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Factors Influencing Farmers' Adoption of Tomato Seed Production in Namoon Irrigated area, Sakon Nakon, Thailand
Thesis Abstract:
This study was undertaken to determine the factors influencing farmers' adoption of tomato seed production in Nam-oon irrigated area, Sakon Nakon Province, Thailand. To achieve this objective, the characteristics of farmers who joined the tomato seed production were studied. The characteristics were age, education, farm size, family size, annual income, tomato seed farms' income, training experience and contact with extension workers, and psychological and environmental factors that influenced the adoption.
The 126 respondents were selected using the simple random sampling technique. Data were gathered through personal interviews by the researcher and five trained assistants. The general findings were discussed using frequency counts, percentages, means and standard deviations, while the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was used to determine the relationships between the variables studied.
The oldest among the tomato seed production fanners was 62 years, the youngest was 21 , and overall mean age was 42. A little over 92 percent finished elementary school, and had an average farm size of 8.6 rai (1.28 hectare) and an average of five members per household. Annual gross income ranged from 9,000 baht to 113,400 Baht or an average of 38,720 baht (USjumi =25 baht). The average income from tomato seed production for each respondent per crop season was 15,291.75 baht.
The majority of farmers had attended an average of three training programs from 1990 to 1992. All had contact with an extension worker at an average of three times a month. Respondents perceived the performance of the extension worker as good.
Most of the respondents had a high perception of recommended tomato seed production technologies. They were satisfied with irrigation facilities and their marketing. In terms of level of adoption of tomato seed production technology, a little more than 50 percent had highly adopted the recommended practices.
Five independent variables had highly significant correlation to adoption. These were farmers' family size, tomato seed farm's income, contact with extension worker, perception of innovation, and marketing. Training experience was significantly correlated to adoption.
The problems encountered by the respondents and ranked according to frequency of mention were Iimited technical know-how on pesticides and their use, lack of technical knowledge in pollination, uncertain yield of varieties, delay of payment, high cost of inputs, ill effects of chemicals used, and lack of labor during weeding and pollinating.
To effectively introduce new crop technology, the following should be considered: crops should be of a kind that would give higher returns, training should be employed, regularity of contact with extension worker should be emphasized, technology should be practical, a marketing strategy should be employed, and a coordinated effort among government agencies and private sector should be maintained.