FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF GAP BY GROWERS IN PRODUCING CROPS IN PHETCHABURI PROVINCE, THAILAND

Abstract

Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) is a worldwide standard that has been adopted to produce quality crops. Up until now, growers in Thailand have practiced crop production based on GAP, but there are several issues associated with the adoption of GAP. The slow uptake of GAP by growers may be attributed to differences in attitude, education, financial status and land ownership. In Phetchaburi province, Thailand, the growers have been trained to adopt GAP because of concerns about food safety, environmental pollution, and consumer health. This study aimed to investigate GAP adoption by growers and examine the factors influencing the adoption of GAP in producing a crop. The study was divided into 3 parts as follow (1) the study to determine the factors affecting the adoption of GAP by growers in producing crops in Phetchaburi province, (2) the study to determine the factors affecting the implementation of GAP among Banana (Gros Michel) growers in Ban Lat District, Phetchaburi province and (3) the farmer’s interview to obtain their personal view about growing crops based on GAP standard in Phetchaburi province. The data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics such as percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse growers’ socioeconomic characteristics. In addition, correlation analysis was employed to identify factors influencing GAP implementation.

The results of the Part (1) showed that there was a correlation between both farming experience and cultivated area significantly and the adoption of GAP for producing crops. The results of the Part (2) revealed that most of farmers encountered water scarcity. They realized the importance of recording the data during the GAP practice. Gender, number of family members and farming organization membership were the factors highly impacting the implementation of GAP among these banana growers. The results of the Part (3) showed that farmer’s view the advantages of GAP practice in the context that its adoption should maintain high price and access to a wider market. The disadvantage of GAP adoption was that the process to obtain GAP certificate from DOAE was too complicated. The contraints of GAP practice was that collecting data was difficult to execute, particularly for the farmers who were old.

This study is useful to understanding those factors that influence the implementation of GAP. This understanding is also helpful to identify ways and means to encourage farmers to adopt GAP. The results from this study should direct the staffs in the relevant organizations to focus on these three key issues to improve growing crops based on GAP

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