IJERD ± International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2018) 9-2

Research article

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

erd

NAING KYI WIN*
Yezin Agricultural University, Zeyarthiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
Email: naing_kyi9@yahoo.com

KYAW KYAW WIN
Yezin Agricultural University, Zeyarthiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

CHO CHO SAN
Yezin Agricultural University, Zeyarthiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

NYEIN NYEIN HTWE
Yezin Agricultural University, Zeyarthiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
Received 30 December 2017

Accepted 25 October 2018(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract This study focus on changing attitudes of rice farmers towards hybrid riceproduction from the view of the theory of attitude change. This study aims to determine
fac o infl encing he fa me a i de o h b id ice p od c ion i h ega d o fa me
personal characters, technological knowledge and access to extension services. Thisempirical study was conducted during May to September, 2017, in Nay Pyi Taw council
a ea, M anma . Da a e e ga he ed en a iable fo fa me pe onal cha ac e , fif een
a iable fo he fa me
echnological knowledge and twelve variables for extension
contacts by using interview schedule from 198 randomly selected rice farmers and wereanalyzed by using multiple regression models. The study revealed that 64.6% of farmers
changed attitudes to hybrid rice p od c ion. I a ob e ed ha ed ca ion , o ce ofinfo ma ion f om go e nmen and non go e nmen o gani a ione e po i i el
ignifican ela ed b
famil labo
a nega i el ignifican infl ence o h b id ice
production. Besides, farmer
echnological kno ledge
ch a
eed
ali
e ,
plan ing den i , i iga ion me hod and pe and di ea e con ol me hodeepo i i el ignifican ela ed o h b id ice p od c ion. E en ion con ac aaining ahighly significant ela ed o fa me
a i de change. Ho e e , field le el e en ion
agen , fa me o fa me e en ion , NGO con ace e nega i el ignifican ela ed
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 andmachinery problems. Create opportunity to access micro finance and encourage to private
sector participation and also market opportunity. Moreover, clear policy implication isneeded and change to effective communication with training using practical design andpa icipa o app oach manne o fa me a i de change in M anma .
Keywords attitudes, hybrid rice, influencing factors, rice farmers, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

INTRODUCTION
Rice emain he o ld mo impo an food commodi , pa ic la l in A ia, b i i facechanging such climate change, degradation of farming areas, decrease water availability, andincrease population. In Myanmar, the agriculture sector is the largest contributor to the growth innational economy and contributes at least 24% to GDP, 25% to its export earnings and employs
60% of the labor force and rice is the most important commodity in the agricultural sector,(Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, 2015). The ultimate goal of the rice sector
strategy is a food-secure nation where small holder farmers have tripled their household income,Ⓒ ISERD

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including income derived from rice and rice based farming, there by enjoying decent standard ofliving comparable to that of urban dwellers (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation,2015).
In Myanmar, total rice growing area was 17.17 million acres, around 1400 million baskets ofproduction and 74.37 baskets of yield per acre in 2016-17 growing season (Rice Division, DOA,
2017). Hybrid rice cultivation was initiated in 2011, monsoon and increased year by year up to
2.1% of total rice growing area shown in Fig.4 and 7.6% for study area Fig.3. Rice production
fa me income co ld be inc ea ed by altering production of hybrid rice which will be the yield of
hybrid rice is 15-20% better than the local variety and currently cultivated high yielding variety.
Besides it could be successful 200 baskets (potential yield) per acre if it had systematic and propercare and consequently resulting in alleviating of poverty and better living standard of Myanmar
farmers (DOA, 2015). Similar with other developing countries, agricultural sector, particularly therice sector is radically changing in Myanmar. Population is gradually increasing and riceproduction areas are decreasing due to the so many purpose. Now, climate change situation is startaffected to Myanmar rice growing farmers. Therefore, productivity of rice become low and quality
is not adequate. As a result of this, there will be serious to food security and decreasing income ofice fa me . The efo e, fa me a i de ha he need o be changed and g o comme cial eed
like hybrid rice seeds from inbred rice. Aims of study were: (1) to characte i e fa me a i detowards hybrid rice production with regard to personal factors, technological knowledge and accesso e en ion con ac , (2) o iden if he infl encing fac o of fa me a i de o a d h b id ice
production and also intervention factors.
METHODOLOGY
There was 53,876 rice growing farmers in total representing about 163,678 acres in Nay Pyi Taw
area. Out of which 51,597 farmers were inbred rice growing farmers and 2,279 farmers are hybrid
rice growing farmers (DOA, 2016). This study was conducted in Nay Pyi Taw council area
including Pyinmana, Lewe, Dekkhinathiri, Zabuthiri, Tatkone, Pobbathiri, Zeyarthiri, andOttarathiri Townships. Secondary data collection gathered from divisional office and townshipoffice in Nay Pyi Taw. A total 16 village tracts (two village tracts per each township) were selectedo cha ac e i e and iden if he fa me a i de o a d h b id ice p od c ion. One h nd ed andninety eight farmers were randomly selected based on list of the rice growing farmers from selectedvillage tracts, Fig. 1 (A and B).

