Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Year:2013 | Volume:44 | Issue:2|Papers Count:13

Awardness about structure of production technology and its characteristics is a usefull tool for planning in agricultural sector. In this regard, this study aims to determine some effective parameters of structure of production technology in rain fed barley production. Before estimating these parameters, we examine the aggregation consistency condition for barley fields using the mean scaling theory. Then translog cost function and inputs cost share equations have estimated using seemingly unrelated regressions. Used data is cross-section data of 2006-2007 crop years, gathered by the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture through questionnaires of 1641 producers across provinces of Iran. The results suggest that there exist an increasing return to scale in rain fed barley farms and numeric value of scale elasticity is 1.52.This means that production costs reduce by increase in the size of rain fed barley farms. Estimated elasticity of substitution also suggests that there is a weak substitution relationship between the raw materials input with rent, land and machinery inputs. However there is a complementary relationship between labor input with land and machinery inputs. Estimated price elasticity of demand for inputs indicates a low elasticity for all inputs which means producers doesn’t have flexibility against input prices increase.

The purpose of this paper is measuring and analyzing the impacts of meat price changes on consumer’s welfare. First, the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) was estimated for meats in urban household in 1984-2009 years. Then, Compensating Variation (CV) criterion was computed to measuring the consumer’s welfare changes based on Taylor series expansion method and the results from the estimated AIDS model. Finally, the urban households’ welfare loss due to the meats price increasing was measured for the period of 2006-2009. Results showed that the chicken and beef are necessary and the fish and mutton are luxury goods for Iranian households. The results of the CV computing indicated that in this period, the Iranian households were lost 19 percentage of annual expenditure spending to the meat group in this period.

The purpose of this research was to study administrators’ job performance of agricultural secondary education centers in Tehran province, from the viewpoint of teachers. This survey study was a descriptive-correlational research. The statistical population of this study included teachers of agricultural secondary education centers of Tehran province (N=91) which 46 members were selected using proportionate stratified random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of faculty members at faculty of Agricultural Economics and Development, University of Tehran and reliability of the instrument was determined by Cronbach’s alpha (0.75-0.95). SPSS version 11.5 was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the most teachers evaluated administrators’ job performance at medium level. There were significant correlations between administrators’ job performance and their human, technical, and conceptual skills. Regression analysis showed that about 51 percent of variations in the administrators’ job performance could be predicted by human skills.

Regarding the importance of Agricultural Consulting, Technical and Engineering Service Ventures (ACTESVs) in developing agricultural sector and relative low level of farmers’ satisfaction with these ventures, the main objective of this research was to study the effective factors on farmers’ satisfaction with ACTESVs in Zanjan County. Research method of the study was descriptive- correlative. The statistical population of the study consisted of all farmers who have benefited at least once or more from the different services of ACTESVs in Zanjan County during two years ago (N=2550). Using Cochran's formula, sample size was obtained 262 farmers. The stratified random sampling method was used to access the samples. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The validity of the questionnaire was established by faculty members of agricultural extension and education in universities of Tehran and Zanjan. A pilot study was conducted to establish reliability of the instrument. Cronbach alpha's coefficients for the main scales of the questionnaire calculated more than 0.75. The descriptive results revealed that about 0.8%, 23.7%, 64.4%, 8% and 3% of farmers’ satisfaction with ACTESVs were very low, low, average, high and very high, respectively. The results of regression analysis showed that 58.8% variances of farmers’ satisfaction with ACTESVs were explained by the three variables including: respondents’ attitudes towards ACTESVs, level of respondents’ familiarity with ACTESVs and respondents’ literacy level.

Different regions of a country generally have different levels of agricultural development. In fact, there is a kind of heterogeneity that makes the investigation of the agricultural development trends in provinces of the country undeniable. The present article aims to analyze the level of agricultural development and its imbalance in rural regions of West Azerbaijan for urban levels in 2000s. To meet this aim, 48 criteria of agricultural development were defined and measured using two methods namely factor analysis and numerical taxonomy analysis. The cities of the province ware ranked according to their agricultural level of development and the dual coefficient among them was calculated. The results of the study showed that agricultural level of development in the cities of West Azerbaijan in the mentioned period has declined; however, the dual coefficient showed homogenous development.

