Increasing Value of Herbs and Potential of indigenous healers, A Case Study: Community Enterprise Model and Future Research Guidelines in Lampang Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were 1) to study the operations of community enterprises in the field of herbs and indigenous healers; 2) to study operational innovations for the future in terms of increasing value of herbs and the potential of indigenous healers; and 3) to analyze the patterns of innovation use of community Enterprise and future research guidelines for increasing value of herbs and the potential of indigenous healers in Lampang province. It was the mixed method research. The research tools were a questionnaire and interview form from the samples of 118 community enterprise members using Taro Yamane's formula and accidental sampling. The target group was indigenous healers, community enterprise presidents, and members together with 20 experts. The results of the research found that 1) in terms of the operational patterns of community enterprise groups, there were knowledge seeking from experts in production, recommendations about the product, creative thinking, new product design. Roles and duties were clearly defined. There were products that had properties as stated on the label. There was the highest practice. The average was at a high level. Indigenous healers have learned to use herbal medicines to treat diseases according to the symptoms of the patient's disease. And there was a way to recommend health care to sick people; 2) in terms of operational innovations for the future of community enterprise groups, there was a commitment to work together to solve problems. Products were produced that did not affect the local ecosystem and environment. There was a marketing operation. There was Herbal products display by selling at trade shows organized by the public and private sectors. Regarding the potential of Indigenous healers, there was development of knowledge and potential of Thai traditional medicine to have sufficient potential to receive government certification; 3) in terms of patterns of using innovations of community enterprises and future research guidelines for community enterprise groups, indigenous healers and members, there was investment to support research. A good relationship has been established with local scholars, herbal experts and marketers to obtain advice on what they had knowledge of. Indigenous healers were accepted. They were Invited to be the lecturers and were the research consultants for herbal products and were themselves researchers. In addition, product standards have been raised.