Sampran
Model
Academy
After extensive years of driving the Sampran Model movement, Sampran Model Academy was established in 2018 to promote exchanging of experiences and insights among stakeholders in the organic value chain, gather and analyze lessons learnt, and cultivate key knowledge areas to be shared and used in further collaborations.
Exchange
Facilitating an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange their learning and promote collaborations in the organic value chain
Learning Journey
Collecting and analyzing learning journeys of Sampran Model, partners, as well as perspectives from experts or specialists, deriving key lessons learnt and developing core knowledge sets
Learning Materials
Disseminating knowledge and experiences via learning materials such as articles/reports, video clips, learning packages including activities, workshops, and seminars.
Collaboration
Collaborating with universities in doing research to extend and develop new knowledge in various fields
Key Knowledge Areas
Built on learning journeys of Sampran Model and relevant stakeholders, key knowledge areas can be classified into four groups of the upstream (e.g. organic farming), midstream (e.g. inclusive business management), downstream (e.g. organic consumption and marketing), and underlying principles of the organic value chains.
The Upstream Knowledge
The upstream knowledge includes mainly organic farming principles starting from the land management that incorporates assessment of the farm ecosystem (e.g. soil, water, air) and design of space utilization and supporting facilities. Next, the production planning involves evaluations of potential resources and capacities, planning of crop rotations, as well as cost and price calculations.
The growing process considers how to obtain organic seeds and ways to collect them for genetic resources conservation and further uses. It then continues with careful selections and applications of organic inputs such as fertilizers and soil conditioners, products and measures for pest and disease control that are suitable for local conditions.
Next, proper caring for organic crops must be taken into considerations coupled with post-harvest handling such as methods and timing to harvest, cleaning, sorting, packing, storing, and logistics. The goal is to achieve targeted quantity and quality of products while reducing wastes. All of these practices must be carried out in a transparent system. In this case, the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) facilitates collaborations of farmers to formulate group agreements, monitor and exchange learning among each other while other relevant stakeholders are also invited to participate in the process. Practices of PGS adheres to international organic standards.
The Midstream Knowledge
For operations at the midstream, principles of Inclusive Business Management are employed to promote collaborations and partnerships amongst stakeholders who want to create shared value (CSV) of not only business benefits but also sustainability. The inclusive business management includes situation analysis and formulation of business model, business plan, and strategies from purchasing to production, distribution, marketing, finance, human resources, and operations management.
Example practices in Organic Tourism to connect the organic value chain between farmers, businesses, and consumers are elaborated. Lessons learnt from successful development of Green Market (i.e. Sookjai Market) including merchant and product category management, communications and activities to promote seller-buyer relationships and community are explained.
The Downstream Knowledge
As organic products reach the downstream, principles of Organic Living and Marketing can support the development. This includes analyses of consumption behaviors and creation of marketing strategies to answer to market demands. The aim is to promote learning of the organic social movement and value chain, build trust and long-term relationships between farmers, businesses, and consumers.
Organic living ranges from food to health, lifestyle, and environment to achieve the goal of balanced living. Marketing of organic products and services explains market situations and trends leading to selection of target segments, positioning, and creation of marketing strategies such as product development, price setting and adjustment, channel management, communications and promotion activities. Moreover, example practices of social movement marketing are explained.
Principles underlying the Organic Value Chain
These include learning organization, collective leadership, systems change, and circular economy. Learning organization refers to designing and practices of learning environment, learning technique, learning network, and learning journey. Collective leadership is about how to engage people of diverse perspectives and skills to form connected networks and create systems change with support of the facilitator to manage the collaborative platform.
Systems change denotes an ability to bring fundamental change to networks of cause and effect by altering the components and structures underlying the system. Circular economy represents an economic system that is aimed at minimising waste and making the most of resources. It represents implications of systems thinking and systems change throughout the process of producing, distributing, consuming, and disposing.
