Attitudes of Agricultural Jihad Organization Specialists towards Sustainable Agriculture Concepts and its Determinants in the East Azerbaijan Province

The objective of the present research was to investigate the Agricultural Jihad Organization (AJO) specialist's attitudes towards sustainable agriculture concepts in the East Azerbaijan and to find out about its determinants. A descriptive-correlational method was used in the study. The sampling population of the study consisted of all the AJO specialists in East Azerbaijan (N=200). A sample consisting of 77 respondents, selected through random sampling was taken into account. Data were collected by questionnaires the validity of which was confirmed by a scientific board of faculty members. Their reliability was confirmed through a pilot study for which Cronbach alpha coefficient was found out as 0.72. The results indicate that the attitudes of AJO specialists about the concepts of sustainable agriculture were moderate. Based on regression analysis, the factors of their education major, on farm agricultural experience, work experience, reading of the scientific and extension publications, number of information sources at their disposal, and their income have significant effects over their attitudes with these factors explaining 53% of the specialist's attitudes towards sustainable agriculture concepts.