Key Factors Affecting the Success of Young Farmers in Organic Farming: A Case of Farmers in the Upper Northeastern Region of Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aims to identify and analyse key success factors in organic farming and definitions of success for young organic farmers in Thailand. Qualitative data was gathered from 18 young farmers under 45 years of age from 5 provinces in the upper northeastern region of Thailand which were recommended by the Provincial Agriculture Extension Office to specify young farmers who have practiced organic farming for at least 3 years through in-depth interviews at their farms and participatory observation during network meetings. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data by transcribing the voice recordings and field notes to decode the keywords and categorise them as themes.
The results are discussed under three themes: Goals inspiring young people to return home to farm; Definitions of success in organic farming; Factors influencing success. It was found that organic farm success was categorised into seven dimensions influencing young farmers' continued and enhanced organic farming. However, not all young organic farmers have reached all seven dimensions of success; some still face daily challenges and obstacles. The organic farming of young farmers also reflects the phenomenon of the transition of their mindset and practices in the context of technologisation. Nevertheless, achieving success in some dimensions has strongly encouraged young farmers to aim for higher ambitions, especially income generation, safe food and food security, and living with family, which leads to well-being in the community.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Adamowicz, M., & Szepeluk, A. (2016). Support to Young Farmers as Part of Agricultural Policy of the European Union. Problems of Agricultural Economics, 3, 106-127.
Badgley, C., Moghtader, J., Quintero, E., Zakem, E., Chappell, M. J., Avilés-Vázquez, K., Samulon, A., & Perfecto, I. (2007). Organic Agriculture and the Global Food Supply. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 22(2), 86-108. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170507001640
Benchasri, S. (2010). Organic Agriculture in Thailand. [in Thai]. ASEAN Journal of Scientific and Technological Reports, 13(1), 78-88.
Borisutdhi, Y., & Kaewkhata, C. (2015a). Factors Contributing Farmers’ Persistence in Farming Career: Grounded Theory Study. Journal of Agricultural Technology, 11(7), 1423-1438.
Cary, J. W., & Wilkinson, R. L. (1997). Perceived Profitability and Farmers' Conservation Behaviour. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 48(1-3), 13-21.
Chinvarasopak, P. (2015). Key Factors Affecting the Success of Organic Agriculture in Thai Communities: Three Case Studies in Ubon Ratchathani and Srisaket Provinces. Thai Journal of Public Administration, 13(2), 105-105.
Cranfield, J., Henson, S., & Holliday, J. (2010). The Motives, Benefits, and Problems of Conversion to Organic Production. Agriculture and Human Values, 27(3), 291-306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-009-9222-9
Errington, A. (2002). Handing Over the Reins: A Comparative Study of Intergenerational Farm Transfers in England, France and Canada. http://purl.umn.edu/24905
Fairweather, J. R. (1999). Understanding How Farmers Choose between Organic and Conventional Production: Results from New Zealand and Policy Implications. Agriculture and Human Values, 16(1), 51-63. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007522819471
Henn, M., Weinstein, M., & Foard, N. (2006). A Short Introduction to Social Research. London: SAGE Publications.
Jansuwan, P., & Zander, K. K. (2021). Getting Young People to Farm: How Effective is Thailand’s Young Smart Farmer Programme? Sustainability, 13(21), 11611. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/21/11611
Jeerat, P., Kruekum, P., Sakkarat, P., & Fongmul, S. (2019). Farmers' Attitude Toward Farming in Accordance with the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy in U-mong Municipality, Meuang district, Lamphune Province. [in Thai]. Journal of Agricultural Production, Maejo University, 1(1), 29-41. https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/japmju/article/view/200888
Joshi, D., & Dhaliwal, R. K. (2019). Utilization of Social Media by Farming Community: A Case from Punjab State. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 55(1), 47-52. https://acspublisher.com/journals/index.php/ijee/article/view/4616
Khonklakuentin. (2020). Khonklakuentin: The Mission on Bringing Young People Return Home. [in thai]. https://researchcafe.tsri.or.th/konglakuentin/
Kroma, M. M. (2006). Organic Farmer Networks: Facilitating Learning and Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 28(4), 3. https://doi.org/10.1300/J064v28n04_03
Lachman, D. A. (2013). A survey and review of approaches to study transitions. Energy Policy, 58, 269-276. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.03.013
Läpple, D., & Rensburg, T. V. (2011). Adoption of organic farming: Are there differences between early and late adoption? Ecological Economics, 70(7), 1406-1414. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.03.002
Lobley, M., Baker, J. R., & Whitehead, I. (2010). Farm Succession and Retirement: Some International Comparisons. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 1(1), 49-64. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2010.011.009
Lotter, D. W. (2003). Organic Agriculture. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 21(4), 59-128. https://doi.org/10.1300/J064v21n04_06
Lukrak, N., & Athinuwat, D. (2013). Problems and Barriers in Changing to Organic Vegetable Production of Ratchaburi Farmers Who Qualified in the Organic Farming Development Project. [in Thai]. Thai Journal of Science Technology, 2(2), 125-133.
Luttikholt, L. W. J. N.-W. (2007). Principles of Organic Agriculture as Formulated by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. Journal of Life Sciences, 54(4).
Maneeshote, S., & Athinuwat, D. (2019). Success Impacts on Organic Farming in Small Farmer Community in Nakhon Sawan Province. [in Thai]. Thai Journal of Science Technology, 8(6), 596-608.
