heterogeneous groups of stakeholders in a more effective manner. This challenge is
closely linked to the issue of ‘scaling-up’, that is, how to combine the depth of
participatory approaches at the micro-scale with the necessary outreach needed to
address as many stakeholders as possible and in the wider context of entire
watersheds or regions. There is also an increasing level of understanding that
innovation development is a multi-dimensional and complex process requiring
the integration of different perspectives, knowledge domains and experience from
a broad range of actors. Therefore, one of the major objectives of the Uplands
Program, and its sub-project on participatory research in the final funding phase,
was to analyze the conditions under which long-term, interactive knowledge and
innovation partnerships can be fostered.
9.5.2 What Makes Knowledge and Innovation Partnerships
Work? The Case of a Litchi Processing and Marketing
Network in Mae Sa, Northern Thailand
9.5.2.1 Background
Up to now, the many thousands of small-scale longan, litchi and mango growers in
northern Thailand have had little influence on the determination of prices or in
terms of adding value to their products.
5 More than 50 % of fresh longan in the area
is traded via middlemen (local and district assemblers), and only a small fraction is
sold by farmers direct to consumers or retailers (Isvilanonda 2007). Contract
farming arrangements with big agro-processing companies; for example, for canning, reduce farmers’ marketing risks but at the expense of relatively low prices.
Processing and marketing cooperatives are virtually non-existent in the northern
Thai highlands, so in a meeting of researchers from various sub-projects, we
concluded that our research work should focus on the potential for collective action
and the enhancement of social capital among upland farming communities, in order
to help them play a more active role in the post-harvest and marketing sector, rather
than just being passive suppliers of agricultural raw materials as is the case now
(Neef and Heidhues 2008).
9.5.2.2 Methods and Theoretical Framework
The partnership on which this case study is based was developed in an actionresearch context. Data were derived primarily through dense participation, direct
observation, field notes from encounters with producers, processors and marketing
agents, semi-structured interviews with key informants, and short reports created
5 This section draws partly on Neef et al. (2012).
9 Participatory Approaches to Research and Development in the Southeast. . .
351
closely linked to the issue of ‘scaling-up’, that is, how to combine the depth of
participatory approaches at the micro-scale with the necessary outreach needed to
address as many stakeholders as possible and in the wider context of entire
watersheds or regions. There is also an increasing level of understanding that
innovation development is a multi-dimensional and complex process requiring
the integration of different perspectives, knowledge domains and experience from
a broad range of actors. Therefore, one of the major objectives of the Uplands
Program, and its sub-project on participatory research in the final funding phase,
was to analyze the conditions under which long-term, interactive knowledge and
innovation partnerships can be fostered.
9.5.2 What Makes Knowledge and Innovation Partnerships
Work? The Case of a Litchi Processing and Marketing
Network in Mae Sa, Northern Thailand
9.5.2.1 Background
Up to now, the many thousands of small-scale longan, litchi and mango growers in
northern Thailand have had little influence on the determination of prices or in
terms of adding value to their products.
5 More than 50 % of fresh longan in the area
is traded via middlemen (local and district assemblers), and only a small fraction is
sold by farmers direct to consumers or retailers (Isvilanonda 2007). Contract
farming arrangements with big agro-processing companies; for example, for canning, reduce farmers’ marketing risks but at the expense of relatively low prices.
Processing and marketing cooperatives are virtually non-existent in the northern
Thai highlands, so in a meeting of researchers from various sub-projects, we
concluded that our research work should focus on the potential for collective action
and the enhancement of social capital among upland farming communities, in order
to help them play a more active role in the post-harvest and marketing sector, rather
than just being passive suppliers of agricultural raw materials as is the case now
(Neef and Heidhues 2008).
9.5.2.2 Methods and Theoretical Framework
The partnership on which this case study is based was developed in an actionresearch context. Data were derived primarily through dense participation, direct
observation, field notes from encounters with producers, processors and marketing
agents, semi-structured interviews with key informants, and short reports created
5 This section draws partly on Neef et al. (2012).
9 Participatory Approaches to Research and Development in the Southeast. . .
351