Factors Affecting Adoption of Mitigation Technologies for Wheat Losses during the Drought and Low Rainfall Period of 2001-2005: A Case Study of Wheat Cultivators in Khorasan-e Razavi Province of Iran

The main purpose of this study is to examine the effective factors that influence the adoption of technologies that mitigate wheat losses in the periods of drought and low rain fall during 2001-2005. The research methodology is desciptive-correlational. The statistical population is the whole 22119 farmers in Khorasan-e Razavi province, who cultivated wheat during the crop year 2004-2005. The sample size is 357 according to Cochran statistics and by using multi stage purposive clustering method 291 questionnaires were filled. Face and content validity of the questionnaire has been examined and modified by subject specialists. Reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by Conbach’s alfa which was equal to 0.87. The results show for 93% of farmers the level of adoption of technologies was low and very low. An examination of the types of technology indicated that the highest level of adoption was related to weed control, fertilizers distribution and regulation of seed plantation technologies respectively. Personal characteristics of a farmer and his farming method had significant relationship with adoption of technology. The linear multivariate regression model showed that “technical know-how concerning the wheat losses mitigation technologies” could explain 23.3% of changes in technology adoption variable.