HIGHLAND ENTREPRENEURIAL FARMERS OF KARENS AT OMKOI DISTRICT, CHIANG MAI PROVINCE

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This research article aims to study entrepreneurial farmer of Karen farmers at Omkoi district, Chiang Mai province, through the concept of entrepreneurial farmer. The research data was gathered between July 2019 – January 2021 in Ban Mae Tom community (Ban Mae Tom, Moo. 5, and Ban Mae Tom Bon, Moo. 13), Omkoi district, Chiang Mai province. The researchers applied qualitative and quantitative approaches to explain entrepreneurship of Karen farmers in Mae Tom community. 111 Karen farmers, aged between 25 – 60 years old, were selected as research household samplings to answer questionnaires and five Karen farmers, who are community leaders, were in-depth interviewed.

The research findings indicate that in the past 10 years, the most of samplings have never been trained by any organizations. 54 household samplings use smart phones and can also connect internet system. They often spend internet connection time to contact only their relatives and friends, while they have not given precedence to use internet for searching agricultural information, crop prices, agricultural innovation, and investment data. Most samplings have low level of entrepreneurial skills and mindsets (e.g., creative thinking, off-farm working, searching data to develop themselves, planning for risk insurance).