فصلنامه تحقیقات اقتصاد و توسعه کشاورزی ایران
سال چهل و دوم شماره 4 (زمستان 1390)

Oil seeds and crude vegetable oil are the raw materials used in vegetable oil producing industry. Vegetable oil producing plants in Iran are dependent on importing the material in a way that more than 90 percent of these materials are to be imported. Soybean oil seed is the main oil seed utilized in the oil producing plants which is procured through importation from other countries. In the world market, the price of this commodity is ever fluctuating and the demanders are faced with price risks. In the present study, participation in the Chicago Futures Market and purchasing future contracts are evaluated as tools for managing price risks by Iranian importers, and the optimum hedge ratio determined using Mean-Variance as well as Minimum Variance models. In addition, the effects of introducing exchange rate as well as its interaction with the price risks were investigated and, ultimately, the risk efficiency of each of the optimum hedge ratios calculated. Results indicated that, the Future Market can be considered as an appropriate price risk manipulation tool by the Iranian importers such that if importers purchase 96 percent of their imports as future contracts, they will be able to reduce their price risk by 45 percent.

Late spring chilling in spring is largely the cause for limiting almond production, so finding ways to reduce the loss is a priority in horticultural research. The government in Iran established Sahand Horticultural Research Station in 1968 to invest in some late flowering almond cultivars, and this resulted in seven new cultivars in 1994, which can survive the late chillings that might occur in spring. Since 1994, extensive efforts have been made in this regard and one can presently observe the outcome in the fields. This reduction can be illustrated by supply shift to left in Economic Surplus Approach. In order to assess the research and extension of impacts and to analyze the economic effects a suitable model has been constructed. This study analyzed the economic effects of almond late flowering cultivars developed in Sahand Horticultural Research Station, using the Economic Surplus model along with field data in a 25-year period from 1995 to 2019. The results indicated that the total benefits had been less decreased in chilling situations with the late flowering cultivars about for 9.52 billion Rials. It was shown that the benefits had decreased to 4.76 Rials whit the probability of chilling being less. The findings expressed that if the research investment in almond late flowering cultivars could keep the position of almond supply curve unchanged unless the weather conditions then the respective the economic surplus of producers, consumers and total would be decrease by -1.62, 41.7 and 40.07 billion Rials, less annually, respectively.

Harmful economic, environmental and financial impacts of fertilizer distribution through subsidies as well as its contradiction with regulations of WTO, it makes necessary to adopt a new policy. In this study, by combining Positive Mathematical Programming and Maximum Entropy technique, the impacts of cancellation of fertilizer subsidies and applying proposed direct payment policies on gross margin, output and input levels were simulated under four scenarios.Results show that replacing fertilizer subsidy with direct payment policy leads to decreasing of fertilizer use up to 17.38, 9.39 and 13.59 percent in first, second and third group of farmers, respectively. In view of the fact that results show the current policy of fertilizer subsidy isn’t efficient, applying a proposed direct payment policy is suggested to increase the economic and benefits environmental safety of fertilizer use.

Land degradation due to soil erosion has been well pointed out as one of the most serious ecological and economic problems that some such South Asian countries including Iran are faced with. Although high investment has been made, particularly in introduction of soil conservational mechanical practices, the level of acceptance of these practices has been low and while a high rate of erosion continued. Using cross-sectional data obtained from a sample of 178 dry farmers in Izeh Township, in this research it is attempted to identify the major factors influencing farmers’ adoption of soil erosion control mechanical practices. An estimation of the Logit Regression Models revealed that total farm size, perception of soil erosion, belief in the impact of control measures on soil erosion, participation in trainings related to soil conservation as well as land ownership, are positive and significant effective factors on farmers’ decision in adoption of conservation measures. This is while, age, education, distance of the farms from residence and off-farm employment, are negative and significant effective factors that influence farmers’ adoption decisions. Based on the results, trainings regarding soil conservation which increase the farmer's awareness and technical knowledge concerning adverse the effects of erosion and benefits from soil conservation measures are quite indispensable. It is suggested to also increase the financial supports as one of the important policies adopted in the extension of mechanical control measures.

In recent years, the issue of global water scarcity has attracted increasing attention within academia, non-governmental organizations and as well as within the media. The aim of this paper is to ascertain whether there is a systematic relationship between agriculture water use and income, and particularly whether an inverted U-shaped relationship exists, as has been found for other resources and for pollutants through EKC hypothesis. Using a new cross section data set of agriculture water use for 163 countries in the world, signs of such a relationship has become evident, suggesting that agriculture water use may benefit from composition and technique effects opposite scale effects’. Some models have used into original and logarithmic expressions by line, quadratics and cubic functions to estimate the relationship between agriculture water use and income. The “turning point” level as agriculture water use and income relationship is estimated as $5074. According to the article’s results, the efficiency of water use in the agriculture sector, population and socioeconomic policies has an important role in affecting onagriculture water use.

