FWD Insurance's dedication to continuous community development on Doi Pu Meun: Empowering the Lahu community as a model of sustainability

For over three consecutive years, FWD Life Insurance Plc. ("FWD Insurance") has been actively involved in the community development project at Lahu Village, Doi Pu Meun, Mae Ai District, Chiang Mai Province. It comprises three key initiatives: the Seedling Bank Project, which promotes systematic learning and management of tea seedlings while fostering social collaboration; the Tea Quality Development Project, which focuses on enhancing members' knowledge and involvement to elevate the quality of organic agricultural products without compromising the environment; and the Assam Tea Value-Added Project, which aims to create additional value and raise awareness of Doi Pu Meun's Assam tea in the broader market, thereby generating significant income and becoming a fundamental pillar of the community's economy. With the current participation of 33 households, resulting in a remarkable 50% increase in project output. this project serves as an initial step towards establishing a model community, aspiring to foster social equity and sustainable livelihoods.

Mr. David Koruni?, Chief Executive Officer of FWD Insurance, has unveiled the company's ongoing involvement in the "Lahu Doi Pu Meun Community Development Project" in Mae Ai District, Chiang Mai Province. Since its initiation in 2021, the project has been dedicated to reducing inequality and fostering sustainable benefits, in line with FWD's mission of empowering individuals in Thai society to live life to the fullest without worries. A comprehensive sustainable development framework has been established, addressing the three dimensions of society, economy, and environment. This ambitious undertaking has been made possible through collaborative efforts and contributions from various stakeholders, including the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), Postharvest Technology Innovation Center, School of Bioresources and Technology at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, and Chiangmai Agricultural Research and Development Center.

The three initiatives under the "Lahu Doi Pu Meun Community Development Project" have the following details and progress update:

The Seedling Bank Project:

This premier project was initiated following a comprehensive survey of community perspectives and needs, identified as crucial and time sensitive. Its primary objective is to tackle the challenge of inadequate seedling supply relative to the region's requirements and to foster long-term tea production growth. To stimulate collaborative learning and social advancement, active community engagement is promoted in the management of the seedling system. This encompasses the selection of bank representatives to support operational tasks, the development of application forms for seedling acquisition, and the enrollment of members. The project also entails diligent monitoring of the seedling system to ensure superior breeding practices, distribution of seedlings among members to augment tea plant quantities, and the facilitation of efficient resource management pertaining to seedlings and seeds. Knowledge sharing on seedling bank management is integral, alongside the establishment of structured work plans and resource allocation mechanisms. In 2022, the project-initiated enrollment for the inaugural batch of the seedling bank, attracting 21 households as members. A subsequent assessment of project advancements highlighted that 86.6% of members effectively applied their acquired cultivation knowledge to enhance their agricultural domains, resulting in tangible transformations. Encouraged by the triumph of the first batch, there has been heightened interest in joining the second batch of the seedling bank initiative, with an additional 12 households participating this year. Presently, a total of 33 households actively engages in the Seedling Bank Project.

The Tea Quality Development Project was established to provide members with comprehensive knowledge and understanding of standardized and high-quality production methods. Moreover, it aimed to contribute to the improvement of organic agriculture practices without environmental impact. This involved various initiatives, such as utilizing solar energy to convert into electricity for tea leaf processing and employing environmentally friendly fertilizers for cultivation. The project was divided into two primary activities:

Enhancing Quality from Current Production: Launched in 2022, this activity focused on upgrading the existing tea-drying facility. In collaboration with the Postharvest Technology Innovation Center at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, the SMART Tea-Drying Facility was developed to enhance tea production quality. The conventional drying system, which relied on sunlight without temperature control, posed challenges in maintaining consistent drying times. The facility could only accommodate 60 trays, drying 200 kg of fresh tea leaves per cycle and yielding 40 kg of dried tea leaves. To address this, the innovative "SMART Tea-Drying Facility" was introduced, significantly improving the tea production process. The drying capacity increased to 100 trays, allowing for the drying of 300 kg of fresh tea leaves per batch and yielding 60 kg of dried tea leaves. The installation of the SMART Device system provided real-time temperature and humidity data for analysis, further enhancing the tea-drying facility to better meet the community's needs.

Increasing Future Tea Production: Through the Seedling Bank Project, efforts were made to boost long-term tea production. Tea specialists shared their expertise to enhance members' knowledge in seed propagation, including seed selection and robust seedling cultivation. Training was provided on proper care for the seedlings, environmentally friendly fertilizer usage, and adhering to established harvesting standards. In the first year, 2,100 seedlings and a total of 21 kg of seeds were distributed to the first-batch members. In the current year, 1,200 seedlings and an additional 12 kg of seeds were distributed to the second-batch members. In which the community received more than 5,000 seedlings and seeds that have been planted in the field. Additionally, the community embraced the idea of transitioning Doi Pu Meun tea production towards Organic Thailand standards by the Department of Agriculture. This initiative aimed to increase the value of products from the region and generate sustainable income for the community.

The Assam Tea Value-Added Project

Launched in 2022, the project aims to enhance the recognition of Doi Pu Meun's Assam tea by diversifying it into a range of value-added products. This initiative has received support from renowned 2-star Michelin chef, Chef Chumpol Jangprai, celebrated for his expertise in Thai fine dining. Chef Chumpol has crafted three delectable dishes and two enticing beverage recipes that incorporate tea leaves. These culinary creations were served at the famous WaanThai restaurant. Moreover, we have ongoing plans to explore additional avenues for developing Assam tea into new and innovative products.

As part of FWD's comprehensive community development plan, we are collaborating with the local community to introduce effective marketing and distribution strategies across various platforms, including online channels and future product exhibitions. Experts in marketing and product promotion will conduct training programs to empower the community with knowledge in product development, package design, and technological advancements. This endeavor will establish robust marketing channels for advertising, online business operations, content creation, photography, and storytelling, with the goal of effectively communicating the community's distinctive identity and narratives. Our overarching objective is to foster holistic development throughout the entire value chain, spanning from production to distribution.

"Furthermore, as we proceed with the project, our team is well-prepared to leverage the compiled data on producing top-notch tea leaves to meet global standards. Our primary objective is to empower the community to achieve long-term, self-sustaining prosperity. By offering support and expertise in the areas of society, economy, and environment, FWD Insurance endeavors to utilize the knowledge acquired from this initiative as a blueprint for future community development endeavors," Mr. David emphasized.