Does the Farmer Field Schools Program Improve Farmers’ Behavior to Adopt the Drought-tolerant Rice Varieties in Pangasinan, the Philippines?

Abstract

본 연구는 필리핀 팡가시난(Pangasinan) 지역에서 농가의 가뭄저항성 벼 품종 채택의 행동에 영향을 미치는 요인을 파악하고, 성향매칭점수(propensity score matching)를 이용하여 농민현장실습 프로그램(Farmer Field Schools Program)의 효과를 측정하였다. 순위프로빗 모형(ordered-probit model) 추정결과, 농민현장실습 프로그램에 참여한 농가의 가뭄저항성 벼 품종 채택 의향은 비참여 농민에 비해 약 9.9% 높았고, 성향매칭점수를 통한 평균효과(Average Treatment Effect on the Treated)는 약 19%로 나타났다. 농업기술지도사(Local Farmer Technician)와 농민현장실습이 결합된 형태의 영농교육은 연구 대상지 내 농민의 신품종 채택 의향을 높이는데 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다.

This study finds out factors affecting farmers’ adoption of the drought-tolerant rice varieties in Pangasinan, the Philippines, and measures the effects of the Farmer Field Schools (FFS) program on the adoption through the propensity score matching method. The results show that participants of FFS are more likely to adopt the drought-tolerant rice varieties by 9.9% compared to the non-participants from ordered probit models, and the average treatment effect on the treated is 19.0% through the propensity score matching. It also demonstrates that the FFS with the Local Farmer Technician system is effective in improving farmers’ adoption of the newly introduced varieties in the survey area.