The main objective of this descriptive-survey research was to analyze factors affecting entrepreneurship development in Agricultural Advisory Services Corporations in Zanjan province. The statistical population of the study consisted of members of Advisory Services Corporations in Zanjan Province (N=358) out of whom 95 individuals were taken as sample, using Cochran Formula and Proportionate Stratified Sampling Technique. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of expert's judgment. In order to assess the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach Alpha coefficients were calculated for the main scales of the questionnaire (0.82 & 0.92). Results of prioritizing factors affecting entrepreneurship development through the Advisory Services Corporation indicated that the top two most important affecting factors (in order of importance) were “government support for consulting services corporation" and "entrepreneurial skill's training courses". For identification of the components of these factors, affecting the advisory services corporations, exploratory factor analysis was employed. In addition, to investigate the index surpasses model, confirmatory factor analysis as well as structural equations model were employed. The results revealed that factors affecting entrepreneurship development in the Advisory Services Corporation are to be tabulated in six separate factors including: educational, supportive, communication, management, business skills as well as policy factors.

The purpose of this Delphi study was to develop a consensus listing of those characteristics that comprise an effective agriculture educator in rural areas. The Delphi technique is effective in obtaining consensus among a purposively selected group of experts. Researchers believe that the reliability is greater than 0.80 when Delphi group responses numbered greater than 13. The population of the study consisted of 22 specialists in agricultural education that comprised the Panel of experts for the study. The panel identified 25 characteristics of an effective agricultural educator in rural areas. The researchers set the agreement level a priori at 80%. Any item which did not receive approval from 80% of the panel respondents was removed from the list of characteristics. As a result, 15 characteristics remained that were categorized into the areas of community relations skills, professional behavior, and personal qualities. The results indicated that a majority of characteristics identified by the panel of experts, stood in the professional behavior and personal quality categories needed as preconditions for agricultural educators to be effective in rural areas.

The main objective of this research was to analyze the barriers of implementing the Total Quality Management (TQM) in agricultural faculties in the universities of North West of Iran. The kind of research method of the study was an analytical- explanatory one. The statistical population of the study consisted of all the faculty members in agricultural faculties in the universities of North West of Iran including Tabriz, Ardabil, Orumieh and Zanjan (N= 268). According to Krejcie & Morgan table, 155 members were selected through Stratified Random Sampling method. A questionnaire formed the means to collect the data. The validity of the instrument was established by a panel of experts in the fields related to agricultural extension and education at the University of Zanjan. A pilot study was conducted to establish the reliability of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for the scale of importance of barriers of implementing the Total Quality Management (TQM) in agricultural faculties was found as equal to 0.86. The results of factor analysis revealed that five factors of: cognitive- educational, cultural, information- communication, quantitative orientation as well as structural explained 69.32% of the total variances of barriers of implementing the TQM in the agricultural faculties.

The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to analyze farmer's attitude toward new agricultural knowledge in Mehreiz and Khatam Townships. The statistical population for the study consisted of the farmers of Mehreiz and Khatam Township (N=22618). A multistage sample of farmers was selected (n=281). Based on the findings, the use of specialized publications and the recommendations of experts had the highest correlation with the attitude. A forty five percent of the farmers had positive attitudes towards new agricultural methods while the attitudes of 29 percent were negative. Advice from extension agents and agricultural experts, the willingness to have the education of their children continued, the use of new technologies in agriculture, the extent of study of the specialized agricultural publications, the rate of participation in extension and education programs, the rate of participation in family and farm decision-akings, and age were among the factors affecting farmer's attitudes towards the new agricultural procedures. These variables explained 44 percent of the variance among farmers’ attitudes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of breeder's personal and professional characteristics on their attitude towards the application of participatory breeding. The design of the study was a survey research one, utilizing a descriptive-correlational method. The statistical population consisted of 95 breeders in Tehran Province (N=95). Through census study, 76 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The questionnaire was employed as the instrument of data gathering. Face and content validity of the questionnaire was established through a panel of agricultural extension & education faculty members as well as by plant breeding experts. A pilot test was conducted to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha was estimated around 0.83 through SPSS software version 16. Descriptive findings indicated that 57.9% of breeder's attitude towards use of PB stood at "agree" level. Comparison mean results showed that such characteristics as: Gender, employment status, organizational duty and education course have no effect on the breeder's attitude towards using PB, but type of PB implementation system affected the breeder's attitude. Correlation coefficient results indicated that there existed a significant and positive correlation (p=. 01) between breeder's familiarity level regarding PB and their attitude towards an application of PB.

