Training needs of rice farmers under national and communal irrigation systems in Nueva Ecija, Philippines

The result revealed that the average age of the respondents from the CIS [communal irrigation system] was 47.42 years and 47.87 years from those in the NIS [national irrigation system]. The mean number of years of schooling of those in the CIS was 6.61 years and 6.20 years from those in the NIS. They had an average farm size of 1.96 ha (CIS) and 1.97 ha (NIS) and an annual average family income of P41,554.94 (CIS) and P47,661.33 (NIS). About 34 percent of those from the CIS attended trainings and 35 percent of those from the NIS in rice production, and 83 percent of the respondents in both irrigation systems were members of farmer's organizations. About 50 percent of the CIS respondents and 78 percent of the NIS farmers were visited by the technicians. Those who visited model farms were 32.36 percent under CIS farmers and 40 percent NIS respondents. The CIS respondents reported "weedicide application" in rice production is the training they needed most. Among the related areas for training besides rice production was "marketing of farm produce" which they felt as the most urgently needed. On the other hand, the respondents of NIS said they needed most the training in "control of diseases" in rice. Related areas which most of them indicated they needed training was in "swine production". Of the 12 selected factors, those found significantly related to the respondents' perceptions were training in related areas, leadership in organization, and mass media used. Educational attainment was also found significantly related to the respondents' perception on training needs. The results also showed that tenurial status had significant relationship with farmers perception of training needs in rice production both in CIS and NIS. However, only the perceptions of the NIS respondents were significantly associated in related areas. The respondents' perceptions of training needs differed significantly between CIS and NIS.