There was no statistically significant difference in rice yield between the two groups. In fact the average yield of farmers who did not use pesticide and herbicide was higher than that of the other. According to farmers, the weed problem was not serious, because they kept the water level in the paddy field deep which prevented the growth of weeds. As the farmers use paddy fields and canals for many purposes other than rice cultivation, for example, for fishing, cattle or water-buffalo grazing, and bathing, they do not simply manage the area only to achieve the maximum production of rice. Especially, fish is an important source of protein for farmers, if the fish production had decreased, the nutritional condition of farmers would have been affected.
Farmers give high priority to human health.
According to their ethno-etiology, poison causes serious illness to living things. They refuse to handle pesticide and herbicide if they feel ill when they use them. Especially after the outbreak of a fish disease in the Muda area, farmers strongly considered pesticide and herbicide to be poisonous. Farmers give high priority to personal decision making. Farmers do not have a hierarchical organization in which leaders can force farmers to use pesticide and herbicide.