Abstract :
Rice is the main crop grown in Cambodia and in many parts of the world. In Cambodia, people use rice as a main dish for their daily food and for income generation. Therefore, farmers employ different farming strategies (e.g., pest and disease treatments) and inputs (e.g., fertilizers) to optimize rice productivity. This study aims to 1) assess the farming input uses and rice productivity in Battambang and Svay Rieng provinces, Cambodia; 2) determine the factors that affect rice productivity; and 3) predict rice productivity based on farming inputs. As methodology, a survey was conducted by selecting 148 samples from 7 villages, 2 communes, and 2 districts in Battambang and Svay Rieng provinces. Data were collected and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods such as frequency, descriptive, cross-table, chisquare, one-sample t-test, and p-value probability. The results found that the average number of farmer family members involved in agricultural production was 2 people, or 70%. Farmers land sizes range from 2-4 ha, or 40%. The type of chemical fertilizer farmers used to grow their rice the most is DAP (66%). The farmers land size used in rice productivity affects each family's rice productivity by almost 93%. The quality of rice seed is most affected by rice productivity by increasing rice yields by about 86%. Pesticides have the greatest impact on rice productivity, increasing rice yields by 91%. Rice productivity is almost entirely affected by chemical fertilizer. Farmers should reduce chemical fertilizers and start using organic and natural fertilizers because they provide good quality and safe rice. The government and NGOs should be more active in setting up the agricultural policy of the government mandate on rice production by providing technical support to farmers. Researchers and the next study may deeply conduct research by gaining experience about rice production by using Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) with farmers to find out the impact on rice yield and quality for consumers.
Keyword :
Rice variety, natural fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, and rice yield.