ความต้องการสารสนเทศทางการเกษตรของเกษตรกรตำบลบางเหรียงอำเภอควนเนียง จังหวัดสงขลา

Abstract

This research aims to study the demographical data, socio-economic factors, the vegetable production, the perception of agricultural information, the needs of agricultural information and the factors affecting the farmers' needs of agricultural information in Bang Riang sub-district, Khuan Niang district, Songkhla province. The population was 280 farmers who grew vegetables in Bang Riang sub-district, Khuan Niang district, Songkhla province. Calculation of sample size using Taro Yamane method at 95% confidence level. There were 165 samples. The data collection was implemented in March 2017 by using a structured interview and a Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis to find out the factors affecting the farmers needs of agricultural information. The findings revealed that the sample was male more than female. The average age was 52.26 years old. They graduated primary education. The average years of experiences in growing vegetables were 20.33. The average numbers of family members were 4.19 people per family. The average use of labor people in growing vegetables was 2.08 people per family. The average area for growing vegetables was 1.43 rais per family. In average, there were 2.65 kinds of vegetables grown. The popular grown vegetables were chillies, green shallots, Chinese cabbages respectively. Most of the farmers were the members of a savings group. Last year, the farmers' average total income was 95,429.70 baht the 84,485.45 baht of which was their income from growing vegetables. The famers perceived agricultural information from neighbors, televisions, community leaders respectively. The average frequency of their perception on the agricultural information was 2 to 3 times per week. They used the agricultural information at the very high level (the mean value was 1.52) to mainly make their decision in proceeding agricultural activities more than any others. The farmers mostly needed the agricultural information about alternative agriculture personal media and mass media. The result of the hypothesis testing showed that the factors influencing the famers' needs of agricultural information were to perceive the information personal media and mass media and to gain benefit from the information. The value of positive influence toward the famers' needs of agricultural information was 0.01 statistically significant. Thus, appropriate information channels should be selected to distribute any agricultural information to the farmers in response to the famers' needs. Also, people who give out information should get developed while the mass media should be effectively improved to benefit the farmers' living and career development.