IRANIAN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION JOURNAL
Year:2009 | Volume:4 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

The research and extension, two main components of Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (AKIS), have long been considered as effective and determinant in the process of agricultural development. The interaction between these two components has been one of the main weaknesses of AKIS in developing countries including Iran. The general purpose of this descriptive survey study was to investigate the present status of interaction between research and extension and the related linkage mechanisms in order to suggest solutions for strengthening and institutionalizing the relationship between the two components. The population of the study consisted of research and personnel at Head Offices of the two departments in Deputy Ministry level and Jihad Agriculture organization of Tehran province, 361 and 124 person respectively. A proportional stratified sample of 120 people, encompassing 63 research and 57 extension specialists was selected as determined by Cochran formula. Data were collected using an interviewed questionnaire which was validated by a ten-member panel of experts and the reliability index was established by a Cronbach’s Coefficient (.82). To analyze the data descriptive statistics and explanatory factor analysis were applied using SPSS software. Major findings indicate: 1- The present interaction between agricultural research and extension sub-systems of Iran is not institutionalized and is weak; 2- Among the 12 identified linkage mechanisms, the highest priority of relationship was conducted through the “ Joint Research- Extension Projects”, while the mechanism of the “ Participation of Extensionists in Applied Research Projects” was ranked as the lowest by the respondents; 3- According to factor analysis six factors were obtained among which “the Organizational Factor” had the highest and “the Attitudinal Factor” had the lowest effect on the current linkage. This research provides a conceptual framework for effective interaction between agricultural research and extension in Iranian context.

Although different scopes of educational needs of farmers have been studied, their educational needs in economic and farm management have rarely been independently investigated. The purpose of this study was to study farmers’ knowledge and their educational needs on economic and farm management. The production and selling process of farming crops, financial, personnel and strategic management were investigated as the core dimensions of farm management and economics. The population of the study was all Iranian farmers and the Jihad Agriculture Organization’s experts. Using a cluster sampling method, 400 farmers and 170 experts were randomly selected. The study was conducted through a survey study using a researcher made questionnaire which its validity and reliability were confirmed. The results of the study indicated five major priorities of farmers: 1) understanding working rules, 2) understanding how to transfer knowledge and experience to new employees in the farm, 3) recognizing modern farming methods, 4) identifying supervising procedures for production process in order to control marketing and 5) appreciating modern packaging methods.

In this paper, the continuous improvement of instruction process as a major principle of Total Quality Management has been investigated in Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Ramin and College of Agriculture in Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz. The study is a descriptive survey research. Information was gathered using questionnaire and elicited from 322 students and 81 faculty members of two universities. The validity of questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experienced experts. The stratiified random sampling technique was used for selection of B.S. students and census technique was used for graduate students and faculty members. The results show that continuous improvement in instruction process in two universities is not satisfactory. There is significant difference between attitudes of students and faculty members regarding continuous improvement in education process in two universities. The results show the highest rate of continuous improvement of universities in teaching process and the lowest in learning process. Consequently, it was realized that the departments of agricultural extension and education, agronomy and plants breeding, biotechnology and agricultural machineries have the highest quality and the education departments of animal husbandry sciences and food have the lowest quality in education process in Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Ramin, but was no there significant difference in quality of education process between departments of College of Agriculture in Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz. Finally, according to the results of the study, some recommendations have been provided to promote the management function in increasing the rate of continuous improvement in education process of the universities.

In recent century, water care leading to more productivity per unit of water consumed is vital for safeguarding livelihood and food security. Expansion of conservation programs has a strong association with social backgrounds, perceptions and attitudes of people. This research aimed investigating the relationship between users’ social characteristics (social participation and social status), and their attitude toward sustainable water resource management. Statistical population of this study consisted of all farmers in Jahrom and Arsanjan plains (N=2130). The sample size determined by using Cochran formula (n=212). Users have been selected based on stratified proportional sampling method within each plain. A questionnaire was developed and its validity was achieved by a pannell of experts. A pilot test was conducted to determine the reliability of the questionnaire, and Cronbach Alpha coefficient was found to be more than 0.85 for all parts of the questionnaire. Kendall’s tau b correlation coefficient indicated that social characteristics had a significant positive relationship with users’ attitude. Finally based on the results analysis, some applied recommendations have been provided.

