The Training Effectiveness on Farming Ability: The Case Study of training programs of Farmers’ Academy

The main focus of this study is to investigate the impact of The Farmers'' Academy training programs on the improvement of professional farming ability, analysis of whether the participation criteria for these training programs are appropriate standards of differentiation using objective data such as training effectiveness, and exploration of whether the training programs designed to improve farmers'' professional abilities truly contribute to the elevation of professional farming performance. This study utilized data from training performance evaluation surveys of The Farmers'' Academy trainees from 2012 and 2013. Data analysis was conducted using research methodologies such as Wilcoxon signed-rank test, t-test, principal components analysis, multiple regression analysis, and two stage least squares. Research findings suggest that The Farmers'' Academy training programs significantly contribute to improving the professional farming abilities of participating trainees. Nevertheless, current participation criteria standards of differentiation are inadequate for clearly distinguishing suitable trainees. Among all the improved abilities of professional farmers, advances in ""production, human resource and research and development abilities"" are most beneficial towards elevating professional farming performance. It is recommended that The Farmers'' Academy training program participation criteria undergo further evaluation and adjustment, or that trainee selection and evaluation mechanisms should be established according to the participation criteria of each program level. The training programs are designed to improve the professional farming abilities of participating farmers. These improved abilities should therefore contribute toward enhancing farming performance. The effectiveness of training programs should also be continuously monitored in order to clearly understand and evaluate the ways in which programs have contributed toward elevating both professional farming abilities and farming performance.