Factors affecting farmers’ adoption of rice production technology from the collaborative farming project in Phrae province, Thailand

Abstract

The factors affected farmers’ adoption of rice production technology from the Collaborative Farming (CF) project in Phrae province, Thailand was investigated. It was found that farmers adopted rice production technology at a rate of 56.4%. The farmers had mostly adopted were chemical fertilizers that the application based on soil analysis, using the breeding  rice seeds, and leguminous crop growing to maintain soil fertility, While rice growing based on Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), which own making fertilizers, and Trichoderma bioformulation were adopted at low rate. Results from logistic regression analysis revealed that six factors influenced the farmers’ adoption of technology. These were gender, rice farming experience, household income, agricultural extension officers, attendance of rice production technology training, and problems relating to the project. Farmers were female with high income, extensive rice farming experience, and frequent contacts with agricultural extension officers tended to adopt rice production technologies. The female farmers attended rice production technology training and facing fewer problems related to the project.  It is recommended that the CF project officers informed participating farmers on the benefits of the rice production technologies which are promoted. The farmers should be encouraged to attend training, and form a farmer group where knowledge and experiences can be exchanged. It is suggested that the farmers would be supported by using advanced technology, and monitoring.