Smart Agriculture Policy: A Case Study of Approaches to Empowerment Model Elderly Farmers in Agricultural Management Using Digital Technology in Muang Khong Subdistrict, Khong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province DOI:

Abstract

          This research aimed to study 1) the situation of elderly farmers in managing agriculture with digital technology, 2) to study the problems and obstacles of elderly farmers in managing agriculture with digital technology, 3) to study the solutions and obstacles of elderly farmers in managing agriculture with digital technology, and 4) to study the approach to promote the empowerment of model elderly farmers in managing agriculture with digital technology. The study area was Muang Khong Subdistrict, Khong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The sample group was 30 elderly farmers aged 60–75 who volunteered to participate in the project. Participatory action research process was used, consisting of  4 steps: 1) problem understanding step, 2) problem solving concept and method determination step, 3) problem solving action step, and 4) problem solving evaluation step.

          The research results found that: 1) The situation in agricultural management with digital technology is that most elderly farmers have insufficient understanding of the benefits and importance of agricultural data management with digital technology, lack knowledge and skills in agricultural data management with digital technology, and do not apply agricultural data management with digital technology. 2) Problems and obstacles in agricultural management with digital technology are: Most elderly farmers have problems with limited access to public internet, have insufficient understanding of the benefits and importance of agricultural data management with digital technology, view agricultural data management with digital technology as complicated, have limited financial resources, have limited cooperation with local agricultural institutions, and do not have a main government agency to transfer agricultural data management skills with digital technology. 3) The solution to the problems and obstacles in digital technology agriculture management is: increase the efficiency of agricultural resource database management for local government agencies, promote the integration of elderly farmer groups to create strength and develop networks, and develop information systems. and monitoring and warning of agricultural products, promoting learning centers for increasing agricultural product efficiency, developing agricultural product quality and product standards, promoting agricultural product marketing. 4) Guidelines for promoting the power of senior farmer groups as models in managing agriculture with digital technology are: publicizing knowledge and skills in managing agricultural data with digital technology in all communication channels, developing and improving internet infrastructure, developing the potential of government personnel in local government agencies, developing digital technology necessary to increase agricultural product production, improving outdated laws/regulations and obstacles to managing agriculture with digital technology, developing sources of funding to support low interest rates for senior farmer networks certified by district agricultural offices, creating agricultural databases, setting criteria for inspecting agricultural product standards, having policies and measures to reduce corporate income tax to encourage the private sector to develop a central online platform for trading agricultural products, having policies and measures to encourage the private sector to receive corporate income tax reductions if there is a special discount for sending agricultural products to the senior farmer network.