FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ADOPTION INTENTION OF MODERN PLANT NUTRITION FOR RICE FARMERS IN THE NAKORNLUANG DISTRICT, AYUTTHAYA PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of study were to define the influential factors from the external variables i.e. (a) the level of knowledge, (b) the social ecological systems and (c) the opinion leaders toward farmer behavioral intention to adoption the modern plant nutrition as well as to apply the diffusion of innovation theory toward rice farmers’ social system in the proposed farmers group in Thailand. The conceptual framework to find the relative importance of the components, processes, and interaction of each factor is based on the previous study related to modern agricultural practices diffusion, social-ecological study and the diffusion of innovation theory. The proposed respondents were selected and analyzed using a mixed method with the quantitative statistical analysis, to decrease disturbance of other external factors i.e. trade barrier, irrigation and environmental issues. The analysis was shown that the positive influence on the adoption intention of plant nutrition products and were ranked from the highly influence as follow; (1) the level of knowledge, (2) the opinion leaders and (3) the social ecological systems. The results were shown that farmers will follow the modern practices if they know the ways to increase their crop rather than the other factors i.e. credit support. The results from the statistical analysis were indicated that the model framework, was significant to explain the relation among variables.