Launching the community economy pillar: TSWA and ChangeFusion provide seed funding to 7 communities to develop resource-based businesses
After establishing the LMMA system in the first year, TSWA and ChangeFusion jointly conducted a process to listen to communities’ needs before providing seed funding of around 100,000 baht per area in 7 of the 15 pilot communities.
Translated from Thai · reviewed by the CF team
Believing that marine conservation must be linked to the livelihood security of communities, the Sea Guardians Project began to seriously develop its community economy pillar towards the end of its first year. TSWA and ChangeFusion jointly conducted a process to hear community members’ shared interests and assess the feasibility of business models based on the resources available in each area. They then provided seed funding of around 100,000 baht per area to 7 of the 15 pilot communities to launch economic activities.
The supported businesses include seafood processing, community-based tourism and a cooperative for fishing equipment. They are: Ban Talo Sai (building on the existing Fisherfolk Shop to create a restaurant and community market selling fresh and processed seafood); Ban Khon Khlan (expanding the market and improving production standards for the “Rim Thale” processing group, which makes chilli paste, dried fish and shrimp paste); Ban Sa Bua-Nai Thung-Na Thap (jointly establishing a fishing equipment shop cooperative); Ban Thale Nok (developing ecotourism activities such as kayaking and learning about seagrass ecosystems); and Ban Khlong Khut (developing tourism that introduces visitors to the estuary ecosystem and the way of life of small-scale fishers).
All the businesses are designed to incorporate financial mechanisms that support conservation. They allocate 10-20% of profits to support the community’s own LMMA management, with a further 5% contributed to TSWA’s revolving fund to support other small-scale fishing communities.