Despite controversy, the contingent valuation method (CVM) is widely used for non-market valuation. Among elicitation methods of CVM, the dichotomous choice (DC) has been paid attention. There are two types of DC methods: Single-Bounded DC (SBDC) and Double-Bounded DC (DBDC). DBDC is more efficient than SBDC. Many of CVM studies in Iran used DBDC but data analyses were done by Logit model; that do not raise the efficiency of DBDC. The purpose of this study is to analyze DBDC data using Seemingly Unrelated Bivariate Probit Regression. To do this, the DBDC CVM questionnaire designed to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for preservingLilium ledebourii used; and filled in the center of Guilan province by 177 respondents in 1390. Data analysis was done in two ways: restricted and unrestricted in which in restricted models the equality of parameters in two models were imposed. Results showed that number of significant variables is much more using restricted model than unrestricted model. Also, WTP using first (model in which its dependent variable is the response to the first offered bid) and second (model in which its dependent variable is the response to the second offered bid) unrestricted models are 6650 and 6963 Rls, respectively and is 7225 Rls using restricted model. It’s proposed that the researchers of CVM use Seemingly Unrelated Bivariate Probit Regression to analyze DBDC data for acquiring efficient estimates.

Maintenance relationships customers, suppliers and the community are of key factors, maintenance work positive relationshipsin cooperatives.If ownership and structureof cooperativenot entitle of protection and support cooperationculture, will endanger overturning.Based on the purpose of this study was analysis of social-cultural factors effecting of production cooperatives' success greenhouse in Kermanshah Province, in order to focus on improving these factors, by path analysis. The methodological approach in the study was a descriptive - correlation and the survey were conducted.220 members of the greenhouse production cooperatives in KermanshahProvince, a stratified random sampling as the sample, were selected. Information gathered through questionnaire, and validity of the instrument was done by panel of expert. The reliability of the questionnaire was done by chornbach's alpha coeffient and result was 0/82.Factors effecting were analyzed with path analysis, using Factor Analysis extraction and factors that exist in social - cultural factors, managerial factors and economic factors, by applying SPSS Software. The results showed that the social – cultural factors have indirect effects in addition to direct impact on success of production cooperatives through managerial and economic factors. The general effects showed the significant role of social – cultural factors on success Production cooperatives.

From the perspective of rural development experts, organize Small Enterprise, s (SEs), is a strategy for empowering villagers, especially Poor Women's and rural women heads of household. Hundreds of SEs by women heads of household has been launched in Iran. This research has been done to evaluate the effects of SEs on women's economic empowerment of rural women heads of household in the Hamadan province. The research is an applied Research in which Descriptive method has been employed. The tool for data collection was questionnaire the Reliability of which was 85%. Population of the research consisted of 712 rural women heads of household in 20011, 109 of whom were selected as a sample through stratified sampling. The data were analyzed in two descriptive and inferential parts through SPSS software. Analysis of Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) is used to evaluate the main needs of the household. Three variables are effective in providing the basic needs of households, Business income, number of dependents, and poverty in rural communities. In this study percentage of households who can take the basic needs according to different scenarios is study. The findings showed that women's ability to meet the needs of households is reduced Poverty line with sharp gradients. Identification and introduction of high-profit SEs, education Women heads of household in management costs and income, Control inflation and Poverty reduction in rural communities and Finally, Compensate Financing of women heads of household to the poverty line, including suggestions for this research.

Small farm landholdings couples with scattered plots have created a major challenge in agricultural development in Iran. Land fragmentation provides an appropriate strategy to overcome current problems in Iranian farming systems. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to shed light on development pathologies in terms of land rehabilitation, reconsolidation, and improvement in Miandarband region in Kermanshah Township. Using purposeful sampling, rural farmers in Jelogiresofla, Safieabad, and Sarabshele villages were interviewed through focus group sessions. A grounded theory approach as suggested by Strauss and Corbin was used as a frame of the study. Open coding, axial and selective coding was utilized as a basis of data analysis. The summary of findings was presented through visual techniques such as problem tree and matrix ranking. Results revealed that land improvement in Miandarband region is faced with the following challenges: environmental problems such soil degradation, technical problems inherent in land improvement, lack of attention to traditional beliefs among farmers, a reductionism view to rural development among policy-makers, lack of farmers’ participation, weak human resources, lack of commitment among project administrators, and economic loss. The result of this study has implications for rural development projects. Land improvement pathologies pointed out in this study can be used as a basis for future projects in Kermanshah Township.

