Dry Season Cropping Model for Maximum Economic Benefits: Case Study of Lampao Operation and Maintenance Project in Kalasin Province Model

Abstract

This research aimed to study a model for growing dry season crops to maximize economic benefits. A case study of the Lam Pao Operation and Maintenance Project, Kalasin Province. The research methods were divided into 2 steps: Step 1: Study the environmental structure that influences agricultural decision-making during the dry season. The methods were as follows: 1.1) Select environmental structures that affect agricultural decision-making during the dry season and 1.2) Interview stakeholders by dividing purposive sampling into 2 groups. Group 1: executive level stakeholders (Head of department) total of 6 people. Group 2: officials in government agencies and farmer groups who have a vested interest, totaling 32 people. The structured interview used open-ended and closed-ended questionnaires that were analyzed for objective consistency (IOC) 0.8. Aferthat Step 2: Create a dry season agricultural decision model used the methods of regression calculations  are as follows: 2.1) Determine the water quantity and cost conditions of the Lam Pao Dam reservoir and 2.2) Analyze the agricultural decision-making model during the dry season using Multiple linear regression. The steps of creating a dry season agricultural decision model were as follows:; (1) Determine the amount of water cost at the beginning of the dry season is the initial variable and other factors as the dependent variable and (2) reduce the form of the dependent variable and confirm the assumptions obtained to be a constant value (3) Dry season agricultural model for maximum economic benefit. The research results found that 1) Environmental structures that influence decision-making during the project's dry season agriculture consisted of 8structures: (1) the amount of water costs at the beginning of the dry season, (2) the distance from the planting plot to the irrigation canal. (access to irrigation water) (3) agricultural calendar of the project (Cropping pattern) (4) soil fertility (5) income or production insurance policy or other projects that have the same characteristics (6) policy to support production factors, (7) policy to support agricultural credit, and (8) measures to pay compensation for damages from natural disasters. 2) Dry season agriculture model for maximum economic benefit was if at the beginning of the dry season the amount of water in the reservoir is lower than 770.00 million cubic meters. The agricultural area have consisted of 1,499 rai of fish ponds, 2,734 rai of shrimp ponds, 591 rai of seed crops, 1,379 rai of field crops and vegetables, and 60,697 rai of off-season rice, generating an economic return of 1,204.28 million Baht/season. The R² value showed the relationship to the amount of water. The costs at the beginning of the season were already equal and the net income was 0.9989