Chanin Kaewkhata. Agricultural occupation development guidelines for new generation farmers based on young smart farmer project in Northeastern Thailand. Doctoral Degree(Agricultural Extension and Rural Development). Chiang Mai University. Library. : Chiang Mai University, 2025.
Agricultural occupation development guidelines for new generation farmers based on young smart farmer project in Northeastern Thailand
Abstract:
The research titled Agricultural Occupation Development Guidelines for New Generation Farmers Based on Young Smart Farmer Project in Northeastern Thailand aims to study with three objectives: (1) To analyze factors influencing the decision to engage in agriculture of Young Smart Farmer project in Northeastern of Thailand. (2) To analyze the farm management process of Young Smart Farmer project in Northeastern Thailand. and (3) To propose guidelines for new generation farmer development based on Young Smart Farmer project in Northeastern of Thailand In this study, a mixed-method research approach was used and conducted under the exploratory research framework. The study employed a test-interview method, with Cronbachs Alpha Coefficient values of 0.90 (motivation questions), 0.94 (pressure questions), 0.86 (capital questions), and 0.98 (farm management questions), which passed the IOC review and received ethical approval from the research project, CMUREC No. 65/190.This research collected data through interviews and in-depth interviews from a sample of 310 participants, determined using Yamane\'s formula (1973) with an acceptable margin of error at the 0.05 level. Purposive selection was then used, followed by descriptive statistical analysis, which included frequency, percentage, mean, maximum, minimum, and standard deviation. Correlation analysis was conducted, leading to multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between independent and dependent variables. For the qualitative study, data coding was performed according to the grounded theory study framework to supplement and complete the informationBasic information of the sample group, Young Smart Farmer in this study are female, totaling 167 individuals, 53.9%. Male, 143 individuals, 46.1%. The average age is 38 years, with 71.0% being Gen-Y.91.6% have farms in their hometowns. The average number of years of education is 14 years, and they have never engaged in any other profession. 28.4% Changed careers due to family issues. 61.9% The average age when deciding to pursue an agricultural career is 29 years. The average number of household members is 4.3 people. The percentage of employed individuals relative to the average number of household members is 72.0%. Agriculture is considered important to households in terms of attitude, at 77.3%. There are 292 households that originally engaged in agriculture, accounting for 94.2%. They are households that originally engaged in other occupations, 50%. Currently, 89.4% are engaged in other occupations as well. On average, 2.6 people participate in farming, with an average area of 27.3 rai per household, and 73.9% have debts. The average outstanding debt is 616,299 baht. There is high-value machinery at 43.5%, and the land ownership in the farm belongs to Young Smart Farmer or their spouse (57.1%). Belongs to parents of 198 households (63.9%). The farming resources come from traditional inheritance (94.5%). The farming resources come from other professions of Young Smart Farmers (50%).The average number of production activities within the farm is 3.8 activities, with certification standards (32.9%).Selling produce in the community (87.1%)Selling produce to collection centers (48.4%)Selling products to middlemen (62.9%)Selling products using the internet as an intermediary (42.9%)Generate an average profit from farming of 377,261 baht. Generate an average profit of 512,039 baht per household from non-agricultural occupations, an average profit of 29,590 baht per rai from farming, and have an average economic importance level of agriculture to households at 49.3%. Young Smart Farmers can be categorized based on their basic potential as follows: (1) Basic Normally potential (50%), (2) Basic Fairly good potential (40%), and (3) Basic High potential (10%).The decision to pursue an agricultural career of Young Smart Farmer (Objective 1) In terms of motivation, the motivation one hopes to achieve for oneself and the motivation one hopes to achieve for their family are the most important. The characteristics of decision-making in pursuing an agricultural career under the conditions of motivation can be divided as follows: (1) Difficult to make decisions group (20%), (2) Well-reviewed to make decisions group (20%), and (3) Fairly confident to make decisions (60%). In terms of pressure, the pressure from family, pressure from the farm, pressure from oneself, and pressure from society are all at the same level. The characteristics of decision-making in agricultural occupations under conditions of pressure can be divided as follows: (1) Difficult to make decisions group (30%), (2) Well-reviewed to make decisions group (20%), and (3) Fairly confident to make decisions (50%). In terms of capital, human capital, physical capital, and natural capital are the most important. As for the characteristics of decision-making in agricultural occupations under the conditions of capital, they can be divided as follows: (1) Difficult to make decisions group (40%), (2) Well-reviewed to make decisions group (20%), and (3) Fairly confident to make decisions (40%).With 28 factors related to the decision-making process in