Learning Process for Self-development to Become a Smart Farmer via the Farmers’ Network

Abstract

Network Learning is an essential and necessary factor to agricultural sections’ development since learning process which all community members can participate would strengthen agriculturists by applying learning attitudes and experiences of network members to develop their learning process. This research article aims to: 1) Study learning process through farmers’ learning network in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, who aim to transform themselves into a smart farmer; and 2) Analyze problems and obstacles in learning process through farmers’ network from 3 sample groups, namely organic vegetable farm owner group, local governor group, and related local academic institute staff group, by using structural deep interview with observation from qualitative research methods. The data analysis method used content analysis and interpretation by collecting the acquired data, classifying the data, organizing the data system, and classifying the data according to the issues defined and analyzing the data. Data were collected from 12 key informants.

The results are as follows:

1) Learning process through agriculturist network initiated from occurrence of individual problem or requirement of self-development of members in network; secondly, exchanging problems among network members; thirdly, establishing space for exchanging knowledge and concluding lessons learned to operate altogether; fourthly, evaluation and adjusting; fifthly, continuation of activities and expansion of cooperation region to build relationship and pursue for more explicit knowledge.

2) Problems and obstacles found were intermittence of activities; gathering and consulting happened only when issues, such as pest problem, occurred, the solution would be operated sluggishly. Besides, the issue of overlapped work from government and lack of continuous coordination among organization caused the discontinuous giving knowledge accordingly. Consequently, to establish the highest advantages in learning for agriculturists, government holds the key role to promote and support local level activities exceedingly. For proper solution would be integration and coordination in all sections such as public and academic sector including cooperation of agriculturist group, as the results from learning among network group can be adapted and create more explicit knowledge to improve the quality of life of agriculturists which lead to the stability of life, the abundance of economic and elevate the quality of agriculture itself as well.