Enhancing Wild Honey Harvesting and Creating Added Value to Sustainable Community Living of Santharukphuengpar Community Enterprise, Nan Province

Abstract

Santharukphuengpar Community Enterprise in San Tha Subdistrict, Na Noi District, Nan Province, Thailand, supplements their income by collecting wild honey. However, the collected honey often precipitates and develops a sour taste, leading to gas bubbles that cause plastic bottles to explode, preventing them from selling the honey. This research aims to improve wild honey harvesting and add value for enterprise members, generating income and sustaining the community ecosystem. The approach involves applying knowledge in harvesting wild honey and using a honey extractor machine, with the participation of enterprise members, beekeepers, the Subdistrict Administrative Organization, and other partners, totaling 27 people. The process includes: 1) exchanging knowledge to identify community problems; 2) conducting laboratory analysis to assess honey quality; and 3) developing honey harvesting procedures to meet standards and add value through processing. As a result, the enterprise members improved the quality of wild honey harvesting by using a honey extractor machine and added value by processing secondary grade honey into banana honey cider. Processing three kilograms of honey yields 40 bottles of honey banana cider, earning over 8,000 baht (224 USD). The product labels and containers have been modernized and are available in various sizes, including as mementos. The enterprise distributes shares based on member balances and annual revenues. Members are also actively involved in ecosystem preservation, reducing forest encroachment, and participating in a reforestation project called "Forests Can Survive, Bees Can Survive, and People Can Collect Honey," ensuring sustainability for the community ecosystem.