Analysis of Work Time in Agriculture Through Time-Diary Method and Evaluation of the Reliability of the Data Using GPS Device

Objective: In this paper, work time for the representative fruit crops are collected and analyzed using time-diary method, and the collected data were compared with the directly observed work time using GPS device. Background: There is no consistent conclusion which measurement method for work time is accurate. Most of the research results were collected from the environment other than rural area. Therefore, there is need to review reliability of the measurement methods for the agricultural work which are carried out for a long duration. Method: Top five crops (apple, pear, grape, sweet persimmon, and peach) were selected according to the number of farms and cultivation areas. We let fruit growers fill a work diary during one cropping period. A difference between the work-time that was recorded by the farmers and the direct observed worktime using GPS device were analyzed. Results: Average direct work time for the five fruit crops found to be 7.1% of the total work time. Conclusions and Applications: Reliability was secured by recording the daily work diary at each work stage while aware that direct observation is carried on. Data which are being collected by government institutions are obtained by the memories of the respondents. Therefore, it is needed to try the method adopted by this study in order to collect more accurate data.