Fig. 1 (A) Study area

Fig. 1 (B) Map of Myanmar

Attitudes are learned or established predisposition to response (Zimbardo and Leippe, 1991).
(Zanna and Rempel, 1988) viewed attitude as having many causes. Attitude is not directly
observable, but the action and behaviors to which they contribute may be observed (Bendar andLevie, 1993). There are factors that intervene between attitude and behavior which would cause
pe on beha io o be incon i en i h hi o he a i de (Schafe and John, 1986). The e fac oⒸ ISERD

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incl de a pe on habi , ocial no m and e pec ed consequences of behavior. Theoreticalf ame o k of a i de and change o h b id ice p od c ion a fo med ba ed on fa me
personal factors which could be influenced to change the adoptive attitudes towards hybrid rice andother novel technologies. Moreove , he diffe ence among ice fa me
belief and beha io
intend to identify technological knowledge and way of communication with extension personal
specifically towards hybrid rice, through intervention factors as shown in Fig. 2.

Personal
Characterss

Technological
Knowledge

Extension
Contacts

Intervention Factors
Change toHybrid Rice
Production

Fig. 2 Conceptual Framework
A total of 37 independent variables having some bearing on the dependent variables wereiden ified fo incl ion in he d . Ten a iable of he fa me pe onal cha ac e ; age, gende ,marital status, and level of education, family labor, income, membership in organization,
availability of credit, source of information including government and non government. Fifteena iable of he fa me
echnological kno ledge: a ie al name, eed ali
e , eed a e,sowing method, cover of seeds after sowing, seedling age, seedling per hill, planting density,
fertilizer application method, irrigation method, weed control, treatment to get the effective tiller,
pests and diseases control, time of water drainage before harvest, harvest time, and twelve variablesof extension contacts; individual, group, mass media and farmers to farmers extension, contact with
NGOs and input dealers were collected to understand and attitude towards hybrid rice. Interview
schedule included open-ended and closed questions which were related to variables mentioned
above were prepared and data were analyzed by using multiple regression models with SPSS ver.
16.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Hybrid rice originated from breeding of two different parent types. In the process of hybrid seedproduction, two different parental strains bred artificially and the new generation is F 1. Thisimp o ed igo i hybrid vigor o heterosis . Hybrid vigor is generally higher in agronomic
characteristics, therefore they generally more yield than their parents. Broadly speaking, hybrid rice
has two advantages: i) advantage in terms of high yields in comparison to inbred varieties and ii)
advantage in term of economic profitability due to higher total sales (more rice to sell) for thealmo he ame capi al in e men (Pe e e al, 2016). The d e ealed ha 64.6% of fa me
attitudes to hybrid rice production and 35.4% of farmers had no attitudes to hybrid rice production.
Adopted farmers were really accepted to hybrid rice production and non adopted farmers havegiven the top reasons as poor grain quality and lower market price for hybrid rice grain and lack ofawareness and high cost of seed, the results of study similarly pointed out by (Spielman et al.,2013).
Demographic Characteristics of the RespondentsⒸ ISERD

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The findings revealed that 84.4% and 15.6% of the respondents were male farmers and female
farmers. The average age of the sample farmers was 45 years in the range maximum 70 andminimum 25 years. An average farm size was 5 acres and majority of farmers have formal
education and 13.1% of them possessed Bachelor Degree and Diploma education level and 51.1%
of farmers were membership in organizations.

