Agricultural Development Communication for New Theory Concept of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej : Communication Process for the Diffusion of New Theory Concept which Result into an Adoption by Farmers

Abstract

     This study of "Agricultural Development Communication for the new Theory of King Bhumipol Adulyadej" aimed at studying communication factors affecting farmers' adoption of the New Theory, including information exposure, information seeking, content analysis, perception and interpretation, and understanding of the New Theory, communication types, and networking. It also studied relevant factors affecting the adoption of the New Theory by farmers in order to analyze the relationship between communication processes and factors affecting adoption of the New Theory. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used with the target farmers under the New Theory projects at: 1) Huai Sai Royal Development Study Center, Phetburi Province; 2) Wat Yanasangvararamvoramahawihan Agricultural Occupation Training and Development Center, Chonburi Province, and 3) farmers participating in New Theory projects of the Phetburi and Chonburi Provincial Agricultural and Cooperative Offices. The study found that the communication process affecting adoption of the New Theory had three main stages: Stage 1) Perception, persuasion, and adoption; Stage 2 ) Implementation and information seeking; and Stage 3) Confirmation. The media most influential in the stage of perception, persuasion, and adoption were television, to which most farmers had the greatest access, and people media, which were the agricultural extension officers at the sub-district level and staff members of the New Theory projects. These people media were also the most important source that farmers used as sources in their information seeking. Training was the important specific medium in enhancing the farmers' learning. Communication networks had a more important role than other media in the stage of confirmation. Besides the communication process, there were also other factors which could either positively or negatively influence adoption of the New Theory; in order of importance, these were: organizational support factors, economic factors, individual factors, geographical and local product factors, and cultural and local wisdom factors.