Perceptions and practices of rice straw and stubble management among rice farmers under the no-burning campaign in Phon Sai Subdistrict, Phon Sai District, Roi Et Province

Abstract

This study examined rice farmers’ perceptions and practices regarding rice straw and stubble management under the no-burning campaign in Phon Sai Subdistrict, Phon Sai District, Roi Et Province, and compared differences in practices by farmers’ basic characteristics, production conditions, and perception levels. Data were collected from 190 farmers using a structured interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The findings showed that most farmers had high levels of perception regarding the campaign and the impacts of burning, particularly regarding health and environmental effects. However, environmentally friendly rice straw and stubble management practices remained limited. In addition, specific rice straw and stubble management practices differed significantly by age group, farmer group membership, access to agricultural machinery, production costs, and perception levels (p<0.05). The findings suggest that household resource constraints are another important condition underlying the gap between perception and practice. Therefore, measures to reduce open burning should combine awareness-raising communication with resource support that is appropriate to the context of smallholder farmers.