Fig. 3 Hybrid rice growing acre in Nay Pyi Taw

Fig. 4 Hybrid growing acre in Myanmar

Influential Farmers Personal Characters to Hybrid Rice ProductionThid al o e ealed ha among en of fa me pe onal cha ac e , le el of ed ca ion ahighly significant to hybrid rice production. Therefore, more educated the farmer is, the more likely
he/she will adopt hybrid rice, possibly because he/she can get more information and understand on
hybrid production. This result was consistent with earlier literatures of (Nirmala et al., 2013). The
result showed that o ce of info ma ion f om go e nmen
a highl ignifican a ocia ed ando ce of info ma ion f om non-go e nmen
a al o high ignifican ela ed o h b id ice
production. In this context, DOA was the main information source because technology trickles
down to farmers and local NGO supported the awareness by doing the technical training. Thesefindings were (Cavane, 2011) also similarly indicated that source of information supported to learn
and raise awareness and particularly public extension to strengthen the fa me a i de change.
Similarly, Jegede et al., (2007) men ioned in hei pape ha fa me pe onal cha ac e ha esome influence on their perception of innovations and their decision to adopt or reject suchinnovation.

Table 1 Influential farmers personal characters to hybrid rice production
Statement

Coefficient

1. Age2. Gender
3. Marital status
4. Level of education
5. Family labor
6. Income
7. Membership in organization
8. Credit
9. Source of information fromgovernment
10. Source of information from nongovernment-0.0460.73-0.5270.476-0.2170.161-0.0660.352
1.507

Significant
0.83
0.13
0.331
0.009***
0.093**
0.192
0.845
0.556
0.004***

Expected Coefficient
0.955
2.074
0.59
1.609
0.805
1.174
0.936
1.423
4.512

1.066

0.065**

2.904

Note *** ** and * indicate statistically significant at (0.001), (0.01) and (0.05) respectively

Moreover, family labor was negatively high significant related toward hybrid rice, it impliedthat most of family labors were not engaged farming. Furthermore, no significant associated wasobserved in age, gender, marital status, income, membership organization and credit (Table 1).
These findings were similarly pointed out by Ghimire et al., (2015).
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Influential Farmers Technological Knowledge to Hybrid Rice Production
The finding indica ed ha fa me e ponded o echnical kno ledge aa e ili a ion me hoda highl ignifican and plan ing den ia high ignifican , hile seed quality test andpe and di ea e con ol a ignifican ly related to attitude of hybrid rice production. On theo he hand, fa me co ld iden if he a ie al name , eed a e , o ing me hod , co e heeed af e o ing and eedling age . Mo eo e , fa me ha e kno ledge ega ding aeedling
pe hill , fe ili e applica ion me hod , eed con ol , ime of a e d ainage befo e ha e ,ea men o ge effec i e ille , and ha e ing ime (Table 2). A a e l , hi
d poin ed
out that high-level professional training to get more knowledge on hybrid rice, farmers who
involved actively and sufficient technical assistant in the field were important factors in changing
adoption behavior. In this regard, (Pervez et al., 2016) showed that Hunan and Zhejiang provinces,in China, farmers participating in rice planting technology training were more involved in ricecultivation and got the higher yield.
Table 2 Influential farmers technological knowledge to hybrid rice production
Statement

Coefficient

1. Varietal name
2. Seed quality test
3. Seed rate
4. Sowing method
5. Cover the seed after sowing
6. Seedling age
7. Seedling per hill
8. Planting density
9. Fertilizer application method
10. Water utilization method
11.Weed control
12. Time of water drainage before harvest
13. Treatment to get the effective tillers
14. Harvest time
15. Pests and diseases control method-0.1040.771
0.001-0.7020.661-0.118-0.077
0.863
0.261
1.551
0.058
-0.778-0.054-0.0280.726