The main purpose of this research was to investigate farmer’s attitude towards privatization of agricultural extension in Shirgah district, Mazandaran Province. The statistical population consisted of 15300 farmers who inhabited as residents in 54 villages. Using Stratified Proportional Random Sampling, 150 farmers (through Cochran Formula) were selected. The study revealed that 84% of farmers had either positive or partly positive attitude towards efficiency of private extension. Meanwhile, farmers with higher ages and with higher experiences in agriculture as well as farmers who had more acquaintance with extension services, had negative attitudes towards privatization of agricultural extension. Results of priority necessary preconditions to privatization of agricultural extension indicated that farmers attached the highest priority to establishing and integrating of a regulation framework to supervise and control privatization extension sector. The analytical correlation results showed that there were positive and significant correlations observed between farmer’s attitude towards privatization of agricultural extension with the variables of level of education, average income, extent of irrigated lands, the rate of reference to agricultural service centers, attitude towards privatization of agricultural extension efficiency and the level of mechanization, while there existed negative and significant correlations with the variables of age, and cognitive experience of the agricultural extension services. Also the most important variables affecting farmer’s attitude towards privatization of agricultural extension included average income of farmers, familiarity with public extension services as well as the level of education.

The main purpose of this descriptive – survey study was to investigate the factors affecting the professional skills of faculty members in Iranian agricultural colleges. The statistical population of the study consisted of the faculty members of Iranian agricultural colleges (N=1837), from whom 380 were determined as sample, applying Morgan's sample table. The population size was later increased to 404 for an enhancement of the precision of the study. Proportional stratified random sampling method was employed to determine the samples. Data were collected through questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire, was verified by a group of University of Tehran faculty members and specialists. Cronbach's Alpha (Professional Skills= 0.82, Organizational Culture = 0.78, Organizational – Management fields= 0.92) coefficients were applied to estimate the reliability, the extent of which being from. 78 to. 92 indicated the questionnaire's acceptable reliability. T-test results revealed significant differences between the degrees (MSc and PhD) and the degrees (obtained inside vs. outside the country) of faculty members as regarded their professional skills. Regression analysis also indicated that the three variables, organizational – management fields, organizational culture, teaching background, explaining 57.4 percent of variation in professional skills of faculty members.

The purpose of this correlational research was to investigate the factors influencing satisfaction whith sprinkler irrigation systems (SIS) as perceived by the adopting farmers. The research instrument was a structural questionnaire with close-ended questions, the validity and reliability of which were confirmed. The target population included all the adopting farmers who cultivated and harvested at least one crop with SIS applied in Kurdistan Province, Iran (N=297) from among whom, a number of 139 were selected as the statistical prototype in a stratified sampling method. Findings of the study indicated that a majority (103 individuals or 74.10%) of the farmers’ satisfaction of SIS stood at a ‘moderate’ level. There were statistically significant relationship observed between age, experience in farming, number of land plots under cultivation, number of plots under cultivation and irrigated thuough SIS, system design, after-sales services, extension-education supports after following SIS installation and the level of farmers’ satisfaction with SIS. The results of the multivariate regression revealed that 67.5 percent of variations in the level of farmers’ satisfaction with SIS stemmed from system design, extension-education supports following installation of SIS, number of plots under cultivation, as well as organization's supports for installation and maintenance of SIS.

The advent of an economy based upon socioeconomic capabilities and obligation, along with move in the direction of such knowledge oriented concepts as social investments makes one consider other such theries as social capital in an analysis of basic skill formations, and as well in the development and application of these skills in higher education and curricula. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms for development of social capital in Iranian Agricultural higher education system. The statistical population of the study included 177 agricultural students (at BSc level) in five universities of Tehran, Razi Kermanshah, Lorestan, Shiraz and Kerman. The mechanisms for development of social capital in Agricultural Higher Education System were explained though Likert type scale. Based upon Factor Analysis, six components of social capital (social participation, social trust, social knowledge, social security, cultural capital as well as social solidarity) were the items determined. These explained 74.37 percent of total variance.The results of the study suggest the implication for development of social capital in Agricultural Higher Education and the provision of social skills required for the pertinent graduates.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the achievement motivation of faculty members according to their job satisfaction. A descriptive correlational design was employed for the research with data collected using questionnaire. The statistical population of the study included faculty members of University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran from among whom a population sample of 65 members was selected using random sampling method. Reliability and validity of the instrument were determined through opinions of faculty members and application of Cronbach's Alpha. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) version 11.5 was applied to analyze the data. The findings showed that there was a significant correlation observed between achievement motivation and the variables of: promotion, colleague, work nature, communication (P<0.01), facilities and reward (P<0.05). Also, regression analysis showed that about 61 percent of variations in the achievement motivation of faculty members could be predicted by independent variables.

