Motive of Agricultural Occupation after Graduation of Maejo Universities' student, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Abstract

Abstract

An increasing of average age and decreasing of farmers’ quantity were seriously problems in agricultural sector of developing country including Thailand.  Thus, knowing truly motive of being farmer of agricultural students is one of an important issue responsible by government. Therefore, finding motive of agricultural occupation after graduation of agricultural student is required for this research. Interview schedule and in-depth interview technique were used for data collection with 1,550 students from 3 core faculties of Maejo University namely: Faculty of Agricultural Production, Faculty of Fisheries Technology and Aquatic resources and Faculty of Animal science and Technology. Obtained data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics, and content analysis. The study revealed that, as a whole, the most of expecting student for agricultural occupation after their graduation was from the Faculty of Agricultural Production (52.70%). While the highest level of agricultural occupation motive was the “progressive of agricultural technology”. Moreover, as a whole, Gender, land for agricultural acrtivities (5-10 rai) studying subject of “Cooperative Education”, expertise in agriculture (agronomy) and attitude towards agriculture were found as the five factors influencing motive of agricultural occupation. In contrast, being a member of “Student Loan Fond”, unreliability in agricultural problem solving of the government, income obtained from agricultural occupation, unconfident in agricultural knowledge, unclearness of studying course, opportunity in other occupations, and convenient differences between agricultural and others occupation were considered as seven main reasons not influencing student to be a farmer after their graduation.