Farmers happiness index improves from previous year

OAE secretary-general Rapheephat Chansriwong revealed on Thursday (December 19) that the OAE has surveyed and compiled the happiness index of Thai farmers nationwide to be used in formulating the agricultural development master plan, which is part of the government’s 12th National Economic and Social Development Plan. “Thai farmers’ happiness index in 2018 stands at 80.29, which indicates a fairly good happiness level, and is a slight increase from the previous year’s at 78.94,” he said.
“This happiness index can be broken down into subcategories, each carrying different levels of happiness,” he added. “Aspects that have a high level of happiness include sanitary (98.17) and social (90.98), while happiness in the economic aspect is in middle level (75.27). Aspects that require improvement are environmental (67.18) and educational (54.22).
“When divided by region, statistics show that Southern farmers have highest level of happiness at 81.81, followed by Northern (81.67), Central (81.14) and the Northeastern farmers at 79.31,” he said. “Meanwhile, the overall happiness index for the health aspects of farmers nationwide are at excellent level.
Pholchet Tracho, director of Agricultural Development and Policy Office, added that the development of farmers’ quality of life must be continuous and maintain the balance across different regions to reduce disparity, especially in the economic aspect. “Farmers should adhere to the principle of the sufficiency economy, which enables them to rely on themselves and reduce their setting up debts,” he said. “Furthermore, educational development must be enforced especially in elderly farmers, so that they can transfer the knowledge and personal experience to new generation farmers with the help of modern technologies.”