Driving Mechanisms for Poverty Alleviation in Sisaket Province through Spatial Research and Guidelines for Building Horizontal Cooperation Networks

Abstract

Provincial poverty alleviation efforts continue to face major obstacles due to overlapping responsibilities among central, regional, and local administrative agencies. This fragmentation has resulted in a lack of unity and inefficiency in prioritizing and addressing key issues. This academic article presents findings on the mechanisms for spatial poverty reduction in Sisaket Province, highlighting the collaborative processes among government agencies, researchers, and community networks. The study underscores the critical role of data systems in linking various mechanisms—particularly in problem analysis, household poverty screening, and integrated intervention planning.

            Sisaket Province has developed a big data system derived from spatial poverty-related research to serve as a shared database for analyzing the five essential livelihood capitals of poor households. The use of a unified data system enhances inter-agency collaboration, strengthens mutual trust in data accuracy, and enables clearer, more targeted household-level interventions to address poverty. The article emphasizes that effective poverty reduction requires an institutionalized mechanism supported by a formal organizational structure, including six task forces appointed by the province and the District Quality of Life Development Committee, which serves as a central platform for data exchange, coordinated planning, and systematic action. Furthermore, it is suggested that establishing both vertical relationships (between central and regional authorities) and horizontal relationships (among provincial agencies and community actors) is crucial for reducing redundancies, enhancing cooperation, and promoting long-term sustainability in poverty alleviation. The findings also reveal that inclusive participation across all sectors—from tool design and data collection to data analysis and application—fosters shared ownership of the poverty reduction mechanism and produces outcomes that more closely align with the real needs of the population.