Advocacy for and implementation of the good Agricultural Practice on baby corn (Zea mays L.) production in the Kingdom of Thailand

This study described the advocacy strategies of the private sector in promoting good Agricultural Practice (GAP) for baby corn under the Food Safety Program in the Kingdom of Thailand. It specifically aimed to: 1) identify the components of the advocacy strategies; 2) find out other sources of information about the GAP on baby corn production outside the private sector; 3) describe the farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and Practices (KAP) on baby corn production; and 4) determine the relationship between a) the private sectors' advocacy strategies, and b) other sources of information on GAP aside from private sector and the farmers' KAP regarding GAP on baby corn production. Data were gathered among 161 baby corn farmers in Tha Maka district, Kanchanaburi Province using an interview schedule; and with the private company using key informant interview. Most of the respondents were female, married, elementary school graduates, and with a mean age age 45.57 years. They farmed on average of 6.73 rai and earned a mean income of 56,313.66 baht (approximately US $ 1,482). About half of the respondents were members of an organization. Most of the respondents learned about GAP on baby corn production in 2004 and 55 percent of them learned about it from government organizations. Messages about GAP were usually about the benefits/advantages of employing GAP such as the proper growing of baby corn. Group method was the most widely method used to disseminate information to the respondents. It was also preferred most by the respondents followed by individual method. Less than half of the respondents attended training and also less than half said that private companies conducted home visits. Most of the respondents preferred information sources from the government organization because they felt confident towards them. Nearly half of the respondents got information about GAP from other sources such as interpersonal source (e.g., wholesalers, local officers, quota leaders) and mass media (e.g., pamphlets, newsletters, newspapers, T.V news and advertisements, and booklets). Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient analysis at 0.05 level of significance showed significant relationships for various factors between a) the private sector's advocacy strategies and b) other source of information on GAP aside from the private sector and farmers' KAP regarding GAP on baby corn production. The study recommends promoting GAP among farmers by disseminating messages about the educational approach.