

with each organization working separately from each other. Since there was not a

gatheringininternationalnetworklevel,itwasthendecidedtofoundTowardsOrganic

Asianetworktoconnecttheworksofindividualsandorganizationswhoholdessential

knowledgeandexpertiseandarereadytoshareandrelaytheiracademicandpractical

experiences in agriculture, localwisdomintegration,andlatesttechnologytosupport

the practices between the successful units to increase benefits for target groups and

new farmers to promote positive actions towards the environment of organic

4 Wantana Siwa is a thinker and an environmental activist who received an alternative Nobel Prize or so called Right Livelihood Prize.

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015agricultureinAsiawhichwillaffectthepoliciesandcreateinspirationstohavealarger-

scaledmovementinAsiawhichwill,inthefuture,establishaunifiedgoaltobecomea

network in Mekong region that has a power to change the world with organic

production modes that care about health, ecological integrities, impartiality, and

togetherness to promote positive actions towards the environment of organic

agricultureinAsiawhichwillaffectthepoliciesandcreateinspirationstohavealarger-

scaledmovementinAsia.

TheBeliefsinTowardsOrganicAsiaNetworkManagement

SinceTowardOrganicAsia isahorizontalnetwork, themembersareequal inmaking

managementdecisionsandhasavarietyofnetworkmembers.Thenetwork,therefore,

believesthatdrivestheregionalnetworksofMekongregioninorganicagriculture has

tobein4workplansasthefollowing:

1.Youthempowermentanddevelopment (CapacityBuildingandYouth),whichaimsto

recruitnewgenerations in thismovement and improve theirpotentials as tobecome

theleadersofchangesintheirsocieties(Agentforsocialchange).YoungOrganic

Farmers(YOF)networkwas,therefore,foundedforthiscause.

2.Laboratoryresearchandpolicyactuation (Action-researchandAdvocacy),which

depends on evidences to support the knowledge that connects academicians and

workerstogether.This isamethodusedalloveraregiontoproceedwithsustainable

developmentsthatinvolveallstakeholderstoholdacademicactivitiesorevents,suchas

participatory action researches in local, national, regional, and international levels to

createnewinnovationsandleadtobetterunderstandingsaboutorganicagriculturein

different contexts. It will also be a great mechanism that will promote policy and

supportdevelopmentresearchesinnationalandregionallevelsinthefuture.

3.Knowledgeexchangeandtechniquesupports(TechnicalExchangeandSupport),

especiallythetechniquesthatsupportminorfarmerstobeabletoshiftfromchemical

agriculture to organic agriculture and so to share together local wisdom and

appropriate technology by contexts. The exchanges in technical supports will also

create learning through experiences together to build confidence in farmers and

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015communities, includingseeds,propertechnology,andproductdevelopmentwhichare

also essential in improving production efficiency and values for organic agricultural

products, the exchanges of techniques and supports that will help farmers develop

essentials skills fororganicagricultureaswellasgiving time for the farmers tomake

necessarychanges.

4. Alternative market provision for those who are interested in organic agriculture

(MarketingandConsumerEducationorMindfulMarket) toprovidemeansof

communication and knowledge sharing to reduce the gap between producers and

consumers.“AwarenessMarket”isanalternativemodelthatemphasizestheeconomic

connection based on concrete needs of organic agricultural products. In “Awareness

Market”,thelocalandurbanproducersholdamutualresponsibilityintakingcarethe

realneedsinfood,landscapes,shelters,andculturestoraiseastrongmarketfororganic

agriculturalproducts.Consumersneed tounderstand theworkingprocessof learning

together and know how to set up a mechanism of alternative markets, such as

Community Support Agriculture (CSA) and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS),

which can narrow the gap between farmers and consumers, and in the meantime

increasefarmers’quality.These4workplanswillcreateapowertopursuethechanges

inthesocieties ingreaterscales.ASEANshouldnotonlybeseen intheaspectof food

industrialeconomicbutassecondstreamagriculturewhereminorfarmersthatapply

organic agriculture have their own networks in their region to at least be able to

promotesustainableconsumptionsandhaveanalternativeplacetodistributebesides

largemarketsystems. Creatingfoodsovereigntyforminorfarmersisabsolutely

anothereffectivewaytocreatesocialchanges.

