Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Year:2010 | Volume:41-2 | Issue:1|Papers Count:13

The main purpose of this research was to analyze information seeking behavior in internet by agricultural extension and education students in Iran. This research was survey method and the statistical society of the study consisted of all B.Sc students of agricultural extension and education from 4 universities Tehran, Shiraz, Ramin-Mollasani and Kermanshah. By using stratified proportional random sampling, 230 students (by Morgan table) were selected and data collected by use of a questionnaire which its validity (Face validity) was obtained by a panel of Information Science experts and agricultural extension and education faculty members. Reliability of the questionnaire variables measured by calculating Cronbach-Alpha coefficient (above 0.7). SPSS/win 13 software was used for data analyzing. The findings revealed that students are not adequate awareness about skills of information seeking behavior in internet. Students with higher academic years are typically expected to have a higher level of information seeking behavior in using of internet; but, the findings didn't confirm this hypothesis. According to regression analysis, "information seeking styles in internet" and "English language skills" are the important effective factors in information seeking behavior in using of internet. Also, the gap in universities' internet availability was effective on making different of information seeking behavior by internet for students.

The issue of convergence or divergence of productivity has important policy for regional poverty reduction and increasing standards of living. If productivity converges to a common level without intervention, there will be little need for explicit policies in lagging regions to promote catch up. On the other hand, if productivity has divergence trend, then explicit policies would be needed to prevent further lagging of TFP and standard of living. Considering the importance of this subject, this paper tries to find out whether the different provinces in Iran have been well managed in industrial crop production (irrigation cotton, dry-fed cotton and sugar beet) to narrow their productivity gaps? The results showed that average TFP growth of irrigated cotton lies between -0.3 percent in Semnan province and 8.2 percent in Fars province. All sugar beet producer provinces, except to Ardebil, showed positive productivity changes, and Isfahan province exhibited highest TFP growth rates in the last two periods. Also, two provinces – Mazandaran and Golestan- experienced positive and negative growth rates in dry cotton production respectively. The results of convergence test indicate that, out of 14 provinces of under consideration only five provinces, i.e. Ardebil, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan and Yazd converge to the mean of irrigated cotton production and four provinces, Isfahan, Khorasan, Ardebil and Hamedan converge to the mean of sugar beet production. Therefore, these provinces have been managed to make better use of new available technologies, thus reaching far greater productivity levels than others. On the opposite, convergence cannot be accepted for the dry-fed cotton producer provinces.

Liberalization of international markets affects level of pollution in developing countries more than developed countries. Therefore impact of trade liberalization on environment pollution is a challenge for policy makers. In this paper we use Auto Regressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) and Error Correction model (ECM) methods for study the relationship between trade liberalization and environment pollution in Iran, in long run and short run. Results indicated that pollution is negatively related to trade intensity and openness, while capital to labor ratio and gross domestic product (GDP) are positively related to pollution. Results also show that trade liberalization in the long run can solve environmental problems. At Last, this paper analyzes the Environmental Kuznets Curve for Iranian economies.

In the agricultural sector, groundwater is being polluted through influx of a part of nitrogen from Nitrogen fertilizers. Water contamination threatens villagers' health, because they provide their drinking water from wells nearby farms. In this paper contingent evaluation method has been employed to estimate water quality changes, as reflected by 310 respondents from some fore cities of: Rasht, Bandar anzali, Langrood and Astaneh ashrafieh from Gilan Province .The number of sample was assessed by use of purposely method and classified multistage. Results indicate that 54% of farmers support financial participation to improve water quality. With water contamination decline, the expected value of Willingness To Pay (WTP) is estimated to be 394069 and 437855 rials per family and per hectare. Also the average Willingness To Accept (WTA) are 13202501 and 13276136 rials per family and per hectare. Income classes and education specify the maximum and the minimum values of water quality changes, respectively.According to the results, balance between water quality conservation and durable economical production, will be achieved by implementing subsidiary support policies, changing distribution policies of nitrogen fertilizers to policies that improve livelihood of farmers, and as well, decrease water contamination from other incoming pollutants. JEL Classification: Q25, Q51, Q53.

