FACTORS INFLUENCING ON DECISION MAKING OF ORGANIC, GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE OR CHEMICAL RICE CULTIVATION FOR FARMERS IN BAN NONG-SOK-DAO SUBDISTRICT, NUNSUNG DISTRICT, UDON THANI PROVINCE

Abstract

          This survey research aims to examine factors influencing decision making on organic rice cultivation, chemical rice cultivation, and good agricultural practice for rice. A questionnaire, as a research tool, was used in the process of data collection. The population of this study comprised 331 farmers cultivating rice in Ban Nong-sok-dao Sub-district of Nonsung District, Udon Thani Province. From a total of 331 households, there were a total of 180 agricultural farmers when sampling was divided into 3 groups: 1) 10 farmers cultivating organic rice, 2) 21 farmers did good agricultural practice for rice, and 3) 124 farmers cultivating chemical rice. To analyze data, descriptive statistics i.e. mean, percentage, and standard deviation were used.

            The findings found that: 1) the most important factor influencing the farmers’ decision making on organic rice cultivation is health condition, and their major problem found in the high level is related to marketing, 2) the most influential factor of farmers’ decision making on good agricultural practice for rice is health condition, and their serious problem indicated in a high level regards marketing, and 3) the most critical factors effecting the farmers’ decision making on chemical rice cultivation are capital, production processes, labor, and marketing; moreover, their problems shown in a high level are deficiencies in knowledge of organic rice cultivation and support from the government policy.