Cooperative Extension Service Organization and Administration in Utah and Thailand
This work made publicly available electronically on January 16, 2013.
Abstract
Thailand is an agricultural country with about 80 percent of the population operating farms. Agriculture is the main source of national income and 90 percent of all exports are agricultural products. The farms are small and a high percent of the farmers are illiterate which accounts for so many people remaining on farms. Even though agricultural development is under the National Economic and Social Development Plan, new methods of farming are not easily accessible to the small farmers. They still follow their ancestor's methods of cultivating, irrigating, and harvesting their crops. Most farmers operate subsistent farm units. They plant enough rice for their own family for the year and if all the rice is not consumed it is sold. They are not familiar with modern agricultural science: fertilizer, soils, plants, mechanization, entomology or market demands. Farm boys and girls have to drop out of school in low grade levels because the farmer cannot afford school expenses. Young people are expected to help their families on the farms. The younger generation will likely follow in the footsteps of their parents unless additional educational opportunities are provided. Extension Service can be a way of providing informal education to farmers and their families.