Using Cluster Analysis to Group Villages for Promoting Organic Agriculture in Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

This research had 2 objectives: 1) appropriate indicators in clustering villages by agriculture characteristics, and 2) clustering the rural villages. The data were collected from 60 rural villages of 4 districts, each district had 3 sub districts in Chiang Mai, such as Maerim, Saraphi, Doi saket, and Sansai by survey and interview, then analyzed by cluster analysis. The results revealed that, there were 6 indicators, such as percentage of 1) area had no intensive chemical using more than 3 years 2) area was plane and clear 3) area had not or far from industrial factory more than 1 kilometer, 4) area was far from intensive chemical using neighbor more than 1 kilometer 5) area close to main highway, and 6) chemical less and sufficiency water source area. Rural villages were grouped of organic agricultural  practice appropriateness in to 3 clusters, 1) most, 31 villages; 2) moderate, 24 villages; and 3) low, 5 villages.