Many tropical regions are promoting the cultivation of oil palm. In this regard, different national and international organizations promote oil palm cultivation in Thailand. However, socio-economic and institutional factors are very important to be considered in the adoption of its cultivation. This study aims first to determine the various socio-economic and institutional factors in adopting oil palm cultivation, and second, to explore the role of these stated factors in the extent of the adoption of oil palm. The data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire in Seka of Bueng Kan province of Thailand. The double-hurdle model was used for the estimation of the farmers’ decision to adopt the new technology and the extent of adoption. Results show that the adoption and extent of adoption of oil palm cultivation were positively influenced by gender (male), oil palm training, and access to extension services, while the size of landholding per family member and age negatively influenced its adoption/extent. To increase the adoption rate of oil palm cultivation, young, educated farmers should be encouraged by providing training and credit and extension services should be made accessible.

This study empirically investigates the factors influencing Pakistani cotton farmers’ utilisation of marketing information sources. Data were collected by face-to-face, interviewing 399 cotton farmers. Factors and variations of the utilisation of marketing information sources were analysed using multivariate probit, chi-square, and descriptive statistics. The results revealed significant variations among farmers in the utilisation of mobile phones, internet, television, radio, newspapers, extension services, market commission agents, and fellow farmers. The findings highlighted the usage of several combinations of ICT, traditional media, extension services, and farmers’ social relations. Furthermore, key socio-economic and institutional factors influencing marketing information utilisation were discussed.

This paper empirically investigates the determinants of using smartphone-based agricultural information provided by the government. The study collected data through a field survey involving 130 vegetable farmers in the Vientiane Province of Lao PDR. The regression model results indicated that farmers’ innovativeness, literacy of ICT tools, income share from farming, farm size, farmer age, and education were significant determinants of using government-provided smartphone-based information. The findings further revealed that the information received through smartphones helped farmers improve their vegetable production and marketing practices and increased vegetable yield and profit. The findings have implications for information developers, providers, and policymakers.

Floods have caused major losses and damages to people, infrastructure, and the environment. This study aims to assess the risk perception of households prone to riverine and flash floods and the perceived damages to infrastructure and livelihoods. Data were collected from 382 households through a questionnaire survey and analyzed using chi-squared and t-tests. Overall, risk perception was higher for riverine floods. Similarly, ‘flood coping capacities’, ‘livelihood disruption’, ‘change in lifestyle/adjusting to floods’, and ‘change in the relationship’ were also high for riverine floods and statistically significant (p-value < 0.05). The ‘likelihood of future flood damages’ perception was higher for flash floods (mean values: 0.913 vs. 0.779), while the ‘infrastructural damages’ showed the same results. The perceptions of ‘livelihoods’ and perceived ‘economic loss’ were greater for riverine floods (p-value < 0.05). The perceptions of ‘livestock damages’ and ‘household damages’ were higher for flash floods.