Factors encouraging the participation of farmers converting agricultural land in Kanchanaburi

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study the roles and functions of the agricultural extension program and to study the factors in participation in the agricultural extension program of the farmers in Kanchanaburi. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 705 individual farmers. The methodology of this survey was survey research method that the data were analyzed by the computer program. To determine the frequency percentage, mean, standard deviation, and testing the hypothesis, and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the level of significance at 0.05 level.

It was found that the most of farmers were male. The age ranged from 51 to 60 years old with primary education. Most of the farming practices were between 21 and 30 years long. Farmers had a better understanding of the roles and functions of the agricultural extension program in Kanchanaburi, especially in the rules of participation for the agricultural extension system. For agricultural extension system for the factor of participation in the agricultural extension program, the most important factor was marketing. Especially, in the procurement, marketing facility in distribution was a minor factor in reducing costs and increasing productivity in the promotion of agricultural machinery such as planters. The main factor of management process should provide training and seminars for farmers including academic papers and manuals for supporting factors in the project. Moreover, the farmers should strengthen ability by studying from the sample preparation and the learning center. The hypothesis test shoed that the market factor management process factors and the project support factor impacts on the decision to participate in the Agricultural Extension Program in Kanchanaburi. The problems and obstacles encountered in this study were public relations, there were no conditions to apply for the program. There were some restrictions on participating in some areas.