IRANIAN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION JOURNAL
Year:2018 | Volume:14 | Issue:1 |Papers Count:22

The purpose of this study was to analyze environmental factors affecting environmental conservation behavior of villagers. The research method was descriptive-correlational, which was carried out using survey technique. The statistical population consisted of rural households in central region of Baghmalek township located at Khuzestan Province (N=3005) that 341 heads of rural households were selected using Krejcie and Morgan. Sampling method was proportional stratified random sampling. The research instrument was a questionnaire which its Face and content validity were confirmed by a panel of experts. The reliability of the scales was approved with Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling multivariate technique by AMOS and SPSS. Descriptive results showed that among six variables, three variables (including enviornmental ethics, values and attitudes) were at avrage level and three other variables (including enviornmental concern, intention and behvior) were at high level. The results of structural equation modeling showed that the mentioned variables had significant effect on behavior so that these variables explained about 76 percent of the variability of environmental conservation behavior.

Pressurized irrigation systems (sprinkler and drip irrigation) are one of the basic strategies to deal with water scarcity and management of water supply. These systems with high irrigation efficiency compared to traditional irrigation systems, place considerable position in agricultural policy, especially in water scarce regions. Prioritizing of factors affecting development of pressurized irrigation systems that can identify strengths and weaknesses in implementing this system, may play an important role in reducing errors and improving productivity of ongoing projects and thereby help to determine future strategies. The aim of this study was to develop an evaluating framework for factors affecting the development of such systems, through the use of decision making techniques, and weight related parameters in Torbat Heydarieh region. In this regard, using Analytical Hierarchy Process to determine effective criteria, indicators were based on the questionnaire and interviews with experts in the field of agricultural water management. Based on results, economic indicators (weight 0. 383) were on the main priorities of farmers for the development of irrigation systems. Among the various sub-relevant to this criterion, the level of income (weight 0. 284) and bank credits (weight 0. 240) had the most weight. Following these criteria, there were technical criteria (weight 0. 267) with sub-criteria such as design, implementation and soil quality; and promotional measures (weight 0. 171) with the sub-criteria such as information and visiting experts.

Green entrepreneurship development could have a main role in sustainable employment, reduction of environmental problems, reduction of diseases caused by unhealthy food consumption as well as agricultural lands productivity increase. Therefore, strategic analysis of green entrepreneurship development in agriculture of Kermanshah was the main purpose of the study. This applicable research was done using the mixed method (SWOT, AHP). The qualitative phase was conducted based on purposeful sampling method, snowball, and the required data was gathered through the 14 interviews of the agricultural entrepreneurship experts. The quantitative phase was also conducted asking five individuals of the same expert groups in order to fill the paired-comparison questionnaire. The results showed that the green entrepreneurship development process in Kermanshah requires a conservative and competitive strategy. According to the findings, “ promotion of organic and healthy products through mass media and purposeful education for different groups” , “ establishment of the trustee organization for healthy and organic productions with the power to enforce their approvals” and “ farmers` training about green entrepreneurship” were the main strategies in order to green entrepreneurship development, respectively.

The main purpose of this study was to analysis of quad components of talent management effect on organizational development in Iran agricultural higher education. The statistical population was included from 3395 faculty members’ state agricultural universities across the country employing table of Krejcie and Morgan, 355 participants were selected. A research instrument was a questionnaire which its content validity was confirmed by a panel of management and agricultural education experts at University of Tehran and Tarbiat Modares University. Also, its reliability, using related coefficients, met satisfied threshold value (0. 81-0. 94). Data processing in both descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSSwin22 and LISREL8. 5 software and achieve goals with structural equation modeling was conducted. According to the analyses, a significant correlation between the four components of talent management and organizational development indices were observed. Based on the results obtained from modeling, factors of identification, recruitment, retention and development of talent in agricultural higher education system had a significant effect on organizational development. Those four factors explained 68 percent of the total variance of organizational development in agricultural higher education system.

