The Analysis of Factors Affecting Horticulturist Intention and Participation in Agricultural Training-extension Programs in Western Azerbaijan Province

promoting the extension programs is a challenge which extension professionals and planners faced with and detection of influencing factors on programs’ success or fail needs to significant time allocation and commitment, so extension and education programs aim to farmers’ empowerment are very important. Today, many farmers are not interested in these programs for several reasons, so farmers’ satisfaction and programs auditing are very important. Based on this fact, the purpose of this study is analysis of influencing factors on farmers’ intention and participation in extention-education programs. The population included all the Horticulture farmers in Western Azerbaijan Province in Iran. About 231 Horticulture farmers were selected using Morgan Table. The instrument to collect data was a questionnaire which its content and face validities were established by a panel of experts and its reliability was calculated by Cronbach’s-alpha coefficient for each part. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) used for data analysis. Results are calculated with Logistic Regression and LISREL is used for the structural equation modeling. results from independent t test suggested that Horticulture farmers participated in extension programs have more intention than farmers who did not participate in these programs for participate in extension and training programs. Based on results from path-coefficients, attitude and behavioral beliefs variables have had most effects on dependent variable, intention to participate in extension programs. Research limitation: because this theory only examines internal constructs, so in the next researches this model can be integrated into others by researchers. Practical implications: results suggested that entrepreneurial trainings were effective, so the suggestion is that more improving the trainings more promoting the audiences’ intention. Original/value: this study has examined farmers’ participatory behavior by applying one of known psychological theories and its results are useful for agricultural extension expertise.