THE DEVELOPMENT OF WEB APPLICATION FOR PRODUCTION AND MARKETING PLANNING TO DEVELOP RATCHABURI PINEAPPLE GROWERS TO BECOME SMART FARMERS

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) develop web application for production and marketing planning to develop Ratchaburi pineapple growers; and 2) evaluate web application usage for production and marketing planning to develop Ratchaburi pineapple growers to become smart farmers. The sample group consisted of agricultural technical officers, community leaders and large-plot pineapple growers at Ban Bueng Subdistrict, Ban Kha District, Ratchaburi Province. The researcher collected data through a documentary study, focus group conversations and questionnaires. The evaluation of the web application usage was conducted using the web application evaluation form and the practice evaluation form. The data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation.
The results revealed that: 1) A web application for production and marketing planning for Ratchaburi pineapple growers, which was created with the participation of agricultural technical officers, community leaders and large-plot pineapple growers at Ban Bueng Subdistrict, Ban Kha District, Ratchaburi Province, could be conveniently used via a smartphone or tablet with an Android operating system, and was assessed in overall to be at a good level in terms of content, graphic design, and technical and physical features; 2) The overall satisfaction of 38 users from the sample group was at the highest level in terms of content, graphic design, and technical and physical features. 20 pineapple growers in the target group in Ban Bueng Subdistrict, Ban Kha District, Ratchaburi Province passed the overall assessment with the results in a good level. The target group of pineapple growers employed the web application for production and marketing planning and produced Individual Farm Production Plans (IFPP) to become smart farmers. All the 20 pineapple growers passed the smart farmer qualification assessment from the Ban Kha District Agriculture Office.