The main objective of the onogoing study was to investigate factors influencing on marketing extension of ornamental flowers. The statistical population of this study consisted all floriculturists (4920) in Tehran, Markazi, Gilan, Khozestan, and Razavi-khorasan provinces. A sample of 234 floriculturists was selected by use of “Cluster proportional sampling” technique. Descriptive- correlational method is the base of this research. Accorrding to Multiple Regression Analysis 50/1 percent of the changes in "Ability to influencing on market" was due to Transportation system, Being up-to-date the ability of marketing, Being inform of last standards, Need to control of midelmen, Education and Age. Also 45/6 percent of the changes in "Market knowing level" was due to Programming about accessing channels to market, Communicating services, Local markets, Form of information, and Extension experts. And the last 87/3 percent of the changes in" Floriculturist’s expectations of extension" was due to Infrastructures, Harvesting techniques, Sorting sets, Managing costs, Determining needs, Being production cost-benefit, Recognising new markets, Promotion, Informayion form, In-time diffusion of information, Being aware of standards, Accounting skills and commercial management, Marketing margins, Production planning, as well as Group marketing.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing personnel’s attitude toward Knowledge Sharing in Agricultural Extension and Education Organization in Iranian Ministry of Jihad-e Agriculture. A survey method was used for the study, and 110 personnel were randomly selected as a sample out of 140 personnel who were working in the organization and finally 80 questionnaires was collected. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient Value of questionnaire was 0.75-0.93. Majority of the respondents had a favorable attitude toward knowledge sharing. According to the study, there were significant relationships between age, organizational structure, social trust and relational social capital with dependent variable (attitude toward knowledge sharing). Stepwise regression analysis indicated that age and relational social capital could explain about 38 percent of the variations in knowledge sharing.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate survey greenhouse owner’s knowledge toward integrated pest management (IPM) in cultivating green house cucumber in Khorasan Razavi province. The survey research was a descriptive – correlation. The study consisted of all farmers who cultivated greenhouse cucumber in Khorasan Razavi province (N=160), of whom 108 were select by a random sampling technique (n= 108). Findings in the study indicated a majority of the farmer's knowledge toward integrated pest management (IPM) which was considered to be at an ''average '' level. Also most important center for achieving information about integrated pest management was Agriculture Organization and the least was participating in the educational - extensional classes. The result of the research revealed that wasn’t any positive and meaning full correspond once between economic, societal and relevancy channel variants with farmer’s knowledge. There was a positive and meaning full correspond once between greenhouse owner’s personal variant (education) with their knowledge about integrated pest management.

The objective of the present research has investigated Agricultural Jihad Organization (AJO) specialists' attitudes towards the sustainable agriculture concepts in the East Azerbaijan and its determinants. The descriptive-correlation method was used in this study. The sampling population of this study consisted of all the AJO specialists in East Azerbaijan (N=200). A sample consists of 77 respondents, selected by random sampling. Data were collected by the questionnaires that the validity of them was confirmed by scientific personal of faculty. Their reliability were confirmed by a pilot study that Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.72. The results indicate that the attitude of AJO specialists about the concepts of sustainable agriculture were moderate. Based on regression analysis, the factors of type of in their major education, on farm agricultural experience, works experience, reading the scientific and extension publication, number of information sources and their income have significant effect over their attitudes and these factors explain 53% of specialists' attitudes towards sustainable agriculture concepts.

The level of in job satisfaction of the experts engaged in college of agriculture, and Natural Resources of Tehran University. Statistical population of the research included all of experts a number 123 number in the university college. Questionnaires were sent to all the participants picked up by means of census method. 98 participants had completed the questionnaires and returned them back. The main means of collecting data was the organized and pre- tested beforehand. The Obtained information was analyzed through S.P.S.S software. Research method was a descriptive- survey one. The applicable methods of analysis including descriptive methods, means, standard deviation and coefficient of variation as well as inferential statistics comparison of means, correlation and regression were employed for the final study and analysis of the data. The findings showed that a majority of the experts (88/8%) had a medium level of in job satisfaction, while 10/2% and 1% were in a low and in a high level of their job satisfaction, respectively. The results of the comparison of means indicate significant differences between official and non-official employment as regarded in one’s job satisfaction. Correlation analysis indicated that There were significant and positive correlations between degree of job satisfaction and age, educational level and salary. Also results of multiple regression analysis indicated that 43% of the dependent variable variance of in jab satisfaction were explained by the independent variables of salary and educational level.

