GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LARGE-SCALE PADDY FARMERS IN SANTHAD VILLAGE, YONOK SUBDISTRICT, CHIANG SEAN, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aims to study the obstacles to rice production, agricultural sustainability, and design strategies to enhance sustainability for the large-scale paddy farmers in Santhad Village, Yonok Subdistrict, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province. The research is survey research, using members of the Santhad Village paddy farmers group as the research population. A purposive sampling method was employed, selecting 50 rice farmers who cultivated rain-fed rice during the 2023-2024 agricultural season. Data was collected using questionnaires, and the statistical analysis used are frequency, percentages, averages, standard deviations, and Pearson Correlation coefficients.

 The research findings indicate that overall obstacles to production are at a high level, with disease and pest issues having the highest average, followed by increasing production costs and the processing of rice products consecutively. Market-related issues are at a high level, by which low price is at the highest average, followed by price control and rice oversupply.

The overall sustainability of agriculture is at a moderate level, with social sustainability at the highest average, followed by environmental and economic sustainability respectively.

The proposed strategies for production sustainability include enhancing knowledge of diseases and pests, promoting integrated farming and organic farming, accessing low-interest funding sources, arranging knowledge management activities to elevate rice cultivation, and applying technology to reduce rice production costs.Strategies for market sustainability include utilizing farmers' groups to negotiate with buyers, building storage facilities for rice, developing young farmers to continue agricultural professions, analyzing market-related issues, and seeking assistance from both government and private sections to develop and produce rice products.