SYNTHESIZING A READINESS FRAMEWORK FOR AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SOCIAL ENTERPRISES IN THE TRANSITION TOWARD A LOW-CARBON ECONOMY IN THAILAND’S CLIMATE LAW CONTEXT

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) examine the concepts of a low-carbon economy, Thailand’s climate law, and the context of agricultural and food social enterprises; 2) analyze readiness components for the transition toward a low-carbon economy; and 3) synthesize a readiness framework for agricultural and food social enterprises in the context of Thailand’s climate law. This study employed qualitative documentary research. Twenty-eight documents were purposively selected without a fixed starting year and were searched through June 15, 2026, from academic databases, government websites, and international organizations. Documents were included when they were relevant to the research objectives, available in full text, and traceable to verifiable sources. The research instrument was a document recording and extraction form. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and conceptual synthesis. The findings revealed that 1) agricultural and food social enterprises operate within a context linking the Sustainable Development Goals, Thailand’s climate law, low-carbon economy instruments, food systems, and social missions; 2) readiness consists of six dimensions: legal and policy readiness, carbon data readiness, low-carbon operational readiness, integration of social and environmental outcomes, green market and finance readiness, and just transition readiness; and 3) these six dimensions can be organized into a continuous six-step process under the SE-LCR Framework, beginning with recognizing relevant rules, organizing data, adjusting operations, integrating outcomes, connecting with markets and finance, and continuously improving practices on the basis of fairness. The six dimensions explain what enterprises need to be ready for, while the six steps explain how such readiness can be developed. The framework remains a conceptual synthesis that has not yet been empirically validated. Government agencies and support organizations should therefore use it as an initial basis for designing knowledge, data, technology, and financing support appropriate to enterprise size and capacity, while considering farmers, communities, and vulnerable groups in the transition