Controlling present national water crisis needs to accompany moral development alongside other economic, law, technical, knowledge and management strategies. In this regards, the analysis of water users’ moral development based on their cognitive and reasoning is very important. Present study aimed to analyze farmers’ moral judgment and reasoning in exploitation of agricultural water resources in Khoramabad county. In this way, the moral development theory of cognitive psychologist, Lawrence Kohlberg, was applied to analyze two moral dilemmas in exploitation of agricultural water resources. Survey technique and questionnaire tool were used to gather data form 310 subjects. The questionnaire face validity was confirmed by a panel of experts at department of agricultural extension and education at Shiraz University, and the questionnaire reliability was approved by a pilot study with 30 subjects outside of statistical population (Cronbach’ s alpha range: from 0. 82-0. 87). The results showed that the proponents of digging illegal well preferred first moral reasoning level (Preconventional ethics) at second stage (The instrumental relativist orientation) for judging towards digging illegal dilemma; but, the opponents focused on second moral reasoning level (conventional ethics) at fourth stage (The "law and order" orientation). Also, the opponents’ moral judgment of second dilemma (preventing to fill of illegal well) based on third moral reasoning level (post-conventional ethics) at fifth stage (The social-contract legalistic orientation); although the proponents preferred second moral reasoning level (conventional ethics) at third stage (The interpersonal concordance orientation). Finally, based on the research results, some recommendations were provided.

Local water conflict is incompatible behavior between water stakeholders within communities over common water resource. If these conflicts are not addressed, they will have adverse consequences. Therefore, interests for managing water resources conflicts have been increased by policy-makers and planners. Gawshan basin is one of the regions has experienced agricultural water conflicts. Hence, in this qualitative research with a naturalistic view, in the first step a dynamic process for negotiating with stakeholders was implemented and then win-win solutions to manage agricultural water conflict with involving stakeholders were explained. The study population included all stakeholders of agricultural water in Gawshan dam network. In line with the nature of qualitative research, purposeful sampling was used in the study and 26 particiapants involved in the research process. The data were collected by conducting focus group discussion, conflict matrix and problem tree. Water distribution, the issue of water charges, land acquisition and maintenance of the network were the most important conflicts which were identified. The results showed that structural reform of water governance by delivering water to farmers, empowering local people in conflict resolution and negotiating, creating a win-win mechanism for conflict resolution at the local level, with the participation of farmers, holding workshops and training courses in the field of network equipment repair and maintenance were the most important solutions. The results of this research can be useful for optimizing management of agricultural water resources in the Gawshan basin.

Nowadays, water scarcity for food production has created widespread concerns around the world, especially in Iran. Considering that agricultural sector is the largest consumer of water in Iran and farmers are the main target of all the policy effort to conserve water but they do not use the available water appropriately. Thus, understanding farmers' behavior towards water conservation can help policymakers to formulate comprehensive water protection policies and practices. The present study by using cultural theory analyzed the water conservation behavior of farmers in Neishabour plain. The statistical population of this study was the farmers of Neyshabur Plain (N=1300), that 235 farmers based on Cochran formula, were selected through a random cluster sampling design. Data were collected using a authors-made questionnaire. Which its validity was approved by a panel of experts and questionnaire’ s internal reliability was investigated using composite reliability (0. 69-0. 94). The results of the study showed that the egalitarianism worldview has had the highest rate among farmers, and the lowest was individualism. The four variables of attitude, risk perception, subjective norm and responsibility affect directly and the egalitarianism, hierarchy, and fatalism worldviews affect indirectly on intention of individuals to water conservation. Also, water conservation behavior is significantly explained by intention. Finally, based on the results of the study, recommendations provide for water conservation.

