Risk management in agriculture of lychee farmers, Amphawa district, Samut Songkhram province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study demographic characteristic factors, socio-economic factors, knowledge about lychee cultivation, and opinion on the risk of growing lychee factors; 2) to study risk management in agriculture of lychee farmers, (agricultural risk management); and 3) to test the relationship between demographic characteristic factors, socio-economic factors, knowledge about lychee cultivation, opinion on the risk of growing lychee factors and agricultural risk management; Samples were 317 farmers growing lychee in Amphawa district, Samut Songkhram province. Data were collected by using questionnaire. Statistic to analyze data included frequency, percentage, mean, minimum, maximum, and chi-square to test hypotheses. Research findings showed that most farmers were female with an average age of 59.9 years old, attained primary education, grew pomelo as the main occupation, grew lychee as the supplementary occupation, had average household members 3.47 persons, and had average experiences in lychee cultivation 30.27 years. In the average, farmers had income 55,679.49 Baht/rai, expenses 1,778.62 Baht/rai, farm areas 4.93 rai, lychee areas 2.12 rai, and labor 3.17 persons. Farmers used their own capital to grow lychee, perceived information from fellow farmers, conferences and television. Most farmers did not participate in the group. Government agencies provided supports to farmers. Climate risk affected lychee cultivation. Farmers had knowledge about lychee cultivation at the high level. Agricultural risk management was at the moderate level. Findings from the hypothesis testing showed that supplementary occupation, experiences in lychee cultivation, income, expenses, farm areas, lychee growing areas, labors, information exposure, group membership, opinion on the risk of growing lychee, knowledge about lychee cultivation were statistically related to the agricultural risk management at the 0.05 level of significance.