The main objective of this descriptive- correlational research was to analyze attitude of Karaj citizens towards participation in community-supported agriculture. The statistical population of the study consisted of the head of households residing in the 10 regions of Karaj (N=386008), out of which 287 people determined as sample using Cochran Formula and proportionate stratified sampling technique. The sample size was later increased to 300 people for enhancing precision of the study. Meanwhile, each urban region was considered as a stratum. A questionnaire was the main tool of study. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by the judgment of a panel of faculty members of the department of Agricultural extension education who were assumed here as experts. In order to measure the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach Alpha coefficients were calculated for the main scales of the questionnaire, which ranged from 0.84 to 0.95 indicating the tool of study is reliable. The data were analyzed by SPSS-win software. The findings revealed that the main purposes of citizens for participation in community-supported agriculture were as follows: access to safer food, economic motivations and interest to nature or natural environment. The result of "t" test revealed that attitude of citizens for participating in community-supported agriculture were significantly different in terms of the numbers of contracted farms, place of birth, experience of direct purchasing of agricultural produce, and gender of citizens. In addition, "F" test indicated that attitude of citizens for participating in community-supported agriculture were significantly different in terms of types of farmers (Small-medium-big), length of cultivation period; method of applying agrochemicals and the mode of produce delivery.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate factors affecting the implementation of crop rotation by farmers in the suburbs of Gorgan Township. The methodological approach was a descriptive-co relational one and the target population consisting of 4000 resident farmers in 14 villages in the suburbs of Gorgan Township, Golestan province. Using systematic classified random sampling method, 350 farmers were chosen. Data were collected through a questionnair and were analyzed using SPSS, V.11. the Content and face validity of the instrument were obtained by the faculty members of Agricultural Extension and Education Department at Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the agronomy specialists board of the Agricultural Jihad Organization in the Golestan province. The reliability analysis was conducted and Cronbach`s alpha value was 0.88. The results obtained from correlation analysis indicated that there are significant relationships (99%) between variables namely age, experience, literacy level of farmers and cultivated area and (95%) between variables namely attendance in extension classes, number of borrows and membershop time in agricultural cooperation and crop rotation implementation. Also the results of forward stepwise logistic regression model indicate that discriminative factors are consisted of farm distance from sell market of products, experience of agricultural occupation, number of agricultural products, membership in the Islamic Council, extent of irrigated lands, attendance in extension and education classrooms, number of agricultural products under of insurance coverage and home distance from support center were correctly classified 95.4 percent of the respondents. For continuing of crop rotation operations, this study recommended execution of educational activities and continuing insurance programs for agricultural productions.

The main aim of current paper is the formulating and validation of suitable indices to analyzing spatial agricultural development inequalities in Fars province. The study was carried out in two phases. In phase one with review of literature, regarding agricultural development, spatial inequality, and indicators, 92 agricultural development were identified. These indices were classified in five components as under: 1) social;-cultural, 2) structural-performance, 3) technical-management, 4) economical, and 5) infrastructural-services. These indices were validated by 57 experts who randomly wewe selected from faculty members of 6 Iranian agriculture faculties as research samples. In order to meet experts consensus and validate the indicators, statistical methods such as mode, mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation were used. In second phase, data was collected for 87 validated indices, through 2003 agricultural census and Fars statistical yearbooks for 2004 to 2007, by using Coefficient of Variation (CV), Williamson Coefficient, Theil Index and Herfindal Index, the spatial inequalities of each indictor in Fars provinces were analyzed. The result showed that, except four indices, the rest of 87 indices are appropriate for analyzing spatial agricultural development inequalities. Calculating inequalities coefficients also revealed that economical-financial and structural-services indicators such as; agricultural credit institutes, agricultural and rural industries and rural and agricultural cooperative are in high inequality situation. The calculated composite index also showed that Shiraz county is ranked in first position while Khorambid county in the last in this context.