agriculture, they can be categorized into Extremely Significant factors.3 factors are (1) being the children of farmers, (2) the average net profit from farming per rai, and (3) the household debt of farmers. High Significant factors.6 factors include (1) the farm is located in the native hometown, (2) being descendants of farmers, (3) fishing as the main activity of the farm, (4) selling produce within the community, (5) the importance of agriculture to the household economy, and (6) having high-value machinery. Significant factors include 19 factors: (1) participation in agricultural-related groups, (2) the importance of agriculture to the household in terms of attitude, (3) household debt of farmers, (4) farm resources inherited from ancestors, (5) farm resources from spouses, (6) selling produce to other areas, (7) selling produce to middlemen, (8) the number of members without occupations, elderly, retirees, sick, and disabled, (9) the number of members who are children or students, (10) the original occupation of the household being other than agriculture, (11) the household currently engaging in occupations other than agriculture, (12) having high-value machinery, (13) crop cultivation as the main activity of the farm, (14) processing as the main activity of the farm, (15) farm production activities meeting certification standards, (16) the economic level of the province, (17) the area for livestock or insect farming, (18) selling produce to middlemen, and (19) selling produce to contractors.The farm management process of Young Smart Farmer (Objective 2) was considered overall, and it was found that the farm management patterns can be divided as follows: (1) Classical farm management pattern group (50%) (2) Hybrid farm management pattern group (40%) and (3) Business farm management pattern group (10%)With 16 factors related to the farm management process, divided into 9 high significant factors, including(1) Participation in agricultural-related groups (2) Household debt of farmers (3) Hiring labor for farming (4) Farm production activities with certified standards (5) Selling produce to other areas (6) Selling produce to collection yards (7) Selling produce to middlemen(8) Net profit from farming and (9) Net profit from other occupations of the household (data for the year 2023) Seven significant factors include (1) gender, (2) being a farmer\'s child, (3) changing careers due to health issues, (4) changing careers due to lifestyle issues.(5) The level of importance of agriculture as a profession to households in terms of attitude (6) The total number of production activities within the farm, and (7) Selling products using the internet.The development pathways for the agricultural careers of farmers under the New Farmer Project can be categorized into three groups based on their basic potential characteristics as follows: The development approach for new-generation farmers at the Normally Basic potential household level includes 9 development strategies, namely: (1) Support production factors, including financial factors, to be easily accessible. (2) Support the necessary skills for developing farm management processes for selected household members. (3) Promote other professions for agricultural household members to indirectly develop their basic potential. (4) Stimulating household agriculture to be ready for external support before returning to the farm (5) The development of parallel professions in the community to enhance the efficiency of farming households (6) Fair trade agreements to guarantee income stability from farming (7) The call for household agriculture to agree to improve farm development. (8) Learning modern skills necessary for effective farm management today, and (9) Good planning to create a balance between the current profession and the agricultural profession that is the household\'s heritage guidelines for developing new-generation farmers from households with Fairly good Basic potential include 9 development approaches, such as (1) Building confidence in the agricultural profession to elevate its importance to households (2) Offering new farming alternatives based on the suitability of available resources (3) Promoting production according to standards to help enhance the dimensionality of farming. (4) Encouraging the recognition of the good relationships within family institutions (5) Encouraging the maintenance of household agricultural businesses as an important mission (6) Supporting the choice of occupations without having to abandon agriculture (7) Preparing farms for readiness through remote management (8) Promoting learning and enhancing high-efficiency farming skills and (9) Analysis to identify opportunities for business-oriented agriculture Guidelines for developing new-generation farmers from households with High Basic potential include 9 development pathways, namely (1) Farm management with certified standards (2) Enhancing marketing skills to increase the value of product sales (3) Changing or adding production activities according to lifestyle to increase satisfaction in farming (4) Adding value to traditional products by creating unique and distinctive products (5) Applying skills and experiences from outside the farm to the farm (6) Accessing and connecting with networks related to agriculture (7) Becoming a highly potential agricultural business entrepreneur (8) Reducing the urban-rural divide to decrease migration and increase retention, and (9) Selecting appropriate agricultural activities to enhance the decision-making opportunities for pursuing an agricultural career.