The present study is aimed at investigating the factors which influence cooperative managers’ awareness of the cooperative sector. Methodologically, this is a descriptive-correlated survey. The study consisted of 498 managers of agricultural cooperatives in Tehran(N=498), from among whom 72 were selected through random sampling (n=72). Validity of the questionnaire used for collecting data was approved by judgement of the professors of the Faculty of Economy and Agricultural Development of Tehran University and the experts from the cooperation ministry. Reliability of the managers’ awareness extent with regard to cooperation was determined using Cronbach Alpha coefficient amounting to a value of 87%. The findings indicated that just (18.05%) of the managers benefit from a very high awareness of the cooperatives sector. Moreover, the results revealed that there exists a significant correlation between educational level, frequency of applying educational activities, frequency of using information sources and communication channels, the motivation for membership in the cooperatives, managers’ efficiency and social aspects with the variable of the awareness from the cooperative sectors. Based on the results of regression analysis, the five variables of: frequency of using information sources and communication channels, social aspects, frequency of applying educational activities, managers’ efficiency and entrepreneurial aspects account for 73% of the variations in the dependent variable.

The main purpose of this study was to find the defects of Agricultural Education Centers (AECs) inf Hamadan Province and to look for the remedies. Hamadan province The research was carried out based on a descriptive survey method. Research population consisted of agricultural education students (N=120). Data was gathered through census method and questionnaire and as well through interview with the participants in the Research population. Empirical and face validity of the questionnaire were verified by a panel of experts consisting of both faculty members and agricultural specialists. The questionnaire reliability, estimated through Cronbach's Alpha was found in the range of 75.6 to 85.4. SWOT analysis was employed to assess the defects of AECs. Results indicated that access to interested trainers and educational board is among the most important strengths while a lack of hardware along with softwares in the field as well as laboratory means are the most important weaknesses. Spirit of self-employment and the government support are considered as the most important opportunities white a lack of access to resources for starting an enterprise is found as the most important impediment. Four categorical strategies were at last introduced to reduce threats and weaknesses while increasing opportunities and strengths.

This research was carried out with the aim of analyzing the expected outcomes of internship course in Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The research was carried out through a survey method. The statistical population of the study consisted of all agricultural students of the Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources involved during the academic year 2008-2009 who had participated and passed the internship course (N=378) while the samle (n=123) was determinated through Cochran's formula. The sample was selected through Stratified Sample Technique. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of agricultural education experts and faculty members. Calculated Coronbach's Alpha coefficient as an indication of the questionnaire’s reliability was found as equal to. 81 and. 77 for the two main parts of questionnaire. Using SPSS and EXCEL softwares, the gathered data was analyzed. Based upon the coefficient of variation the internship's outcomes were prioritized. The findings revealed that the total internship's outcome according to most respondents (65%) stood at medium level. The results of a compareison of means with t-test indicated that there was a significant difference observed between internship's outcome of respondents with regard to thier educational level (B. S. and postgraduate levels and particiapation in pre-cource preparatory session. According to factor analysis, the internship's outcomes were placed in 3 concluding factors that totally explained 71% of the total variance. These factors were counted as "educational and learning outcomes", "career and professional development's outcomes", and "personal development's outcomes".

This research was carried out through a descriptive-correlation method with the purpose of Analyzing the Attitude of Agricultural Students toward Group Learning and the factors affecting it. The research population consisted of the agricultural students at Agricultural College of the Razi University (N=793) from whom a sample of 196 students were selected through Bartlett's Table and by Random Stratified Sampling Method. Data gathering instrument was a questionnaire the validity and reliability of which was confirmed through Cronbach's Alpha coefficient (0.77>α>0.84) and by a panel of experts. Results indicated that attitude of agricultural students toward group learning was positive. Results of structural equation modeling revealed that variables including team working ability, gender, educational system had meaningful effects on the attitude towards group learning, with these variables in total determining 26% of variation of attitude towards group learning.