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Socio-communication and Cultural Determinants of Coconut Farmers; Agricultural Practices
Dissertation Abstract:
The study explored certain socio-communication and cultural variables which influenced the agricultural practices of coconut farmers. These variables were examined in reference to the use of the recommended coconut farming technology.
One hundred and seventy randomly selected coconut farmers in one barangay (village) of Negros Occidental, Philippines constituted the research population. A structured interview schedule was used for gathering the quantitative data. In addition, the ethnographic approach provided the qualitative data taken from the case study group of 15 key informants who were sequentially sampled from the 170 respondents.
The study revealed that the coconut farmers tended to exhibit a low level of use in terms of their response to and use of the recommended technological innovations in coconut farming.
A significant positive relationship existed between agricultural practices and the sociological factors such as membership in organization and credit behavior.
Analysis of the communication network showed that local indigenous channels, especially the barangay captain, play a significant communication linkage role between government service agencies and the coconut farmers via face-to-face interactions. Furthermore, cosmopoliteness exhibited a significant association with agricultural practices.
Traditionalism and attitude toward coconut farming were significantly associated with the farmers' agricultural practices. Likewise, ethnographic data from key informants identified certain cultural beliefs and practices in coconut farming which tended to influence the coconut farmers' attitude.
Statistical analysis through the step-wise multiple regression revealed that decision-making skills, credit behavior, traditionalism, and attitude toward coconut farming had joint effects as predictors of the farmers' agricultural practices.
In the final analysis, these four variables tended to be the determinants of the coconut farmers' agricultural practices. The greatest influence was exhibited by attitude toward coconut farming, followed by decision-making skills.
