Farmers’ Attitude on Tobacco Growing for Reducing Smog from Maize Stubble Burning, Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai, Thailand

บทคัดย่อ

     Thailand is facing severely problem of smog from maize stubble burning. Negative impact in peoples’ health was happened as its effect. So, plant exchanging for cultivation such as tobacco, is one of the good alternatives for the mentioned problem solving. However, the study of farmers’ attitude on plant exchanging for cultivation is primary needed. Thus, this research was attempted to find out truly farmers’ attitude in Mae Chaem district which is the most animal feed maize growing area in Thailand, including impact analysis to Thai animal feed industry. Interview schedule was employed for data collection from 378 of animal feed maize growing farmers. A set of question was used for qualitative data collection from 4 administrators of private organization in animal feed industry. Obtained data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics as well as rationale content analysis. The results reveal that, 62.70% of farmers were male with 47.39 years old on average age. Farmers more than one-half reached primary school with average income from animal feed maize growing was 52,912.70 baht per year in growing area of 1.55 hectares on average. Most of farmers had growing area with soil fertility but 67.72% of farmers have not enough natural water resource and had good level in knowledge of tobacco growing (69.58%). In terms of farmers’ attitude, farmers had moderate level in readiness of tobacco growing. While had high level in needs of tobacco growing and had low level in possibility of tobacco growing instead of animal feed maize. Furthermore, the study found 6 main factors significantly correlating farmers’ needs as follows: educational attainment, income from animal feed maize growing, animal feed maize growing area, soil fertility, adequate water, and farmers’ readiness. In terms of effect, negatively impact to need of raw material and animal feed production might be happened by private sector action measures and government policy.