This study aimed at explaining factors affecting the application of soil conservation practices (SCPs) among farmers in Ilam province. Statistical population of this study consisted of all farmers in Ilam province (N=58336). Using Cochran's sampling formula, 137 farmers were selected as a sample, for increasing findings reliability, 250 questionnaires distributed with applying proportionally stratified random sampling method. Ultimately 228 questionnaires completed and analyzed by SPSS software. The instrument of the study was a questionnaire which its validity was confirmed by a panel of experts and its reliability was established by calculating Chronbach's Alpha Coefficient (α 0.7). Data was analyzed by SPSS software. Results showed that majority (67.1%) of farmers applied the SCPs in moderate and low level. Results of means comparison showed that there is significant difference between application of SCPs by farmers in the terms of variables of membership or non-membership in the rural organizations and receiving or not receiving loans for implementing SCPs. Also, results of correlation analysis showed that application of SCPs by farmers significantly correlated with the amount of farming land, amount of annual income, level of farmers education, the number of participation in extension-education courses, amount of using information and communication channels and resources, and knowledge and attitude toward SCPs (P<0.01). Finally, results of stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that three variables of attitude toward SCPs, number attending extension- education courses, and amount of farming land account for 56.2 percent of dependent variable (SCPs) variances among farmers in study area.

The aim with the present research is to study the role of managerial factors on teaching quality of the members of faculty to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, University of Tehran. This research was conducted based on a descriptive (non-experimental) -survey method. The statistical population includes 256 members of faculty teaching at Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, University of Tehran (Karaj and Abooreihan Campuses) with different academic ranking. A sample size of 100 tutors was chosen based on Kokran formula and under random sampling method. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire prepared with the regard of the theoretical literature of the research and conducting interview with the connoisseurs and experts such that its validity was obtained with the help of some of agricultural promotion and training experts, University of Tehran. The reliability of the research tools was obtained by filling 30 questionnaires and calculating Cronbach alpha that it was equal to.86 according to the nature of the data, the explorative factorial analysis technique was used with the SPSS 15/win. The results indicated that the six factors with a defined total variance of 62.30% are in relevant with the teaching quality of the members of faculty. The managerial factors including: compiling and planning (13.24%), co-ordination (12.35%), specialty-orientation (11.72%), working communications (9.77%), assessment (8.25%) and reward system (6.97%) played the most significant role in defining teaching quality of the members of faculty.

In present competitive business environment, learning organization is an important competitive advantage. Along the time with its changes, cause the organization has to pay more attention to learning for improving their quality process more than the past. These changes has affected on different organizations, such as Conservation Environment Organization (CEO). According to the monitoring role of CEO and necessity of communication and interchanging with the other organizations, It should be a learning organization. This research aimed is investigating the organizational culture in CEO, using Watkins and Marsick’s seven dimensional learning organization model. The research was a survey method and descriptive- correlation techniques. The population was all staff in conservation environment organization (N=723). A sample (n=119) selected through the Bartlett table and it was used proportional stratified random sampling. Data collected by using Watkins and Marsick’s Dimension of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ). The results showed, the CEO is not a learning organization. Individual learning is dominant learning level in this organization. The compare of different learning levels (individual, group and organizational) between females and males, and between staff with related and non-related courses with environment showed that there was different between these groups in individual learning. According to another part of results, there was no significant difference between managers and non- managers, concerning the organizational learning in different levels.

The main objective of this descriptive-survey research was to investigate the application of waste management operations in apple production in Abhar County. The statistical population of the study consisted of 12971 apple growers of the two districts of Markazi and Soltanieh out of which 100 people were selected as sample using Cochran formula. Stratified proportionate random sampling technique was used for the study. A questionnaire was developed to collect the data. Validity of the research’s tool was approved by some of the faculty members of the Department of agricultural Extension and Education in the University of Tehran as well as some local experts working on the area of apple gardening. The reliability of the main scales of the questionnaire was examined by Cronbach alpha Coefficients ranged from 0.96-0.97. The data were analyzed by SPSS software. According to the findings, there were positive significant relationships between application of waste management operations in apple gardens with educational level and farming experience of farmers at one percent level. In addition, there were significant negative relationships between application of waste management operations in apple gardens with the farmer’s age, garden size, extent of production, volume of supply, total waste, the garden’s age, inter-cultivation waste, harvesting waste and post-harvesting waste at one percent level. The step-wise regression analysis indicated that four variables viz., the farmer’s age, farmer’s knowledge about waste management in apple gardens, the garden’s age and the garden’s size explained 80.2 percent of variations of the extent of applying waste management operations in apple gardens.