Mungmuang, I., & Waraeaksiri, B. (2017). The Pattern of Factors Contributing to the Success of Organic Thai Jasmine Rice Growers in Chiang Rai, Phayao, and Chiang Mai Provinces. [in Thai]. Journal of Management Science Chaingrai Rajabhat University, 12(1), 117-140.
Office of Agricultural Economics. (2023). The Report on Organic Agriculture Areas in 2023. [in thai]. https://bit.ly/4aVS7UJ
Office of the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. (2020). Statistic Agriculture and Cooperatives. [in thai]. https://www.opsmoac.go.th/nakhonsithammarat-dwl-files-421191791137
Phiboon, K., & Faysse, N. (2019). Small-Scale Farmers' Assessment of Constraints and Benefits from Getting Involved in Various Organic Certification Schemes for the Domestic Market in Thailand. NIDA Development Journal. 59, 23-50.
Phonsukkarn, S., & Jintanasirinurak, S. (2021). Factors for Success in Promoting and Developing Young Farmers. [in Thai]. National and International Conference. Global Goals, Local Action: Looking Back and Moving Forward 2021, 2(14), 588.
Pinthukas, N. (2012). Constraints to Organic Vegetable Production in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Journal of Natural Sciences, 11(3), 33-38.
Poungchompu, S., & Phuttachat, P. (2023). Impact of Participation in Young Smart Farmer Program on Smallholder Farmers' Income: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis. Research on World Agricultural Economy, 4(4), 90-103.
Prachathai. (2020). Economic Survey in March 2020. Prachathai. https://prachatai.com/journal/2020/07/88511
Rayasawath, C. (2018). Factors Affecting the Household Succession in Agricultural Occupation in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. Agriculture, 8(7), 109. www.mdpi.com/journal/agriculture
Šimpachová Pechrová, M., Šimpach, O., Medonos, T., Spěšná, D., & Delín, M. (2018). What Are the Motivation and Barriers of Young Farmers to Enter the Sector? AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, 10(4), 79-87. https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/ 281659/files/398_agris-on-line-2018-4-simpachova-pechrova-simpach-medonos-spesna-delin.pdf
Sirieix, L., Kledal, P. R., & Sulitang, T. (2011). Organic food consumers' trade‐offs between local or imported, conventional or organic products: a qualitative study in Shanghai. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 35(6), 670-678.
Sligh, M., & Cierpka, T. (2007). Organic Values. In Lockeretz, W., ed. Organic farming: An International History, pp. 30-39. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851998336.0030
Somkaun, N., Chamnanmak, R., & Narongchai, W. (2021). A Political Economy Analysis of the Transformation of Ideological Values from Farmers to Farmer-Entrepreneurs. [in Thai]. Journal of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University, 21(2), 216-247. https://doi.org/10.14456/lartstu.2021.25
Somyanontanakul, J., Dokkaew, P., Boonkrong, J., Boonta, Y., & Singphila, O. (2023). Challenges and Rehabilitation in the Community of the New Generation of Informal Workers in the Agricultural Sector in the Northeast. [in Thai]. Journal of Social Science Panyapat, 5(3), 409-424. https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JSSP/article/view/266692
Sørensen, C. G., Fountas, S., Nash, E., Pesonen, L., Bochtis, D., Pedersen, S. M., Basso, B., & Blackmore, S. B. (2010). Conceptual Model of a Future Farm Management Information System. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 72(1), 37-38. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2010.02.003
Sullivan, S., McCann, E., De Young, R., & Erickson, D. (1996). Farmers’ Attitudes about Farming and the Environment: A Survey of Conventional and Organic Farmers. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 9(2), 123-143. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03055298
Supantee, M., & Suwanrarin, W. (2016). Creating and Developing a New Generation of Farmers in Organic Agriculture Systems. [in Thai]. Bangkok: Thailand Science Research and Innovation. https://digital.library.tu.ac.th/tu_dc/frontend/Info/item/dc:54265
Tangtung, K., & Nurittamont, W. (2019). Information Perception and Value Creation of Organic Agriculture Influence on Organic Agriculture Success Case in Sanam Chai Khet Group, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. [in Thai]. Panyapiwat Journal, 11(3), 42-54.
Tapanapunnitikul, O., & Prasunpangsri, S. (2014). Entry of Young Generations into Farming in Thailand. Agricultural Policy Article. Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region. https://ap.fftc.org.tw/article/764
Thai PBS. (2023, 20 June 2023). Young Farmer: Enhancing Life Sufficiency and Enjoy with Father's Farm. [in Thai]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBYekeHsac4
Thai Volunteer Service. (2022). Return Homeland. [in Thai]. https://thaivolunteer.org/project/return-homeland/
Thai Volunteer Service. (2023). Returning Home of Young Genertion in Northeastern Thailand. [in Thai]. https://thaivolunteer.org/newgenhome/
Unchaisri, U. (2022, 29 September 2022). What is the Purpose of Returning Home after University? Thai PBS. https://theactive.net/read/degree-hometown-working/
Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H., & Bondas, T. (2013). Content Analysis and Thematic Analysis: Implications for Conducting a Qualitative Descriptive Study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 15(3), 398-405. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12048
Winaya, A., Sutanto, A., Prihartini, I., Ibrahim, J., & Tain, A. (2021). Does Agricultural Gross Domestic Product Affect Happiness? A Study in Indonesia. Tropical Agricultural Research and Extension.
https://doi.org/DOI: 10.4038/tare.v24i4.5557