DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cz8w9gjfh
title: Raw data from: Paddy farmers' awareness and knowledge of agroforestry practices in Siburan, Sarawak

description: Rice is an important staple food, and the main source of income and
 livelihood especially for rural communities in Malaysia. However, the area
 under rice cultivation in Malaysia has decreased due to poor quality of
 rice fields due to low productivity and climate change. Agroforestry is a
 system that combines trees with crops or livestock. It not only
 counteracts the effects of climate change by increasing the resilience of
 agriculture, but also combats poverty, food security and land degradation.
 The aim of this study was to determine the awareness and perception of
 rice farmers in Siburan, Sarawak, towards agroforestry. The data for the
 study was obtained through questionnaire-based interviews in Kampung
 Skuduk and Kampung Chupak. Statistical tests were used to analyze and
 compare the data. Farmers’ knowledge of agroforestry practices was
 limited, especially among non-agroforestry practitioners. There is no
 significant income difference between agroforestry practitioners and
 non-agroforestry practitioners as agroforestry is practiced on a small
 scale and for household consumption as there are no commercial market
 opportunities for the products. Governmental or non-governmental
 organizations should organize educational activities on agroforestry to
 disseminate information on these practices appropriate to the education
 level and age group of the target farmers. Awareness raising and
 information dissemination activities are important as lack of awareness
 hinders the implementation of agroforestry, e.g. through awareness
 campaigns and training programs on agroforestry. The results of this study
 will serve as a guide for the authority to plan measures to increase the
 knowledge and importance of the agroforestry sector and the implementation
 of agroforestry.
description: <strong>Study area</strong> This
 study was conducted in Kampung Skuduk and Kampung Chupak in Siburan
 District, Serian Division. Kg. Skuduk and Kg. Chupak is one of the wet
 paddy cultivation areas in Sarawak where rice is cultivated twice a year
 (Musa et al., 2021) and a successful pilot project for wet paddy
 cultivation (iM Sarawak ‘Wet Paddy Cultivation Program’) (Kong, 2014). The
 most important economic activity for the local population in Kg. Skuduk
 and Kg. Chupak is rice cultivation, according to the Siburan agricultural
 officer (personal communication). According to Jabatan Pertanian Daerah
 Siburan (Siburan District Department of Agriculture), there are about 89
 rice farmers registered for 2023, most of whom are majority Bidayuh ethnic
 group and Christian. <strong>Data
 collection</strong> Data were collected through a
 formal questionnaire survey and interviews with registered rice farmers in
 Siburan. To ensure the representativeness of our sample, we collaborated
 with the Jabatan Pertanian Daerah Siburan (Siburan District Department of
 Agriculture) to identify a diverse group of respondents. Participants for
 this study were selected using purposive sampling to ensure the inclusion
 of individuals actively engaged in rice farming. This approach allowed us
 to focus on participants who could provide detailed insights into the
 practices, challenges, and knowledge associated with rice farming in the
 region. To achieve geographic and demographic diversity, we identified
 participants from different villages across the study area, considering
 factors such as age, farming experience, and land size.
 The selection process aimed to capture a range of perspectives,
 ensuring representation of both small-scale and larger-scale farmers.
 Efforts were also made to balance educational levels within the sample by
 including participants with varying degrees of formal education. However,
 we acknowledge that the sample reflects the broader demographic trends of
 rice farmers in the region, where the majority tend to be older
 individuals. This age distribution aligns with regional statistics
 indicating that younger generations are less involved in traditional
 farming practices. The questionnaire contained open-ended questions that
 sought respondents’ opinions and closed-ended questions that included a
 menu of response options. The 5-point Likert scale was used to assess
 respondents’ knowledge, awareness and perception. The scales used in this
 study are (1 = very aware, 2 = aware, 3 = not sure, 4 = not aware, 5 = not
 aware at all) for knowledge and awareness. The
 questionnaires consisted of seven sections: i) General socio-demographic
 information of the respondents; ii) General information on rice
 cultivation; iii) Respondents’ perception of rice cultivation; iv)
 Awareness and knowledge on agroforestry practices; v) Respondents’
 awareness on the benefits of agroforestry; vi) Respondents’ perception on
 agroforestry practices; and vii) The challenges in adopting agroforestry
 practices. For this study, we categorized agroforestry practices to
 include both tree-based systems and annual crop intercropping systems.
