Factors Affecting Agricultural Waste Management of Farmers in Wang Sai Phun District, Phichit Province

Abstract

             The purposes of this research were: 1) to investigate the problems and obstacles influencing farmers’ decisions to burn agricultural waste in Wang Sai Phun District, Phichit Province, 2) to compare personal factors that affect the decision-making process regarding agricultural waste burning among farmers in the area, and 3) to explore suggestions from farmers who are aware of the impacts of burning agricultural waste, to develop policy-level solutions specific to Wang Sai Phun District, Phichit Province. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative research involved a sample of 368 households, determined using Taro Yamane’s formula. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency distribution, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. For the qualitative aspect, data were gathered from 16 randomly selected participants through interviews. The information was analyzed using content analysis and summarized in narrative form.
             The research results found that:
             1. Problems and Obstacles: Some groups within the community had not received adequate public communication about the ban on burning. There is a need for stronger dissemination of information regarding the disadvantages of agricultural burning, such as the destruction of soil nutrients and organic matter, to influence farmers’ decisions to stop burning. The lack of such efforts has resulted in the continued illegal burning of agricultural waste.
             2. Personal Factors Influencing Decision-Making: Many farmers choose to burn agricultural waste to save time. They are generally residents who believe the burning has no direct negative effects on them. The majority of these farmers do not participate in campaigns to stop the practice and believe that the benefits of burning outweigh the harms.
             3. Suggestions for Policy-Oriented Solutions: Farmers who are aware of the adverse effects suggest that all farmers should be involved in planning efforts to stop burning. This could include establishing community rules to exert social pressure on those who illegally burn agricultural waste, along with widespread public campaigns that foster a collective sense of environmental responsibility in the community.