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015

Figure:CooperationoftheNetworksinTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA

Discussions

Currently,creatingnetworkshasbecomeagreatrole tosocialmovements inbuilding

relationships among individuals, groups and organizations. From studying Towards

Organic Asia (TOA) network, it was found that the network is in harmony with the

conceptofAnuchartandWeerabon(1998)whoseenetworksasconsciouscommunities

whereeachmemberisapartofanoverallsystemthathasstrongrelationshipsandnew

goalsofworking together. It isadynamic for individualsandgroups toparticipate in

activities of theirmutual interests, build up relationships, anddecide togetherwith a

bondtoconnectlargersystemsbasedonwell-beinglifestyletogetherandcommunicate

by exchanging and learning together to create a long-lasting network. It is also a

networkthatconsistsofmanyunitsfromgovernmental,publicandcivilsectors.There

are also members from various fields, which include academicians, activists, and

farmersasstatedintheconceptofNaruemolNiratorn2000)thatnetworksare

collaborationmodelsforgroupsofindividualsororganizationswhovoluntaryexchange

information with each other, have activities together and help each other out. The

meansofcommunicationcouldbethroughcentersorserversanddirectcontactswithin

agroup,whichremainsafree-formmodelbycombiningloosengatheringasneeded.It

couldalsobeallianceofstrategies(StrategicAlliance),partners,orcollaborations

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015between organizations. One significant thing inworking as a networks is to seek for

organization models that are flexible, have horizontal structures, are free from each

other,andcanrespondtothetroublesome,complexed,changing,andhigh-competitive

world.TowardsOrganicAsia(TOA) alsohasmissionsandworkingprocessesinthe

movementsoforganicagricultureinAsiaaswell,whichare1) Youthempowermentand

development,2)Laboratoryresearchandpolicyactuation,3)Knowledgeexchangeand

techniquesupports,and4)Alternativemarketprovisionforthosewhoareinterestedin

organicagriculture,will affect inhavingnewguidelines fororganicagriculture.These

workplansareinharmonywiththeconceptofProf.Dr.PrawetWasee(Parichart

Walaisatian,Editor,2005,P.45) whodefinesanetworkasasocietyoffriendsora

learningnetwork.Anysocialnetworksshouldbeabletolearncontinuouslyorbeable

to expand its ideas and processes to adapt itself in an equilibrium. Towards Organic

Asia(TOA)oneofnotmanynetworksthatprovideactivitiesinfarminglevelstoorganic

agricultural policies, manage learning procedures in gross national happiness

continuouslyandrealistically.

Conclusion

Towards Organic Asia (TOA) is a network that drives the movements in organic

agriculture in Mekong sub region and is a loose-type network that have various

members from governmental, public and civil sectors, along with academicians. The

civilsectormanagesthenetworktoprovidemovementgoalsandactivitiestogetherto

promotepositiveactionstowardsorganicagriculturalenvironmentinAsiawhichhasa

great impact towards policy movements in a larger scale, having a concept that

gatheringtogetherasanetworkwillcreateconnectionsintheworkflowsofindividuals

andorganizationsthatpossesssimilarknowledgeandexpertiseinorganicagriculture,

which will empower the strengthening of the network, knowledge exchanging in

agriculturalprocedures,integrationsoflocalwisdom,andlatesttechnologyinforming

networking models between the successful units to expand benefits to new target

groups and farmers that have been increasing in numbers, believing that byworking

throughthe4mainprograms,whichare 1) Youthempowermentanddevelopment,2)

Laboratory research and policy actuation, 3) Knowledge exchange and technique

supports,and4)Alternativemarketprovision for thosewhoare interested inorganic

This paperwas presented for the International Conference onGrossNationalHappiness onGNH, held inParo,Bhutanfrom4-6November2015agriculture, will affect in having new guidelines for organic agriculture, in which

TowardsOrganic Asia (TOA)will be a part in changing societies and theworld. This

networkisconsideredanewinnovationofmodernnetworkmanagement.

Acknowledgement

TheresearcherwouldliketothankthemembersofTowardsOrganicAsia(TOA),Suan

Ngern Mee Maa co., ltd, the network coordinators, and instructors who were

contributing beneficial knowledge and information to this research until it was

completed.

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