The Development of Smart Farmer Training Course for Agricultural Extension

Abstract

This research is to generate a training curriculum for farmers by using qualitative and quantitative research. The sample group was farmers in Phrae province. The study has indicated that farmers required the curriculum contents to be associated with modern technology and agriculture, which most of the farmers were in the range of 46-60 years of age being a farmer by inheriting agricultural profession from their ancestor, the results of the performance analysis of 400 overall farmers found that most of the farmers did not meet the required qualifications as smart farmers. Then, using data acquired from data analyzed and synthesizing the data as a guideline for generating the curriculum outline quality inspection by experts and group discussion method to improve the curriculum and apply to 28 participants, found that the level of knowledge and understanding after learning had higher scores than before studying. At a 95% confidence level, the performance of 28 post-learners (35 points) has the highest score of 34 points, the lowest score of 9 points and the average score of 24.79 points. The satisfaction after training found that each appropriate instructor in each area has the highest level of satisfaction ( =4.64). The farmers and agricultural extension scholars have an attitude that training programs can be used to improve farmers in Thailand, by being ready to increase the level of the general farmers to become smart farmers to be concrete and beneficial to agricultural extension performance.