ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING FARMERS' SATISFACTION WITH AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND MAIZE PRODUCTION: A CASE STUDY IN TÜRKİYE

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the satisfaction levels of farmers in the Izmir province of T & uuml;rkiye from agricultural activities and maize production, to determine the factors affecting satisfaction and to analyze the future expectations of the farmers. The study data were collected from 93 farmers using proportional sampling and faceto-face survey method. In the analysis of the data, first the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers were examined, then the economic results of maize production were analyzed. The factors that can affect the satisfaction level of farmers were first prepared on a five-point Likert scale based on the literature and then factor analysis was applied to collect the variables that were correlated with each other into one category and obtain a smaller number of factors. According to the results of the study, the average maize yield in the farms was calculated as 14,523.99 kg/ha. The average net return obtained from maize was determined as 11,406.71 TL/ha. Farmers agree that maize has advantages such as easy growing, cost advantage, storability and providing good income. It was observed that the factor that farmers agreed the most in terms of satisfaction in maize production was the profitability factor. The factors affecting the satisfaction of farmers with agricultural activity in rural areas were determined as political, environmental, economic, rural infrastructure, social and personal factors. For farmers to sustain agricultural activities, socio-economic conditions in rural areas should be improved and living in rural areas should be made attractive.