316 families live in the project location. Almost all earn their livings by planting rubber trees, fruit trees and other labourious jobs. As the price of the rubber decrease, the income of these families also decrease unavoidably. A women?s group in the village comprising 65 members has initiated an activity which would provide supplementary income. The activity involves the establishment of the savings group and the implement of food processing.Cheh May tea is one of the endemic plant. The tea, after undergoing a heating process, will turn into a product for sales bringing additional income to the community.

The heating process requires burning of fire-woods from the surrounding forest at about 4 tons / month without any reforestation activity. This amount of wood after being burnt will produce greenhouse gas adding to the existing accumulated amount present in the atmosphere. In order to counter this unfavourable trend, solar energy would be one of the answers.

Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects):

1.To help stabilize the emission of the greenhouse gas
2.To help conserve the forest and reduce the rate of chemical substance application
3.To provide option for occupation and environmental education

Activities to be carried out under project:

1. Conducting a study on the Cheh May tea, heating process and marketing
2. Coordinating with resources persons on renewable energy to plan and design the solar heater
3. Conducting workshop on renewable energy and study tour to successful projects
4. Building the solar heater(s) to heat the tea

Project participants and/or beneficiaries:

1.Waeng District Community Development Office, Agricultural Office and tambol administrative organization
2.Phikulthong Centre , the Southern Border Province Administrative Centre
3.The Department of Energy Development and Promotion, Region 4
4.Continuous Education Promotion Centre, Prince of Songkhla University
5.Narathiwas Provincial Office of Commerce , and Office of Industrial Work

Anticipated results of project:

1. The consumption of fire-woods in the tea heating process is reduced at least by half
2. Additional income is generated in the community thus reduce the number of migratory labour
3. The rate of chemical fertilizer/pesticide in the tea plantation is reduced.