 This inclusive categorization reflects the diverse agroecological
 strategies adopted by farmers in the study area. Farmers practicing
 tree-based agroforestry (e.g., rubber, fruit trees, or oil palm with rice)
 and non-tree-based intercropping (e.g., rice intercropped with maize or
 vegetables) were analysed under the broader agroforestry framework. This
 approach allows us to capture the spectrum of agroecological practices and
 better understand their socio-economic and environmental implications. The
 decision to stop conducting interviews was guided by the principle of data
 saturation. Data saturation occurs when no new themes, patterns, or
 significant insights emerge from additional interviews, indicating that
 further data collection is unlikely to contribute substantially to the
 research findings. In this study, saturation was reached after conducting
 approximately 43 interviews with paddy farmers. After the interview, the
 paddy field of the respondent agroforestry practitioners was visited to
 verify the information provided by the agroforestry practitioners and to
 determine the type of agroforestry practiced.
 <strong>Data analysis</strong> The
 data obtained from the interview and the questionnaires were analyzed
 using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). An unpaired
 t-test was used to compare the data and find a significant difference
 between respondents practicing agroforestry and respondents not practicing
 agroforestry. Chi-square test of independence was used to determine the
 significant difference between agroforestry practitioners and
 non-agroforestry practitioners. Since farmers in the study area practice
 agroforestry on a small scale, agroforestry practitioners in this study
 are rice farmers who grow other crops near their rice field and
 non-agroforestry practitioners are farmers who grow only rice in the
 field. The data for the Likert scale on knowledge and awareness were
 analyzed according to the method of Alonazi et al. (2019). The weighted
 means were calculated for the Likert scales, from Strongly Agree=1 to
 Strongly Disagree=5, (Table 1) to determine the trend of the composite
 score (Alonazi et al. 2019). The weighted averages are calculated using
 the formula; Weighted mean = Σ(w)n (x̄)n/Σ(w)n. where, x̄ = the mean value
 of the set of given data. w = corresponding weight for each
 observation.
description: # Raw data from: Paddy farmers' awareness and knowledge of
 agroforestry practices in Siburan, Sarawak
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cz8w9gjfh](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cz8w9gjfh) ## Description of the data and file structure The data collected focuses on paddy farmers in Siburan, Sarawak, and their awareness and knowledge of agroforestry practices. It encompasses various aspects, including the demographic characteristics of the respondents, reasons for practicing or not practicing agroforestry, and details on the specific agroforestry methods employed. Additionally, the data highlights the perceived benefits of agroforestry practices as recognized by the farmers and provides insights into their knowledge and perceptions of agroforestry. This comprehensive dataset aims to understand the level of awareness, adoption, and the challenges or motivations faced by paddy farmers regarding agroforestry practices in the region. ### Files and variables #### File: RAW\_DATA-PADDY\_FARMERS\_\_AWARENESS\_AND\_KNOWLEDGE\_OF\_AGROFORESTRY\_PRACTICES\_IN\_SIBURAN\_\_SARAWAK.xlsx #### **Data Files** 1. **Demographic**\ Contains demographic details of respondents, including: * **Respondents**: Unique identifier for respondents. * **A2_VILLAGE**: Village code.(1 = Chupak, 2 = Skuduk) * **A3_AGE**: Age group (1 = 35-44, 2 = 45-54, 3 = 55-64, 4 = More than 65). * **A4_GENDER**: Gender (1 = Male, 2 = Female). * **A5_MARRIAGE**: Marital status (1 = Single, 2 = Married, 3 = Divorced/Widowed). * **A6_ETHNIC**: Ethnic group code.(1 = Iban,2 = Bidayuh, 3 = Chinese, 4 = Orang Ulu, 5 = Others) * **A7_RELIGION**: Religion code.(1 = Islam, 2 = Christian) * **A8_EDUCATION**: Education level (1 = No formal education, 2 = Primary education, 3 = Secondary education 4 = Tertiary education). * **A9_HOUSEHOLD**: Household size (0 = Not available, 1 = Less than 3, 2 = 4-6, 3 = 7-6, 4 = More than 10). * **A10_PADDY CULTIVATION FACTOR(X)**: Factors influencing paddy cultivation (1 = Main income, 2 = Extra income, 3 = Maintain the culture, 4 = Hobby, 5 = Maintain land ownership, 6 = Maintain the paddy breed). * **A11_STATUS AS PADDY FARMERS**: Employment status as paddy farmers (1 = Full time, 2 = Part time). * **A12_OCCUPATION**: Current occupation (0 = Not available, 1 = Government sector, 2 = Private sector, 3 = Self-employed). * **A13_MONTHLY INCOME**: Monthly income range (1 = Less than RM1300, 2 = RM1301-RM1400, 3 = RM1401-RM1700, 4 = More than RM1700). * **A14_SIDE INCOME**: Presence of side income (0 = Not available, 1 = Less than RM1300, 2 = RM1301-RM1400, 3 = RM1401-RM1700, 4 = More than RM1700 ). * **A15_PADDY CULTIVATION EXPERIENCE**: Years of paddy cultivation experience (1 = Less tha 4 years, 2 = 5-10, 3 = 11-20, 4 = More than 21 years). 