One of the most important areas where the implementation of economic Jihad seems necessary is the transformation of the administrative system. This is due to the fact that managers of organizations cannot provide a desirable environment for the clients and the citizens without having an agile, flexible and efficient office system. Accordingly, the purpose of this research was to study the viewpoint of managers and employees of agricultural research and education centers on improving administrative structure based on the agile organization components. This research was done using a descriptive correlation method. The statistical population of this research consisted of three groups of managers of educational and research centers in Qom, Markazi, Fars and Yazd provinces (N1=40), faculty members and staff of centers (N2=523). Among them, 220 people were selected using a stratified random sampling method and finally, 165 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The data were collected using a questionnaire as an instrument of study which its face and content validity was assessed by a group of managers in agricultural research organizations. To determine the reliability of the research instrument, Cranach’ s alpha coefficient was used and its value for different parts of the questionnaire was obtained between 0. 85 – 0. 91. The results of this research in the descriptive statistics section indicated that while the degree of satisfaction was high for the majority of managers, it was in the intermediate level for the case of employees. Also, the employees and managers believed that after the reformation, the speed of doing works, integrating processes, and collaborating among employees had been improved significantly in comparison with the conditions before the merger. Accordingly, a meaningful correlation was found between the six affecting variables (attention to employee competencies, the speed of the process, employee performance, level of interaction and cooperation, working condition, and integration in the centers. The results of structural equations model also indicated that the two components of working conditions and integration in doing things could have a significant and direct effect on the merger of research and educational centers.

The present study aimed at investigate the factors affecting professional competences development of extension educators of forest, range and watershed management in the university, pre-service and in-service process was performed in order to improve their competencies and capabilities. Present study is a kind of applied research, survey and non-experimental research. The statistical population were the extension educators of forests, range and watershed and its dependent educational centers that they were 85 Persons. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire. In order to its assess reliability cronbach's alpha coefficient (0. 816) was used. It was also found individual and general skills during university phase, needs assessment and design curriculum in preservice and in-service skills of teaching and learning are those aspects which should be considered as priority courses.

Rural women are directly connected to natural resources and environment and because of their livelihood strategies, they have mutual impacts on those resources. Rural women's knowledge has significant contribution to sustainable integrated watershed management. This research aims to understand rural women's information needs for sustainable natural resources management. The study utilized a qualitative perspective through a case study methodology using the Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques in the Ghezel Tapeh Watershed, Zanjan province, Iran. Rural women contributed to their household livelihoods through both agricultural and nonagricultural strategies. They needed to obtain information and enhance their awareness and know-how knowledge or skills in subjects such as effective harvesting and processing of horticultural and dairy products, new methods of carpet weaving with updated designs and maps, new non-agricultural job opportunities, employment in new agricultural activities, natural resources and environment conservation techniques, and functional literacy. They also needed to improve their environmental attitude and values regarding proper rural waste management. There were no serious human physical and health defects among rural women and this human capability can be utilized for building their other livelihood capacities. These needs imply the necessity of improving rural women's know-what knowledge and providing required condition for enhancing their skills.

The sweeping social, economic and cultural changes that have occurred in recent decades have brought about major difficulties for nomad communities in continuing their lives with past practices. Settelment is an approach to manage some of these challenges in view of both some practitioners and nomad community. But, the policy doesn’ t reach to desired objectives and conducted sometimes to unfavorable consequences. This study has investigated the consequences of nomads settelment in Dasht-e-Roum region of BoyerAhmad Township, both in the guided settling sites (Hossein Abad, Mansour Abad and Talkhdan) and the spontaneous one (Tangari). Totally 219 household heads interviewed from the whole 280 household community to gather the needed data and the reliability of questionnaire assessed 0. 89 using the Cronbach’ s alpha test. The main consequences, based on the factor analysis, were the promotion in the situations of dwelling, facilities accessibility, social relations, economical foundations, settling environment health, households’ income, collective collaborations, some social damages and land use changes (environmental degradation). Most of the cultivated lands had change from the rainfed system to irrigated and per capita livestock reduced after the settelment. So, despite the obvious change of livelihood style from husbandry to farming, the main consequences of settelment were the social changes, access to services and relative stability of dwelling followed by economical bases, occupation and income situation. Generally, the 15 precedent years policy of settelment hasn’ t had a considerable impact on productivity and evolution in nomads economy and livelihood. The major consequece has been the change of economic structures from productive sectors to other occupations with some differences among the four studied settling sites.

