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The Utilization of Oil Palm Residue for Sustainable Agriculture
Abstract:
This research was conducted to study the socioeconomic characteristics of oil palm farmers, their knowledge of and attitude toward sustainable agriculture and utilization of oil palm residue, the situation of oil palm residue utilization, and the farmers’ problems. Data were collected from177 farmers in Auoluk District, Krabi Province. Data were analyzed and presented through percentages and arithmetic means. The hypotheses were tested using correlation coefficient.
The results showed that the average age of farmers was 49 years old. Most had educational attainment up to elementary level 4, and had 12.5 years of oil palm planting experience. The average number of family labor was three, average number of total career was two, and average income of oil palm production was THB647.94 per month per rai. The farmers’ average social participation was 3.46 times per month, average number of group membership was two, average sustainable agricultural information source was 2, and average information source of oil palm residue utilization was 2. Farmers had moderate level of knowledge and attitude on sustainable agriculture and utilization of oil palm residue.
At present, the utilization of oil palm residue was at 6.67 percent. Leaves were utilized most at 69.7 percent. On the other hand, there was only one farmer who utilized the stem. With regard to the utilization of oil palm residue out of farm (palm oil factory), there was utilization of empty fruit bunch at 27.6 percent and palm kernel cake at 2.0 percent. Meanwhile, there was no utilization of oil palm sludge, decanter cake, palm fiber and palm shell.
Factors affecting the utilization of oil palm residue were (1) information on oil palm residue utilization mostly received from neighbor, (2) group membership, (3) information on sustainable agriculture mostly received from television, and (4) knowledge on oil palm residue utilization.