2. **Reason Practicing and Not Practicing**\ Explores reasons for practicing or not practicing agroforestry: * **RESPONDENTS**: Unique identifier. * **C1_CONSUME**: Rice for household comsumption (0 = Not available, 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **C2_SELL**: Selling rice (0 = Not available, 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **C3_SELL EXTRA**: Selling extra rice from comsumption (0 = Not available, 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **C3_REASON**: Reasons for selling (text). * **C4_YIELD**: Yield performance (1 = Increase, 2 = Decrease, 3 = Same). * **C5_IN 5YRS**: Continue to cultivate rice in 5 years (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 =Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). * **C6_PROFITABLE**: Perceived profitability of rice cultivation (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 =Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). 3. **Practicing Agro**\ Details on agroforestry practices: * **RESPONDENTS**: Unique identifier. * **D1_AGRO**: Agroforestry participation (1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **D2_HEARD**: Awareness of agroforestry (1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **D3_KNOWLEDGE**: Level of knowledge (1 = very aware, 2 = aware, 3 = not sure, 4 = not aware, 5 = not aware at all). * **D4_BENEFITS**: Awareness of benefits (1 = very aware, 2 = aware, 3 = not sure, 4 = not aware, 5 = not aware at all). * **D5_STARTED AGRO**: Start of agroforestry practices (0 = Not available, 1 = Since started paddy cultivation, 2 = Few years after paddy cultivation, 3 = Lately). * **D6_INFLUENCES(X)**: Influences to start agroforestry (0 = Not available, 1 = Self-taught, 2 = Older generation, 3 = Friends, 4 = Media, 5 = Government agency, 6 = Non Government agency). * **D7_REASON(X)**: Reasons for participation (0 = Not available, 1 = Food source, 2 = Extra income, 3 = Others). * **D8_REASON NO AGRO(X)**: Reasons for not practicing (0 = Not available, 1 = Maintenance, 2 = Land access, 3 = Knowledge, 4 = Disturbing). * **D9_WANT TO AGRO**: Interest in starting agroforestry (0 = Not available, 1 = Yes, 2 = No). 4. **Benefits of Agro**\ Insights into perceived benefits of agroforestry: * **RESPONDENTS**: Unique identifier. * **D1_AGRO**: Agroforestry participation ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **E1_YIELD**: Improvement in yield ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **E2_SOIL FERTILITY**: Impact on soil fertility ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **E3_PEST**: Pest control benefits ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **E5_JOB OPPORTUNITY**: Job opportunities created ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **E6_FOOD SECURITY**: Food security improvement ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **E7_CLIMATE**: Impact on climate resilience ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). * **E8_EROSION**: Reduction in soil erosion ( 1 = Yes, 2 = No). 5. **Knowledge and Perception**\ Perceptions and recommendations related to agroforestry: * **RESPONDENTS**: Unique identifier. * **F1_BENEFITS**: Perception of benefits (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 =Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). * **F2_RECOMMEND**: Willingness to recommend (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 = Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). * **F3_INCREASE AGRICULTURE**: Belief in increased agricultural productivity (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 =Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). * **F4_PRACTICE IN AGRICULTURE**: Practice level (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 = Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). * **F5_AWARENESS ACTIVITY**: Awareness activities participated (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 =Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). * **F6_WORKSHOP SKILL**: Workshop participation and skill enhancement (1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Not sure, 4 =Disagree,5 = Strongly disagree). --- #### **Variable Abbreviations and Definitions** * **X**: Placeholder for multiple related variables (e.g., D6_INFLUENCES1, D6_INFLUENCES2). * **Binary**: 1 = Yes, 0 = No. * **Categorical**: Ordinal or nominal scales. * **Numeric**: Representing numeric values (e.g., age, household size, years). --- #### **Missing Values** * Missing data is indicated by: * Blank cells. * "NA" or zeros in categorical and binary variables. ## Code/software ### **Software Description** * **Name:** Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) * **Version Used:** IBM SPSS Statistics Version 28 (or compatible versions)