Needs on Vegetable Production Based upon Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) of Farmers in Nong Suea District, Pathum Thani Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study: 1) basic demographic factors, economic factors, factors related to the use of chemicals, exposure to information about vegetable production, knowledge about vegetable production based on the Good Agricultural Practices for Food Crops (GAP), 2) needs on vegetable production based on the GAP, and 3) relationship between basic demographic factors, economic factors, factors related to the use of chemicals, exposure to information about vegetable production, knowledge about vegetable production based on the GAP and needs on vegetable production based on the GAP of farmers in Nong Suea district, Pathum Thani province. Data were collected by using the interview schedule from 252 vegetable farmers. Statistic to analyze data included frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, minimum, maximum, and chi-square test. Results revealed that vegetable farmers were female, an average age of 52.96 years old, attained primary education. On an average, they grew 3 kinds of vegetable varieties, had 12.22 years of experiences in growing vegetables within 8.94 rai, earned 21,834.60 Baht/rai/seasonal crop. Expenditure was 5,163.55 Baht/rai/seasonal crop and used their own fund. They used chemicals 6.87 time/month for vegetable production. They received information about vegetable production from extension workers, television, meeting, and online use. Overall knowledge about the GAP was at the high level. Most of the needs on vegetable production based on the GAP were at the high level except the data entry and verification aspect was needed at the moderate level. Findings from hypothesis testing found that age, educational attainment, kind of vegetable growing, experiences in growing vegetables, funding sources for vegetable production, number of chemical use for vegetable production, health problems from chemical use, people media, activity media, online media, and knowledge about vegetable production based on the GAP significantly related to needs on vegetable production based on the GAP at 0.05 level of significance.