Factor determinants of income structure and labor structure of farm household in Nonthaburi province: A case study of rice and vegetable households

Objectives of the study were 1) to study income structure, labor structure, income distribution and labor productivity; and 2) to determine the factors affecting income structure and labor structure. A total of 102 households involving in rice and vegetable farming in Sai Noi and Bang Bua Tong districts, Nonthaburi province, were respondents in this study. Interrelationships between variables analyzed using the regression analysis through the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method, Gini coefficient and the concept of marginal productivity of labor. Findings indicated the role and magnitude of farm income, off-farm income, farm labor and off-farm labor in influencing structure of income and movement of farm labor in the studied area. Especially, the percentage of farm income of vegetable growers were higher than off farm income (77.56 percent, 22.44 percent). The percentage of farm income of rice farmers were less than off farm income (37.63 percent, 62.37 percent). The significant factor affecting income structure of both categories respondent was only the area cultivated. The off-farm income of rice farmers, however, was affected by the level of education of household heads, number of family members and wages of agricultural labor. The off farm income of vegetable growers was maintained by agricultural labor wages only. In the part, the percentage of off-farm labor of both categories of respondent was higher than that of the farm labor (86.94 percent and 13.05 percent, 53.15 percent and 46.49 percent). The factor affecting farm labor of rice farmers were age of household head, number of family members, number of children over 13 years, off farm labor were number of family members and off farm wages. The factor affecting farm labor of vegetables growers was number of family members while that for off-farm labor were number of family members, number of children age between 6-13 years and off farm wages. The study also found from Gini coefficient that source of off-farm income helped reduce the difference of income distribution among rice and vegetable growers. The average of labor productivity of both categories respondents were 21.63 and 54.60 Baht per hour. With all these findings, some sound policy recommendations can then be drawn for better planning and development of agricultural sector in Nonthaburi province.