Thesis Abstract of AGS Students

Conditions related to farmers’ adoption of hybrid corn seed: case study in Tak Fa district, Nakhon Sawan province

Benjawan Jamroonpong (1996)

Hybrid corn was developed and introduced to Thai farmers in 1982. However, the adoption rate of hybrid variety has been low, and by 1992 hybrid corn accounted for only 18% of total planted area. On the other hand, hybrid corn technology is one of the most promising methods for increasing to meet growing demand. To fully utilize the hybrid corn technology, it is important to identify the existing conditions, economic as well as noneconomic factors, underlying variety adoption by farmers.

The area chosen for this study was Tak Fa district in Nakhon Sawan province, one of the largest corn area in the northern region. Results from a field survey of 200 sampled farmers in 4 sub-districts, Khaochaithong, Udomthanya, Sooksamran and Lumpayon, in crop year 1994 were analyzed. The data was analyzed by using both descriptive and quantitative methods to investigate the factors influencing farmers' decision to adopt hybrid corn and to identify outstanding characteristics of the adopter group.

There were 180 out of 200 sampled farms using hybrid corn. Most of the corn farmers grew other crops before corn growing such as mungbean, soybean, sesame, chili and sweetcorn and after

corn planting sorghum was generally preferred. The average price of hybrids corn seed was 49 baht per kg with average seed rate of 2.8 kg per rai. For OP (open-pollinated) corn seed, the average price was 14 baht per kg and seed rate was 3 kg per rai. The rate of chemical fertilizer used for hybrid corn averaged 33 kg per rai and 19 kg per rai for OP corn with the average price of 5 baht per kg for both. The most preferred chemical fertilizers were 16-20-0, 46-0-0, and 15-15-15. There was about 30 percent of corn farmers who practiced weeding which was done mostly between 15-30 days after planting. The planting date in early rainy season starting from May to July was generally preferred. Input and output markets of corn production were mostly provided by local merchants.

There were several non-economic and economic factors influencing farmers' decision to adopt hybrid corn. Factors most frequently found associated adoption were tenurial status as full- owner operators which was important to the availability of credit with low rate of interest from institutional sources. The yield advantage of hybrids was another attraction. The yield of hybrid corn was 587 kg per rai compared with 447 kg per rai for OPV. These led to a profit per rai of hybrids at 41 percent higher than that from the OPV. Numbers of year experience also affected the yield performance of hybrids. The early adopters (more than 5 years of experience) had the lowest cost at 1.73 baht per kg and highest yield at 665 kg per rai, with highest return of 1,702 baht per rai and 48 percent of rate of return.

The change agent, public and private sector, was another factor that led to farmers' perception, valuation and then decision to adopt hybrids. The adopters participated in many activities involving extension of corn production technology resulting in the transferring of new knowledge to improve corn production. Apart from the factors influencing decision to adopt hybrid corn, the general social behaviour of adopters also stood out. In this case, it was found that a high percentage of adopters were those who expressed a keen interest in new knowledge and information, and frequently took part in several activities that led them to more contacts with change agents, such as traders and extension agents, than nonadopters did.

From this study, it is concluded that hybrid corn can be adopted by farmers but non-economic as well as economic factors are involved. With economic advantages confirmed, social and institutional factors such as tenurial status and availability of relatively low cost of credit are also important.

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