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Communication Network of Farmers in the Sloping Lands of Marla Faz, Tanauan, Batangas and Their Adoption Behavior Toward Soil Conservation
Thesis Abstract:
The study analyzed the sociodemographic and communication characteristics, and interpersonal communication network structure of farmers in the sloping lands and their adoption behavior toward soil conservation. One hundred and five farmers from Maria Paz, a village in Tanauan, Batangas, Philippines, were surveyed using a semi-structured interview schedule. The data gathered were coded, categorized, summarized, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman Correlation Coefficient, and chi-square analyses.
Findings revealed that the respondents were dominated by males (79%), with an average age of 50 years, 31 years of which were spent in farming. Educational attainment was low, with 85 percent of the respondents able to attend the elementary level only. The average number of children was five. Ninety-five percent of them were tenants, with landholdings ranging from 0.25 to 8 hectares and an average net farm income of P 1,109 per year.
Seventy-three percent of the respondents initiated seeking information about soil conservation, with only six percent receiving the information regularly. Only 29 percent were members of organizations. Many (68%) had not attended agriculture-related seminars and training. The majority (86%) were not famiIiar and had no contact with the area's agricultural extension agent. Television was the commonly owned media (58%), followed by cassette ( 43%), and transistor radio (39%). The most preferred sources of information, among others, were co-farmers (99%), personal visit of a technician (98%), and actual demonstration (94%).
Tha majority of the network links in the village were related by blood. The degree to which the farmer was linked to all other farmers in the village ranged from 0 to 0.07, with a low average of 0.02 connectedness. Reciprocal ties ranged from 0 to 1. The average degree of reciprocity (0.1) was relatively low. A respondent communicated with his or her link for an average of three days per week.
The overall attitudinallevel of respondents toward soiI conservation was neutral to positive. Eighty-three percent of them were fully aware of soil conservation technologies and 17 percent were unaware. From the eight identified technologies, the most practiced were reforestation, contour farming, crop rotation, alley cropping, and organic farming. The least adopted technologies were cover cropping, water impounding, and terracing.
The correlation analysis showed significant relationship between interpersonal communication network and some sociodemographic and communication characteristics of respondents. However, respondents' interpersonal communication network was not significantly related with adoption of soil conservation technologies but some individual\ characteristics were significantly related with adoption.
Based on the findings, some implications and recommendations were identified for soil conservation development programs.