The Energy Research and Development Institute Nakornping (ERDI CMU) at Chiang Mai University has established a formal participatory mechanism with Mae Hia Municipality through the project “The Complete City-Level Learning Center for Organic Waste Management,” creating structured pathways for local government officials, business operators, and community residents to meaningfully participate in university program decision-making.
On September 26, 2024, ERDI Deputy Director, convened stakeholder consultation meetings at Mae Hia Municipality’s 80th Anniversary Conference Hall where municipal administrators, local food service operators, and community representatives jointly discussed waste management challenges and collaboratively shaped program implementation strategies. The university formalized this participatory framework through a Memorandum of Understanding with Mae Hia Municipality, institutionalizing ongoing stakeholder engagement in program governance.
The participatory structure enables local stakeholders to influence key programmatic decisions. Through consultative processes, municipal officials and business operators provided input that directly informed the development of the waste management platform, collection protocols, and operational schedules. Mae Hia Municipality actively recruited over 50 food service establishments and households to participate in program planning, establishing collection targets of 2,000 kilograms daily based on stakeholder consultation regarding local capacity and needs.
ERDI CMU conducted capacity-building workshops on waste separation and biogas energy production, ensuring stakeholders possess technical knowledge necessary for informed participation in decision-making processes. This educational component empowers local representatives to contribute meaningfully to program governance rather than serving as passive recipients.
This initiative reflects Chiang Mai University’s institutional commitment to stakeholder participation documented in the university’s Strategic Development Plan 2023-2027, which identifies Mae Hia Subdistrict as a priority engagement area. The formal MOU, regular consultative meetings, collaborative planning processes, and capacity-building initiatives create multiple channels through which local government representatives, civil society organizations, and community residents exercise meaningful participation in university-led programs affecting their communities.
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