FARMERS AS ENTREPRENEURS: A STUDY ON ENTREPRENEURIAL ATTITUDES OF VEGETABLE FARMERS IN TBOLI, SOUTH COTABATO

This study was conducted in Tboli, South Cotabato on October 2021.This aimed to investigate the entrepreneurial attitudes of vegetable farmers in Tboli with respect to the characteristics of innovation, opportunity seeking and risk taking and considers their implications for rural development efforts. Data collected were analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis to identify discreet yet meaningful categories of variables and not cases. Farmer entrepreneurial attitudes were recorded on a three-point Likert scale. Average values between points on the Likert scale were taken as the boundaries between entrepreneurial attitude classes. More so, descriptive analysis was used to depict farmer characteristics and entrepreneurial attitudes. It was necessary to determine relationships among the variables in order to explain the particular entrepreneurial attitudes of farmers.

Results revealed that the majority of the vegetable farmers in the Tboli, South Cotabato were moderately entrepreneurial in attitude. Their entrepreneurial attitudes. in relation to innovation are high, opportunity seeking with moderately and risk- taking also with moderately entrepreneurial level. The analyses showed that entrepreneurial attitudes are determined more by a farming experience than other socio-economic factors such as age, gender, extent of farmland, type of farming (part- time or full-time) and ownership of farmland. Hence, there is a need for formal training in record keeping and agribusiness planning, as an identified issue to these farmers. Also, provision of entrepreneurial skills training because agricultural extension programme alone are not sufficient and to have a different conduct of study based on its location. The OMAG may help to organize these farmers into an accredited association.