Selected social factors related to farmers' participation in Irrigators Association in Nueva Ecija, Philippines

The findings of the present study revealed that most of the respondents in the three categories were males, married and had 7-10 years of schooling. The down-stream respondents were younger in age than the up-stream and the mid-stream respondents. Likewise, the down-stream respondents belonged to small-sized families, while the up-stream and the mid-stream respondents belonged to large -sized families. Owner-operator and tenant were most prevalent tenancy status in the up-stream, while tenant and amortizing owner were most prevalent in the mid-stream and the down-stream. The largest part of the cultivated area was concentrated in the hands of a relative small number, however, the mid-stream dominated in large cultivated area over the up-stream and the down-stream. The mid-stream respondents had more farm income than the up-stream and the down-stream respondents. The up-stream respondents reported having more contacts with change agents, attended more number of trainings and more dry season water availability than the mid-stream and down-stream respondents. The up-stream and down-stream respondent dominated the mid-stream respondents with respect to their value-orientation and agricultural knowledge. Less number of conflicts was reported in the up-stream and the down-stream as compared to the mid-stream. Furthermore, a well defined functioning principle and technique was observed in the up-stream association, which was lacking in both the mid-stream assocation and the down-stream farmers. The up-stream respondents were more participative than the mid-stream. In the case of association, statistical tests indicated that there is significant and negative association between the participation in different irrigation activities and the following variables: Educational attainment, farm size, farm income, distance of the residence and number of conflicts. On the other hand productivity, contact with change agents, number of training, water availability in the dry-season, distance of the farm, value orientation, agricultural knowledge, and extent of people power were significantly and positively associated with participation