Farmers’ Perceptions on Effects of Rice Stubble and Straws Burning in Kamalasai District, Kalasin Province

Abstract

The study of perceptions on effects of rice stubble and straws burning aims; 1. to study social and economic characteristics of farmers and conditions of rice production of the farmers 2. to study perceptions of the farmers towards effects of stubbles and rice straws burning and 3. to compare the perceptions on effects of burning stubbles and rice straws of the farmers with different social and economic characteristics and conditions of rice production. The populations of this study were 1,394 farmers in Kamalasai District, Kalasin Province. The numbers of 210 farmers represented the selected group of sampling population retrieved by using the criterion to determine degree of errors at 15 % of the population. Therefore, a simple random sampling method was used to select the sample farmers. A questionnaire was designed with confidence coefficient of 0.93 and used as a research instrument in the process of data collection starting from June to October in 2022. Collected data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics including frequency, average, percentage, maximum, minimum and standard deviation and inferential statistics including t-test, F-test and LSD. The results of the study showed 61.9 % rice farmers were managed by burning because it was easy and convenient method (45.5 %). It’s also an agreement of tillage operators 34.4 %. Whereas 38.9 % had non-burning. Most of them used the method of plowing, 60 %. Some used it to improve the soil for planting the tree, 13.8 %, and some used it to produce organic fertilizers, 13.8 %. The levels of perceptions of the farmers on the effects of burning stubbles and rice straws on agriculture, health, environment, tourism, and laws were all in levels of strong except for international trade barriers that 49.5 % of the farmers did not know on this topic. The comparison on perception effects of burning rice stubble and straws in 4 aspects such as agriculture, health, environment, and others by classifying according to differentiation of experience in growing rice, receiving information, or transferring knowledge, debt, sickness of household members and management of rice stubble or rice straw showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.001, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05) in some issues.