The perceived farm management educational needs of farmers in the northeast region of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil
[Thesis]
M. d. G. Arede
L. Miller
The Ohio State University
1994
166
Ph.D.
The Ohio State University
1994
Brazil has been recognized as one of the largest agricultural producing countries in the world. The Northeast region of the Rio Grande do Sul State has predominantly small farms in the rural area. This study was conducted to describe the perceived farm management educational needs of farmers in the Northeast region of the Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil, considering their level of formal and informal/non formal education, age, profitability, the size of the farm, accessibility to markets, and the type of enterprise. The research design employed in this study was relational. The target population was the small farmers in Brazil (n = 359), who had a farm size as 50 hectares or less (110 acres or less). The variables were measured through interview using a Likert-type scale. Farmers studied and the average was four years of education. The average manager's helper had five years of school. The head of the family was, an average age of 53 years. Farmers infrequently used informal education. The average distance between the farm and the market was 17 km (10.57 miles). The average size was 19 ha (41.8 acres). The conditions of the roads in general were partially good-partially bad. Seventy-four percent of the farmers sold were cooperative members. Twenty-seven percent of the farmers received most of their income from crop production, and 73% of the farmers earned most of their income from animal production. Management was measured as planning, controlling and implementing. Farmers needs in planning were 5.4. The highest need identified by the farmers was in controlling 6.71. Farmers reported having needs in implementing as: crop production 3.42; milk and hog production 3.45; poultry production 0.64 (range: 4 to 20). The multiple regression presented a low level of explanation, R2 = 0.27. The variables statistically significant were: type of enterprise, size of the farm, type of co-manager and formal education of the co-manager.