The perceived efficiency and advantages of farm machinery: Evidence from paddy rice farmers in Nong Saeng district, Saraburi province, Thailand
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Abstract
Background and Objective: Farm mechanization plays a critical role in enhancing agricultural productivity. However, limited empirical evidence exists on how farmers’ operational experience influences their perceptions of machinery efficiency and advantages. This study aimed to evaluate farmers’ perceived efficiency and advantages of farm machinery and to examine the relationship between operational experience and these perceptions among paddy rice farmers in Nong Saeng district, Saraburi province, Thailand.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 93 paddy rice farmers using a structured questionnaire. Perceived efficiency and advantages across six dimensions were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient to determine relationships between years of operational experience and perception variables.
Main Results: Farmers generally rated farm machinery efficiency as high, with tractors receiving the highest scores, while trucks showed comparatively lower evaluations. Tractors were the only machinery consistently rated “very good” across all advantage dimensions. “Increased working speed” was the most positively perceived benefit across all machinery types. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between operational experience and perceived efficiency for tractors (rs = -0.361, P < 0.05). Additionally, longer experience with tractors was negatively associated with perceived advantages in multiple dimensions, including labor reduction, productivity, output quality, and cost reduction. Similar negative correlations were observed in selected dimensions for other machinery types.
Conclusions: The findings indicate a perception gap between less experienced and more experienced users, with recent adopters exhibiting more favorable perceptions. This suggests the need for targeted extension strategies that consider farmers’ experience levels to enhance perception accuracy and support sustained adoption of mechanization.
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