DEVELOPMENT A SHORT-COURSE OF AGRICULTURAL VOCATIONTRAINING MODEL TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF FARMERS TO PLANT RUBBER TREES

Abstract

Development a shot-course of agricultural vocation training model to build the capacity of farmers to plant rubber trees was aimed to study the potential of farmers in the management of timber, to develop appropriate training in management of timber, and to compare potential of farmers in the management of timber. The research composed of three steps as follows.

Step 1: To study potential of farmers in the management of timber. There were 694 farmers planting rubber in the Chiang Kham District and Phu Sang District. Formula of Yamane was applied with 95 percent confidential level, so the samples were 254. Random sampling technique was adopted, totally 277 persons were selected for data collection by using knowledge test, questionnaire, and the interview. The results revealed that knowledge of farmers in management of timber was the low level: only 85 persons or 30.69 percent passed the criteria, but 192 persons or 69.31percent did not pass. The attitude towards potential of farmers in management of timber, the overall was the moderate level. Moreover, the application of potential of farmers in management of timber was also the moderate level.

Step 2: To develop appropriate training management in timber. Representatives of farmers planting rubber in Chiang Kham District and Phu Sang District were selected purposively for three persons per sub-district, totally 16 sub-districts; therefore, 48 persons participated in the focus group discussion for designing an appropriate curriculum for training in management of timber and sharing idea about problems and challenges of the current training for increasing potential of farmers in management of timber. The results showed that desires for development in term of knowledge: the farmers gave priority to rubber fertilizers, how to take care of the rubber plantations in the dry season, and types of rubber tree planted in Thailand, respectively. In term of practical know: they prioritized rubber cultivation, techniques to raise rubber in plastic bags without broken, and increase of organic matters in the rubber plantations, respectively. When considering the designed issues, the results were 1) place for conducting the training, the farmers preferred to be trained in the village at the high level; 2) documents used in training, they would like documents to emphasize knowledge, practical steps, and pictures at the high level; 3) place for a study tour, they would like to visit the success of small rubber plantation at the high level; 4) guidelines for training, they would like to obtain the training providing knowledge, application, and a study tour at the high level; and 5) time used for the training, most of farmers proposed a three days training: a half day for knowledge provision, one day and a half for practice, and another day for a study tour. 

Step 3: To compare potential of farmers in the management of timber between the current short term agricultural training with the developed curriculum.  The examples were 123 farmers who cultivated rubber in Thung Kluai Sub-district, Phu Sang District.  The tools used for data collection in this step were knowledge test, questionnaire, and the interview. The results found that knowledge in overall, average of the after training scores was higher than the before training. Furthermore, attitude and application: after training, the farmers were better ideas than before training.