Living University

Every single tree and every single square inch of the land in the Doi Tung Development Project is infused with a body of valuable knowledge. It is like a compilation of experiences and lessons learned in the field of Sustainable Alternative Livelihood Development that has yielded tangible results, and can be replicated in different scenarios.

Being a model project that others can learn from and replicate to address issues in various areas has led to the name “Living University”, a classroom that builds a new generation of people to carry out development work, reduce ideological and economic disparity in society between urban and rural dwellers.

Today, MFLF’s development projects, particularly DTDP, welcomes large numbers of visitors on study trips, from government agencies, the private sector, universities, international organizations as well as students. The workshops are conducted by MFLF’s own development practitioners and folk elders.

In this “classroom”, participants have a chance to get down to the nitty-gritty, go into the field and listen to the villagers, learn and experience the real world in order to help their compatriots.

Next on the agenda for MFLF is how to use this wealth of knowledge to benefit society at large, the whole country, and the world, so that the King’s Development Principles and the Mae Fah Luang Approach will continue to help humanity without end.

Overview

This project was scaled up from the Integrated Rural Livelihood Development Model Project for Nan Province based on Royal Initiative (2009-2011). When MFLF and partner organizations achieved a certain level of success in addressing issues of poverty and hunger, the next step was to promote reforestation through the balanced utilization of land and resources in the river basin to allow a sustainable coexistence between man and forest.

This became a national model project on forest management in the north of Thailand whereby watershed forests are designated conservation forests, economic forests are planted, as well as utility forests for foraging and residential areas. When villagers have a sense of ownership, they will help to protect the forests and use them in a sustainable manner.