Integrated pest management has an important role towards reducing chemical pesticides use. This method is based on farmers’ technical knowledge and skills. Having such knowledge and skills is essential to adopt the method. Identifying and investigating those factors affecting pistachio growers’ technical knowledge of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Kerman province was the main objective of this study. Those farmers who applied IPM in their orchards were the statistical population. Survey was the research method using authors made questionnaire. Based on two-stage cluster sampling method, 225 farmers were selected as sample. Data collection instrument reliability was examined using a pilot study. Findings revealed that extension services and innovations diffusion; farmers’ attitude towards environmental effects of IPM application; average annual income; and level of education could predict about 64 percent of variation farmers’ IPM technical knowledge. Also, indirect effects of personal, technical and economic factors through mediator variables on dependent variables were examined. The results were illustrated in the shape of experiential model. Accordingly, some applicable recommendations have been presented towards farmers’ technical knowledge enhancement at the end of the article.

The aim of the current follow-up study was to investigate the education-career status of graduates of the Motahari Martyr Vocational Agricultural High School, Shiraz, by means of a survey technique. The study population was all graduates of the school in two branches; Work-Knowledge, and Technical-Vocational graduates that graduated from January 2007 to September 2012. Stratified random sampling method was used to select 94 graduates from Work-Knowledge and 132 graduates from Technical-Vocational disciplines. Therefore, the data collected from 224 respondents (85 percent response rate). The face validity of the research instrument which was a research-made questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts and to evaluate its reliability; Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated. The Cronbach's coefficient (0. 70-0. 91) indicated the suitability of the scales. The results revealed that graduates’ satisfaction with training programs were higher than average. This is while, different perceived utility on education factors such that the subject of “ information and communication technology” was unfavorable, compared to the subject of “ educational tools” and “ practical field” which utilities were moderate and desirable, respectively. More than 83 percent of graduates were interested in agricultural fields and over 86 percent of them have hardware facilities such as land, gardens or livestock. Results also showed that more than 53 percent of the graduates were employed, 34 percent were students and 13 percent were unemployed. Employment during in school had a significant impact on employment after graduation.

Identifying the inequalities and imbalances across different geographical zones and then, policy making to remove and reduce such disparities is the main task of development authorities. Determining the level of development based on credible indicators is the way to show spatial, economic, social and cultural differences of areas in compare to each other. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of development using TOPSIS, Numerical Taxonomy and integration techniques in rural districts of Iranshahr County. To do this, after reviewing the reliable literatures and sources of statistics, 65 development indicators were recognized as suitable to involve in the study. Through the first stage of data analysis, the indicators’ weights using AHP and Entropy methods were assigned. Then, the level of development for each rural district using TOPSIS, Numerical Taxonomy and integration techniques including average rating method, Borda and Copeland was determined. The findings revealed while the level of development among rural districts using integration methods were almost the same, the discrepancies between rural districts were more identified using TOPSIS-AHP. Furthermore, the development coefficients obtained from different methods showed that even the most prosperous district did not indicate a high level of development. In better words, there was a general deprivation condition across the whole rural districts of Iranshahr County. At last, to improve the situation of different rural districts some applied suggestions were offered according to detailed outcomes of the study.

Aquaculture is one of the agricultural sub-sectors, whose development is of great importance. In the sustainable aquaculture management, social and ecological dimensions are interdependent, and should be considered as a system. In present study, management activities in the form of information exchange, coordination and participation networks among 27 organizations, which are active in aquaculture in Alborz watershed in Mazandaran province are studied using social network analysis. The needed data for social network analysis was gathered through a questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using Ucinet6 which is one of the popular software for analyzing social network data. Based on the results, organizations such as the Mazandaran Fishery Department, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center and Governor had suitable situation in receiving and delivering information and knowledge, cooperation and participation with other organizations, which indicate mentioned organizations are active and dynamic in the network. In addition, the results showed that governmental organizations have more power and centrality (authority) in information exchange, cooperation and participation networks compared to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). In the other side, investigating the NGOs’ out-degree (Social influence) and in-degree (reputation and authority) centralities showed that out-degree centrality is more than in-degree centrality, which indicate that responsible organizations haven’ t paid attention to local and NGOs’ knowledge and information related to aquaculture. The results of the role of network activators and analysis of the effect size on restrictions represented that Mazandaran Fishery Department could be considered as a powerful knowledge and information producer with attracting participation and cooperation of other organizations in the network.