JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION RESEARCH
Year:2014 | Volume:7 | Issue:1 (25)|Papers Count:11

The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of developing water user association in the Khuzistan Province. The research type was applied type and descriptive/correlation method was used. Statistical population of study was water user associations experts in Water and Power Company of Khuzistan (N=40). The main instrument was a questionnaire and its validity of the study was confirmed by a panel of experts. The reliability was determined by Cronbach alpha coefficient (0.87). The results of study showed that there were significant differences between current and ideal conditions in all areas except, access to public services, access to paved roads and number of rural population, the number of consumers and number of producers. The most important areas in developing water user associations in current situation were environmental, infrastructural, social, economical and supportive respectively, while the most important areas in ideal situation were economical and supportive.

The major purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting the development of biotechnology in fishery sector of Iran. This research is applied type and survey method was used to collect data by using questionnaire. The total population of this study included all experts which have been working in the central office of Iran Fishery Organization (N=554). The sample population was 130 respondents which were selected through proportionate random sampling method. The collected data were analyzed by using factorial analysis in SPSS software. Results indicated that the variables are classified in five categorize: social, policymaking, cultural, educational and economical factors. These five factors were responsible for 64 percent of variances in factors affecting the development of biotechnology in the fishery sector of Iran, respectively.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting farmers’ attitude towards sustainable cultivation of rice in the Mazandaran province. The research has conducted a descriptive-correlation method. The number of sample population was 270 rice farmers in Amol, Babol and Sari townships which were selected through a proportional stratified sampling. Data was gathered by using questionnaire. The most important findings of the study showed that educational level, access to educational and extension factors and communication channels, the number of family labor force, access to inputs, amount of loan and value of the reference group opinions had positive and significant correlations with attitude toward sustainable rice cultivation, while there was negative correlation between age, non-farming incomes, management characteristics and experience in rice farming with sustainable rice cultivation. Results of regression analysis also showed that access to educational and extension factors and communication channels, the experience in rice farming, the number of family labor, educational level and value of the reference group opinions approximately explained 46 percent of the variability in the attitude of respondents about sustainable rice cultivation.

This study is to investigate farmers’ views regarding the social capital of public and private sector agricultural extension and to analyze the impact of social capital on adopting agricultural innovations. The research has conducted a descriptive-correlational survey using a structured interview technique utilizing a questionnaire validated by validity and reliability techniques. Using a stratified sampling technique, a sample of 160 farmers was randomly selected from the rural households of the Abbar Sub-county located in the Tarom Township of the Zanjan Province. According to the regression analysis, the social capital of public extension explains 31.5 percent of the variation in agricultural innovation adoption, whereas, the private extension can only determine 3.5 percent of variation in agricultural innovation adoption.

The main purpose of the research was to examine the areas of ICT utiization by master agricultural of agricultural majors in University of Zanjan. The research considered as an applied research and its methodology was descriptive. The statistical population of the study consisted of 337 of master students of agricultural majors in University of Zanjan. According to the Cochran formula, a sample size of 109 was selected using a stratified random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. A panel of faculty members in University of Zanjan confirmed the validity of the questionnaire. A pilot study was conducted to establish the reliability of the instrument. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was at appropriate level (more than 0.75) for the main scales of questionnaire. The results of factor analysis showed that five factors namely establishing communication and access to information, scientific, educational and general explained 62.4 percent of total variances of areas of ICT utilization by master student of agricultural majors in University of Zanjan.

The major purpose of this study was to identify the factors caused wastes in wheat production by farm advisors in Qazvin Province. The research is applied type research and descriptive method was used to collect the data. The population for the study was 112 farm advisors in Qazvin Province and data collected by using a questionnaire. The data was analyzed by using factor analysis in SPSSV11. The results of factor analysis show that five latent factors including knowledge and skills, supportive, managerial, farming, and mechanization explain more than 51 percent of the total variance of factors caused wastes in wheat production.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of extension training on increasing Agria potato variety yield in the Damavand Township. Population of the study included all Agria potato producers in Damavand Township. This research is applied type and data was collected by using survey method. The results show that there were meaningful relationships between father’s occupation, number of invited extension classes, attending extension education classes, utilization of extension recommendations, satisfaction regarding Agria variety cultivation, timing between introducing and cultivation of Agria potato variety with increasing Agria potato variety yield as dependent variable. Also the result of multiple regression analysis indicated that father’s occupation, number of invited extension classes, satisfaction regarding Agria variety cultivation, timing between introducing and cultivation of Agria potato variety explained about 40 percent of variation in yield of Agria potato variety.

The purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing on knowledge of organic farming among greenhouse owners in the Varamin Township. The methodological approach of this study was descriptive-correlative. The research population consisted of 125 greenhouse owners in Varamin Township, which were selected using census method. Validity of the instrument was established by a panel of experts consisting of senior faculty members and research committee advisors. Reliability analysis was obtained by the completion of 30 questionnaires outside the statistical sample and certainty coefficient of Cronbach’s Alpha was estimated 0.81. The results showed that 13.3, 44.2 and 42.5 percent of greenhouse owners expressed that their knowledge level about organic farming were weak, moderate and good respectively. Also the results of the multiple regression analysis (stepwise method) revealed that ecological situation, social participation and potential of observing organic agriculture innovation explained a variation of 70.8 percent in knowledge level about organic farming by greenhouse owners.