Hua Jai Insee, meaning “Organic Heart” in Thai, is a community of 14 members. The youngest member is only 19 years old!

The group grows over 20 varieties of non-GMO PGS organic vegetables. What’s really special about this group is the fact that they place a strong emphasis on financial independence. One of the groups’ rules requires all their members to join the group’s savings group to increase financial literacy and stability, helping all members to get rid of their debts! In times of difficulties, group members can take out loans from their group savings, reducing the need for reliance on informal lenders and putting an end to the vicious cycle of indebtedness, which is a deep-rooted issue in Thailand’s agriculture. The youngest group member of this group is only 19 years old! 

Ruam Jai Non Kor Thung Community Enterprise started off as an organic compost group in 2003 after receiving training from “Sang Fhun Garden”.

The original goal was to help reduce group members’ input costs, especially fertilizer costs, so that they could gain a higher profit and become more financially independent. At the same time, the group created their own community mill factory to increase rice farmers’ capacity in value-addition and crop management. These initial steps became a driving force for the group to reach higher goals, even though they initially only had 1,100 baht investment in the group. In 2006, Ruam Jai Non Kor Thung Community Enterprise entered into the “Khao Khunnatum” Group. Afterwards, they began their first certification process from Thailand’s ACT Organic, while focusing on increasing their marketing efforts. In 2010, Amnat Charoen Commercial Office invited them to co-found “Satyadharma Rice Group Amnat Charoen,” which Ruam Jai Non Kor Thung Community Enterprise was part of until 2015. Since 2015, the group has been strengthening their marketing and value-addition skills and now have PGS as well as EU, COR and IFOAM certifications. Today, the group is stronger than ever, as they now also have groups from other tumbons in Amnat Charoen as part of their group!

The Pen Sook Pa La-U Community Network is a PGS organic group based in the Pa La-U Forest.

The group leader, Khun Luang, previously worked in environmental conservation and was an elephant conservationist volunteer in his community. Khun Luang is also a “Soil Doctor” of his tumbon (an official title given by the tumbon –how cool is that!). 

This group is extremely passionate about organic regenerative agriculture and has roots in the human-wildlife conflict with elephants in the area, as they started off as an environmental conservation group and the Huai Sat Yai Elephant Conservation Commission group aimed at reducing human-wildlife tensions between local villagers and elephants. In 2004, the group became the Pen Sook Pa La-U Community Network –committed to employing organic agriculture as a primary tool in their work. The group also encourages their group members to collectively plan their planting and harvesting, while helping to coordinate capacity and skill training that their members may need. The Pen Sook Pa La-U Community Network also still adheres to the group’s original concept, which is “Humans, elephants and forest are dependent and intertwined,” as they continue to work to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts in their community. The Pen Sook Pa La-U Community Network also takes meticulous care of all their crops to avoid damage from elephants that may roam into their areas at night. They grow amazing produce, including their signature Chinese Cabbage, Cherry Tomatoes and the most delicious Durians we have ever tasted!