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Net farm income per household
The adopters of mungbean before rice had higher net farm incomes per
household than nonadopters. Comparisons of net farm incomes of adopters and
nonadopters indicated that the new technologies contributed to an improvement
in income. Among small and medium farmers, adopters and nonadopters outside
the project area had higher farm incomes than nonadopters ~vithin the project
area. It appeared that farming in Dok Kham Tai was generally not as productive
as it should have been even with improved technologies. Without new
technologies, farm income in Dok Kham Tai was significantly less than in other
districts, especially for small farmers. Farmers in Dok Kham Tai had high farm
incomes only if they operated large farms.
Farm expenditure
Farm expenditures were, on the average, higher among adopters than
nonadopters both in and outside the project area, part~cularly for small- and
medium-size farms.
Off-farm and nonfarm occupation and income per household
Adopters obtained more income from farming; whereas, nonadopters in the
project area derived income from nonfarm and off-farm sources. Off-farm
income per household \rras higher for nonadopters in the project area
(THB22,841) than for adopters (THB9,703) and for nonadopters outside the
project area (THB3,114). Off-farm employment sources included construction
work, furniture making, vehicle repairs, sewing, farm Iabor, handicrafts, and
processing and sale of farm products. Among nonadopters in Dok Kham Tai,
salary-earning jobs were also available. Nonadopters in large farms both in and
outside the project areas had higher farm irlconies than adopters. Nonadopters
with large farms within the project area also had higher farm incomes because
their average farm size \vas larger (6.2 ha) than that of adapters (4.8 ha). For the
nonadopters outside the project area, rice cultivation was more productive
(3,806 kg/ha) than for adopters (3,250 kg/ha); therefore, the farni income of the
nonadopters was higher.
The availability of off-farm and nonfarm occupations in the project area
positively contributed to the adoption of labor-saving technology (e.g.,
mechanical seeder). Given the availability of off-farm job opportunities in the
project area, it is expected that the potenti:ll to expand DSR (labor-sa\zitig) is
greater than the potential for mungbean before rice (labor-usir?g).
Labor use
The introduction of mungbean before rice contributed to grzater use of
labor in May-July. Without mungbean before rice, labor was not used except