Factors Affecting Farmers’ Attitudes on Hybrid Rice Production in Nay Pyi Taw Area, Myanmar

Abstract

This study focus on changing attitudes of rice farmers towards hybrid rice production from the view of the theory of attitude change. This study aims to determine factors influencing the farmers’ attitude to hybrid rice production with regard to farmers’ personal characters, technological knowledge and access to extension services. This empirical study was conducted during May to September, 2017, in Nay Pyi Taw council area, Myanmar. Data were gathered ten variables for farmer’s personal characters, fifteen variables for the farmers’ technological knowledge and twelve variables for extension contacts by using interview schedule from 198 randomly selected rice farmers and were analyzed by using multiple regression models. The study revealed that 64.6% of farmers changed attitudes to hybrid rice production. It was observed that “education”, “source of information from government and non government” organizations were positively significant related but “family labor” was negatively significant influence to hybrid rice production. Besides, farmers’ technological knowledge such as “seed quality test”, “planting density”, “irrigation methods” and “pests and diseases control methods” were positively significant related to hybrid rice production. Extension contact as “training” was highly significant related to farmers’ attitudes change. However, “field level extension agents”, “farmer to farmer extension”, “NGO” contacts were negatively significant related to attitude towards hybrid rice production. This study highlighted that most intervention factors were high seed cost, technical knowledge, low rice price, cost of production and machinery problems. Create opportunity to access micro finance and encourage to private sector participation and also market opportunity. Moreover, clear policy implication is needed and change to effective communication with training using practical design and participatory approach manner to farmers’ attitudes change in Myanmar.