The Strategies to Eliminate Farmers’ Poverty in Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

The research aimed to study the states and causes of the poverty of the farmers and to propose the strategies to eliminate it. The work employed a mixed methodology.                The subjects used in the research were 403 individuals. A total of 30 farmers were interviewed. An in-depth interview was administered on 21 individuals concerned. The research instruments were a questionnaire, a group interview, an in-depth interview and a focus group. The study found that the households in the study were poor considering the total households ( 64.30%). A total income of all households averaged 88,179.90  baht a year. An annual spending was 54,476.43 baht. per household An average debt per household was 85,724.57 baht. The factors responsible for the household poverty were sex, age, education, a number of the household members,  a number of the employed, a number of the dependents, size of agricultural land, farming methods, agricultural water sources, attitudes towards work, a modern trend, acceptance of technology, and preference for changes. The strategies to eliminate poverty of the farmers under study were called CHAIYAPHUM 3DII. They included 1) increase of opportunities and development of farmers’ potential, 2) development of social system and social welfare, 3) the community’s economic strength, 4) improvement of the life quality and social service, and 5)  improvement of the state administration.