JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND EDUCATION RESEARCH
Year:2013 | Volume:6 | Issue:1 (21)|Papers Count:10

The main purpose of this research was to identify the obstacles in developing entrepreneurship among rural women of Garmsar Township. The research was applied and correlation method was used. Statistical population was composed of 115 individuals of Garmsar rural women and data was collected by using questionnaire. The research validity was confirmed by experts and to investigate the reliability, a primary test was conducted by completion of 30 questionnaires. The reliability was determined by using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient (0.90). Data was analyzed by applying SPSS version 17 software. The results of stepwise regression analysis showed that educational and economic barriers have explained about 19 percent variance in entrepreneurship development.

This study was aimed to examine the role of personal and professional characteristics of wheat farmers of Basedi region in Ramhormoz Township in accepting risk. The main instrument of this research was questionnaire and data were collected through interview. The validity of questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts and its reliability was measured by Cornbrash’s coefficient (0.839). Results showed that there was a significant relationship at a 95 percent level between the variable of risk taking and the variables of educational level, annual income, total farm area, performance, and communicational channels. In addition, results indicated that nine variables of the distance of farm to the service centers, farm area, farmers` attitude toward risk management, rate of using communicational channels, educational level, participation in extension classes, technical knowledge, annual income and performance could explain 46.5 percent of variance in the dependent variable.

The objective of this study was to examine the the role of information and communication technologies in empowering rural women of Marvdasht Township. The statistical population of this research included 1301 of rural women which, 83 of them were selected through a proportional stratified sampling. A questionnaire was developed to collect data. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts and reliability was measured by using Cronbach alph (max= 81% & min= 79%) that was estimated by the SPSS17 software. The results indicated that the empowerment of rural women was in the medium level (%65.1). The results also indicated that, the perception of respondents about the importance of capabilities of ICTs in empowerment of rural women was in the high level (%56.7). The results of stepwise regression also showed 16 percent of the empowerment can be determined by providing information about hygiene and birth control and improving the self-reliance of rural women.

The purpose of this survey study was to investigate the impact of extension services on the knowledge of application about soil conservation technologies by farmers in Marivan Township. The research instrument was structured questionnaire with close-ended questions, which validity and reliability was confirmed. The target population in this research, includes all farmers in Marivan township of Kurdistan province (N=7325) out of which, a number of 181 people were selected through classified sampling method by using Cochran’s method. Out of 181 questionnaires, 176 questionnaires were analyzed. The results of study indicated that the mean impact of extension services in knowledge about application of soil conservation technologies among farmers was at a moderate level. Findings showed that extent of extension contacts besides rate of awareness of soil erosion and using of information sources have deter minded 61% of variance of technical knowledge about soil conservation technology among farmers in Marivan Township.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effective factors in developing entrepreneurship in the agricultural advisory companies of Mazandaran province. The statistical population was all members of agricultural advisory companies in Mazandaran province (N=1221) which sample size determined by using Cochran formula (n=154) through stratified random sampling method. The validity of questionnaire is confirmed by experts and its reliability is measured through Cronbach’s alpha and obtained maximum economic factors (a=90%) and minimum social-cultural factors (a=75%). The data are analyzed by SPSS software version 16. The findings indicated that the situation of entrepreneurship development in agricultural advisory companies is undesirable from the majority of respondent’s point of view. The results showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between economical, educational-extensional, social-cultural, psychological factors (P=99%) and experience in agricultural activities (P=95%) with entrepreneurship development. Also the results of regression analysis showed that 22 percent of the variance in the perception of respondents about entrepreneurship development was explained by educational-extensional factor.

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the application and importance of technological mechanisms in enhancing innovation capacity in rural women's cooperatives of Tehran province. The total population of this study was 788 women members of cooperatives in the Tehran province and 240 respondents were selected by using Cochran formula through random sampling method. The rate of technological mechanisms in enhancing innovation capacity was in low rate and in members view, low level of risk in technologies was considered the most important factor in enhancing innovation capacity (CV=0.323). Respondents also indicated that using modern design and new method of production was the most important technological mechanism (CV=0.160).

This main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of personal characteristics and job satisfaction on organizational commitment among jihad-e agriculture organization experts in Kurdistan province. The population consisted of 449 jihad-e agriculture organization specialists in Kurdistan province and by using proportional stratified random sampling, 220 experts were selected. Questionnaire was used as a tool to collect data. The validity of the instrument was confirmed by a panel of experts. The reliability of the questionnaire was estimated by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.88 to 0.91). Data was analyzed using SPSSV20 software. The results indicated that more than 50 percent of the specialists had scored moderate to low moderate regarding job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The results of regression analysis revealed that work satisfaction, satisfaction about communication, satisfaction of promotion and satisfaction of co-workers explained about 40 percent of variance in organizational commitment.

The main purpose of this article is to analyze the barriers in adoption of land consolidation in Fars Province. The statistical population of the study includes farmers in the Fars province and based on Cochran’s formula, 250 farmers were selected as statistical sample with using multi-stage sampling method. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts and its reliability was calculated by using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient (0.83). For analyzing data, SPSS software was used. Based on factorial analysis, farming, implementing, social/cultural and economic barriers have explained about 66 percent of total variance in adoption of land consolidation.