Decision Making on the Participation in the Large Agricultural Extension System Project of Rice Farmers in Wiang Pa Pao District, Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to study: 1) socio-economic attributes of farmers in Wiang Pa Pao district, Chiang Rai province, 2) knowledge about a large agricultural farming extension system project, 3) reason of decision making to participate in the project of the farmers, 4) factors related to the reason of decision making to participate in the project of the farmers and 5) problems encountered           and suggestions of the farmers about the project. In-depth interview was conducted with 10 large scale rice farmer heads in Wiang Pa Pao and they were obtained by purposive sampling. Besides, an interview schedule was conducted with another sample group of 175 small scale rice farmers and they were obtained by Taro Yamane’s formula. Obtained data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics (multiple regression analysis).

            Regarding the qualitative study, it was found that the reasons of decision making to participate in the project comprised 4 steps: 1) problem analysis, 2) alternative finding, 3) alternative assessment and 4) decision making to choose an alternative. In this respect, there were 3 important aspects: 1) group farming, 2) production and 3) marketing. For the quantitative study, it was found that most of the small scale farmers were male, 56 years old on average, elementary school graduates and below, and married. They had 4 family members, 2 household workforce, and 5.85 rai of rice growing area on average. They earned an income from rice growing for 74,474.29 Baht per year and most of them had their own capital. The small scale rice farmers had 30 years of experience in rice growing and they had been members of two groups on average. They perceived news or information about the project about 3 per months on average. They contacted with agricultural staff an average of 3 times per year. They attended training or joined educational trip twice a year on average. It was found that the small scale rice farmers had knowledge about the project at a high level (a score of 9.22 on average). Also, they had a high level of the reason of decision making to participation in the project (  =4.38). The following were positive factors related to the reason of decision making: educational attainment, perception of news or information about the project, agricultural personal contact, training and educational trip, and knowledge about the project. However, age was found to be a negative factor.

            The problems of the large Agricultural Extension System Project were: 1) steps in joining the project having complex conditions, 2) the training was more on academic knowledge rather than practice and 3) inadequate support on rice seed. The following were suggested about the project: 1) the project should reduce steps of the participation in the project, 2) the training should focus on both academic knowledge and practice and 3) the project should support on rice seed more than before and it should be more rapid.