Crop insurance is a major instrument for coping with different adversities in farming. Study of farmer's wants, needs and expectations is a prerequisite for successful promotion of crop insurance among farmers. The purpose of this study was to identify the major determinants of crop insurance satisfaction among farmers at national level. In this study a survey research method was used. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select and interview 1241 farmers. The sample consisted of two groups of farmers: 1) those who continued crop insured, and 2) those that discontinued crop insurance. Regression model was used to investigate the impact of different factors on satisfaction with crop insurance. Based on the findings of the recommendations were made for further promotion of crop insurance.

“Agricultural extension productivity” is a sustainable process that includes efficiency, effectiveness, intellectual orientation, timely and attention to the standard quality levels for the system that have to be consider its goal in obtaining maximum benefits and potentials regarding to current resources and facilities. "Effectiveness evaluation" of agricultural extension programs is sustainable process in studying goal achievement and activity satisfaction of this system. Analyzing the effectiveness of agricultural extension activities in wheat package project in Shiraz and Marvdasht counties of Fars province during second program of development was the main objective of this research. The geographic extent was Shiraz and Marvdasht counties, subject extent was effectiveness evaluation and time extent was implementation of wheat package project (1994-99). This study was an ex-post facto and applied research. Analysis domain was descriptive and causal-comparative. The research instruments were questionnaire and interview. Validity of questionnaire was obtained by a panel of experts. Reliability measured by internal consistency method (Corunbach's Alpha coefficient that was 0.89). The statistical population of this study was active farmers in wheat package project (20420 framers). "Proportional stratified random sampling" was used for selecting samples. Number of samples was 165 farmers. Comparative analysises were used as inferential statistics. Analyzing results of average levels comparison indicated that educated farmers by one percent error had more production, efficiency and income than uneducated farmers. Productivity coefficient for comparing the income of these groups (educated and uneducated) in relation with consumed costs in extension training activities was 11.25. It means that to spend each Rial in extension training activities, 11.25 Rials added to income of educated farmers in comparison with uneducated farmers.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the farmers’ behavioral domains regarding optimal farm water management practices and to determine the most important discriminating factors on their behavior with an approach to compare two groups of farmers in irrigation networks with water users’ cooperative (WUC) and without this cooperative. The methodological approach was a descriptive-correlational and causal-comparative study of the survey type. The target population in the study was the entire farmers of irrigation and drainage networks in Khorasan-e-Razavi Province, Northeast Iran (N=2551). A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample population. Finally, 330 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The content and face validity of the instrument was specified after several times of review and correction by the Faculty members at University and several experts of administrative offices. The reliability analysis was conducted through 30 questionnaires and Cronbach’s Alpha values for the different sections of questionnaire were estimated to be between 0.73 and 0.91 using SPSS software. Considering Venn diagram in relation to the triple domains of studied farmers’ behavior showed that only 39.2% (62 farmers) of all farmers in irrigation network with WUC and 19.2% (33 farmers) of all farmers in irrigation networks without WUC were identified as “Qualified Farmers”. The results of t-test indicated that there were significant differences between the means of farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and skills regarding sustainable practices of agricultural water management when two groups of respondents in irrigation networks with WUC and without it are compared together. The results of the stepwise discriminant analysis by using of Wilks’ Lambda procedure revealed that the most important discriminating variables of farmers’ behavioral categories included farmers’ attitude toward the WUC, status of regional irrigation system, social confidence, education level and annual farm income. Generally, these variables could correctly classify some 66.9% of all subjects based on the discriminant functions. Furthermore, by means of the obtained equations of this analysis can predict that the intended farmer to which the category of farmers belongs.

A Post-test Group Design was applied to investigate the influence of motivation and interest on the relationship between congruent/incongruent teaching-learning styles and students’ performance at the faculties of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Kurdistan, Iran in 2007. Using SPSS software descriptive statistics, T-test and MANOVA were employed to analyze the data. Results showed that: 1- The dominant learning style among students is Accommodator; 2- The main teaching style among in structors is Assimilator which does not correspond to students’ dominant learning style; 3- Although congruency between teachers’ teaching style and students’ learning style has a positive effect on students’ performance, the influence would be statistically significant only if the students show interest in the course and are motivated. The result could be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning at the faculties of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Kurdistan, Iran.