Quality of life of cassava farmers participating in the large land plot agricultural extension system, Pa Aor Sub-district, LanSak District, UthaiThani Province

Abstract

          The purposes of this research were to study Quality of life of cassava farmers participating in the large land plot agriculture extension system, Pa Aor Sub-district, LanSak District, UthaiThani Province. in terms of personal factors economics factors participation factors and supporting factors. The population of this research was 330 cassava farmers in Pa Aor sub-district, LanSak district, UthaiThani Province. The 178 farmer samples were determined by Krejcie & Morgan formula. The data collection was performed by questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum. The inferential statistics was chi-square. Research results showed that The sample group of farmers had the highest average quality of life in terms of social relations, followed by work, education, and economy (=2.76, = 2.49, = 2.36and = 2.25, respectively). The most farmers were female (56.7%), average age 56.48 years, graduated primary school, 58.4% had marital status, average 3.80 household members (71.3%), experience in the average 20.23 years of cassava planting, 37.1 percent were members of the 5 groups. Farmers had an average cassava plantation area of ​​20.21 rai. Characteristics of holding their own cassava plantation area (69.1%). The average cassava cultivation labor force was 14.65 people. Characteristics of labor in cassava cultivation using household labor and hired labor 78.6%. The average cost of growing cassava is 4,406.99 baht per rai. Average income from cassava cultivation 7,843.54 baht per rai. Average debt 363,192.7 baht. There are 2 sources of funding (38.2%). The majority of farmers participating indecision making on the formulation of learning issues 46.1%.Participation in operations in the field of attending group meetings 94.9%. Participated in receiving benefits in obtaining knowledge and can reduce productioncostsfrom 78.7% and participate in the evaluation and in terms of monitoring the committee's operations on the management of the group, 24.2 percent. Farmers receiving appropriate knowledge and technology support. In terms of cassava production process from planting to harvesting are 88.8 percent. Farmers received observational study in the field of knowledge enhancement of organic cassava production and processing, 36.0%. Received input support, 50.6% received chemical fertilizer support and 89.3% received marketing support with a fixed distribution channel. The hypothesis testing found that 1) personal factors, gender, educational level, marital status and experience in cassava cultivation found to be related to quality of life in educationstatistically significant at 0.05 level 2) Economic factors, expenditure, income from cassava cultivation and funding sources were related to quality of life in education and economy statistically significant at 0.05 level3)Farmer's participation factor, In Participation of decision making and participation of receiving benefits were related with quality life in education, economic and social relations statistically at significant level 0.05 and participation in operations statistically significant relation with quality life in education and the economy at significant level 0.05 4)Supporting factor in obtaining appropriate knowledge and technology support and obtaining marketing support were related to quality life in education and economy. It was statistically significant at 0.05 and received support for study visits and production input support related with quality life in education statistically at significant level 0.05