Happiness of farmers A case study of farmers, members of an Alternative Agriculture Network

Abstract

This research is qualitative research. The objective is to study the important factors that affect the happiness of the existence of Thai farmer occupation. A sample group is a group of farmers who is a member of the alternative agriculture network in various regions of 8 people by purposive sampling. The research result indicates that happiness came from a variety of factors. Therefore, the researcher divided the presentation out into 3 aspects: 1) The self-factor that affecting farmer to be happy in the existence of their own due to it is the career they love. It is a profession that they inherited from their ancestors as a profession that generated revenue to themselves, family and created a better status. It is the pride that they can support children on the study until graduation, and also as a profession to learn for further and self-development all the time. 2) The family factor is the important factor that makes farmers happy due to the family is a major power. Family power support farmers when getting tired. Seeing the family has money to support for daily use and the education cause of happiness. In addition, if the farmer has received support from their families with farming even happier. 3) Society is the external factor to support the happiness of the farmers. It is the happiness that receives from society. That is, to have a combination of network, gain knowledge from alternative agriculture network and brings this knowledge to change farming from chemical farming to organic rice known as intensive agriculture. Bringing the knowledge to trial and error, try and make it as successful. In addition to this knowledge back to society through knowledge transfer to others, knowledge exchange with the network until become happy to make benefit to others.