แนวทางการพัฒนาเกษตรกรชาวสวนยางพาราสู่การเป็นเกษตรกรอัจฉริยะ (Smart Farmer) ในอำเภอนาทวี จังหวัดสงขลา

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) examine conditions of economy, society, and production management of rubber farmer households; 2) find out motivation of being smart farmers of rubber farmers; 3) analyze factors that influence on motivation of entering to be smart farmers; and 4) look for guidelines for developing farmers to be smart farmers in Natawee district, Songkhla province. Data collection was carried out by a structured interview with a sample group of 370 farmers. Mean, percentage, standard deviation, and multiple regression were used for data analysis. The results of this study indicated that rubber farmers had an average age at 48.19 years, had the major career of working with rubber plantations, earned an average income from rubber plantations at 9,040.82 baht/month, and had experiences of working with rubber plantations at an average of 19.49 years. For the whole picture of the opinion level related to the motivation of entering to be smart farmers, the study found that farmers rated at a high level (x=3.62). For the results of predicting equation with 15 independent variables which might influence on the motivation of entering to be smart farmers of rubber farmers, the study found that only 7 independent variables that influenced on opinions related to motivation. The positively related variables were level of education, the experience of rubber plantation, saving of household, debts of household, being members of groups, and the quantity of production. The negatively related variables were the having an heir to carry on rubber plantation career, saving of household and debts of household, at 0.05 statistically significant level. In addition for the study of opinion of the possibility of rubber farmers of entering to be smart farmers, the study found that farmers in the studied area were in the group of developing smart farmer for 48.38% who had yet to reach for the income qualification and other 6 basic qualification indicators. These studied results reflect guidelines for developing farmers of entering to be smart farmers that are 1) building acknowledgment for farmers, 2) evaluating and analyzing potential and including capability of farmers for classifying farmers in to proper group and developing farmers successively, 3) training to provide knowledge of how to increase more incomes, to reduce the production cost, to manage production with standard measure, to encourage of being leadership for farmers, etc., 4) supporting of grouping in the community, and 5) creating the prototype of success or learning resource in the community. These will be seen that farmers are the core center of developing the agricultural sector to create "Stability, Wealthy, and Sustainability".