Factors Affecting the Decision Making in Off Farm Employment Among Paddy Farmers in Kemasin Semerak

Poverty is one of the most serious problems confronting paddy farmers worldwide, and Malaysia isnot an exception. Off farm employment is an alternative strategy and it has a potential to improve theincome and well-being of the paddy farmers. This study assessed the off-farm employment decisionamong 250 paddy farmers in Kemasin Semerak granary area. In specific, the study attempted todetermine the relationship between the determinants of the off-farm and the off-farm participationdecision. It was also undertaken to describe the characteristics of respondents and their status inthe off-farm employment. Furthermore, it examined the income level of the farm householdsfrom the paddy farming and the off-farm employments as well as showed the effects of the off-farmemployment to the paddy farmers, using the descriptive analysis and logit regression methods. Thevariables which were found to influence the likelihood of the paddy farmers to be engaged in theoff-farm employment included the farmers’ age and gender, the number of dependants, as well asother income and farming types. From the study, it was evident that the farm size and educationwere not significant factors as no significant association was observed between them and the offfarmparticipation.