Significant
0.8
0.064*
0.998
0.265
0.283
0.839
0.86
0.048**
0.592
0.002***
0.896
0.124
0.9
0.953
0.081*

Expected
Coefficient
0.902
2.163
1.001
0.496
1.938
0.889
0.926
2.37
1.298
4.716
1.06
0.459
0.947
0.972
2.067

Note *** ** and * indicate statistically significant at (0.001), (0.01) and (0.05) respectively

Influential Farmers Extension Contact to Hybrid Rice Production
The d e ealed ha he aining a highl ignifican ela ed o a i de change of farmers
on hybrid rice production. Technical training provided to farmers to get the more knowledge andbelieved to extension personal and technology introduced by scientists. Similar finding wasreported by (Ngoc Chi and Yamada, 2002). Contrary to hi , mee ing
a nega i el highsignificant to attitude change, because meeting was not so effectiveness for farmers to accessh b id ice echnolog . Ne , hed indica ed ha he fa me o fa me e en ionanegatively high significant related to attitude change, even the farmers obtained the technologicalinformation from neighboring farmers they did not rely upon neighboring farmers for new
technology. Only consulting with neighbor farmers were not enough and they should start a trial
and consequently adopt the technology that finding was similarly indicated by (Shah et al., 2014).
Besides, farmers rely more on peer and relatives than extension offices (Rashid and Gao, 2016).
Mo eo e , field le el e en ion agenho e e nega i el ignificant associated to attitudechange, extension agents contacted to farmers through extension activities but they have low
competencies in transfer of new technology. In particular, extension officers and field extension
agents might be farmers to select the right variety and go through recommended procedure werealso important to adopt the hybrid rice production as different finding to (Shah et al., 2014). In
addi ion, NGO con ace e al o nega i el ignifican ela ed o a i de o a d h b id ice
p od c ion. On he o he hand, demon a ion and field daha co ld no pe ued to farmersⒸ ISERD

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change a i de and al o e en ion office co ld no change fa me a i de o a d h b id ice.
Inp dealee e no clea he echnolog ho e e only to sell out their products so they could
no change fa me a i de o a d h b id ice. In f he anal i , e ea ch ho ed ha he e ino ignifican ela ion hip bo h adio and ele i ion
an mi ed b b oadca ing of p blic
sector. Therefore, it is suggested that the information and presentation components of the hybrid
rice programs need to be developed (Table 3).
Table 3 Influential farmers extension contacts to hybrid rice production
Statement

CoefficientSignificant

1. Extension officer
2. Field extension agents
3. Meeting
4. Training
5. Demonstration
6. Field day
7. Radio
8. Television
9. Leaflets/Pamphlets
10. Farmer to farmer
extension
11. NGO
12.Input dealers-0.513-0.379-0.874
1.105
0.258
0.123
-0.03
0.022
0.258
-0.5420.139
0.096*
0.035**
0.005***
0.522
0.81
0.891
0.929
0.189
0.029**

Expected
Coefficient
0.599
0.685
0.417
3.019
1.294
1.131
0.971
1.022
1.295
0.581

-0.337-0.0980.055*
0.618

0.714
0.907

Note *** ** and * indicate statisticalyl significant at (0.001), (0.01) and (0.05) respectively

CONCLUSION
Acco ding o he e ea ch, mo in e en ion fac o on fa me a i dee e high eed co ,access to knowledge, low rice price in markets, cost of production and machinery to solve labors
scarcity problems. This study highlighted that the clear policy implication for enhancement ofhybrid rice in Myanmar. Create opportunity to access micro finance and encourage to private sector
to do the service providers and also market linkages are urgently needed. Hybrid rice seed Co. Ltds
have more intention to quality seed and contract farming with other associated partners and farmers
prefer to Public Private Partnership (PPP) approach. To get the key knowledge for farmers,
extension organization need to persuade by changing the effective communication with training
ing p ac ical de ign and pa icipa o app oach manne o fa me a i de change, effec i e
and efficient training are needed to understand.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Author is extremely thanks to Nay Pyi Taw Department of Agriculture and extension agents who
assist to data collection time. And also I would like to acknowledge to rice growing farmers forproviding their times and share their opinions to conduct this study.
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