JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION RESEARCH
Year:2014 | Volume:7 | Issue:2 (26)|Papers Count:9

The purpose of this descriptive-correlation study was to identify factors performing development of biotechnology in agricultural sector of Iran. The research instrument was structural questionnaire with close-ended questions, which its validity and reliability was confirmed. The target population of this study consisted of all agricultural organization staff, Alborz province (N=196) out of that, according to Krejcie d Morgan’ table, a number of 126 people were selected using statistical sampling in a stratified randomization method. Finally, 123 questionnaires were gathered and analyzed (n=123). Results indicated that compatibility was the most important indicators for development of biotechnology in agricultural sector of Iran. Furthermore, economic, information-related, extension-education, and government’s policy factors were the major factors performing development of biotechnology in agricultural sector of Iran, respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between economic, extension-education, and privatization factors performing development of biotechnology and the amount of development of biotechnology in agricultural sector of Iran. The results of the stepwise regression revealed that 32.30 percent of variability in development of biotechnology in agricultural sector of Iran stemmed from “economic, extension-education, and privatization factors”, that extension-education factor had been more role.

The main purpose of this study was to identifying effective factors on development of entrepreneurship skills of rural women cooperatives in Fars Province. This is an applied and non-experimental research with correlation research method. The main instrument was questionnaire; its validity was confirmed by a number of consulting experts. In order to measure the reliability of a questionnaire primary – test questionnaire was done and the computed Cronbach alpha coefficient was calculated to 0/96. Statistical population included 3142 members of rural women cooperatives which 140 of them were selected by using Cochrane formula and proportionate stratified sampling method. The data were analyzed by SPSSv16 software. The results of the study showed that there was a positive and meaningful relationship between psychological Factors, educational Factors, economic Factors, social – cultural Factors and Political Factors with development of entrepreneurial skills. Results of regression analysis have indicated the educational Factors, Psychological Factors, Managerial Factors and economic Factors are explained 50 percent of changes in independent variable.

Human resource development (HRD) and transfer of technologies or innovations are considered as major pillars of agricultural development. This study was to investigate the social capital of actors and interpersonal information, as well as their role in facilitating and diffusing agricultural innovations. The data of study were collected by using structured interview and questionnaire (have been reliable and validated). The population of the study consists of 260 farmers of different local institutions located in the Shabestar city (Cis district). Using Cochran formula, 127 farmers were selected as sample. The path analysis highlighted that the social capital of the actors including opinion leaders with impact factors of 0.821, agricultural extension agents with impact factors of 0.434, and farmers’ family and peers with impact factors of 0.223 had the most influence on adopting agricultural innovations by the farmers.

Organic farming has a key role in sustainable development and the main factor of the formation and development of organic farming, is consumer demands, and the attitude which determine and reflect that demand. The main purpose of this research was to identify the factors affecting consumer attitudes to organic agricultural products. This is an applied with correlation method. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the questionnaire obtained 7.0-8.0. The population consists of those people who at least one group of garden products, livestock, dairy, fruits and vegetables organic, of marketing square Jalal Ale Ahmed Tehran, purchased and consumed. Due to the fact that total population under study was an open population to determine the sample size provided a statistical model for the data volume and according to Cochran formula, 124 persons were selected through simple random sampling. Results of regression analysis showed that the variables of health knowledge, knowledge of organic products, consumer incentives, and age have explained 32 percent variance in consumption attitudes of organic agricultural products.

In the most applied projects of our country, social studies were forgotten and projects are analyzed with technical view. In each project social studies should be perform parallel to technical studies because, some projects are technically accepted but they rejected because social aspects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze social studies of Feyzabad Dam irrigation and Drainage Network in Fars Province. A deep interview has been performed with government and stakeholders in this study. Information was analyzed with SWOT method. Findings showed that internal factors (strength and weakness points) had higher score weight than external factors (treatments and opportunities). Strength points with score weight of 3.992 had maximum and opportunities with score weight of 3.607 had minimum score. Score weight of strength points are more than score weight of weakness, that it shows the positive effect of social studies on project. Therefore, some strategies are made like: preparation for the water users’ association establishing, empowerment of water users association cores and reveal of modern channels benefits.

The purpose of this study was to determine effective factors on feasibility of hydroponics cultivation with regard to infrastructures. The research population consists of 176 experts in Agriculture -Jahad Ministry, which were selected using census method. The methodological approach of this study was descriptive and causal relationship. Content validity of the instrument was established by a panel of experts consisting of senior faculty members and research committee advisors. Reliability analysis was conducted by using Cronbach’s alpha formula and result was 0.83. The results showed that 74.2, 22.6 and 3.2 percent of experts respectively expressed their feasibility of hydroponics cultivation regard to infrastructures were weak, moderate and good. Also the results of the multiple regression analysis (stepwise method) revealed that economic factors, attitude toward hydroponics cultivation and political factors explained a variation of 28 percent of feasibility of hydroponics cultivation regard to infrastructures.