International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development
Volume:9 Issue: 1, Mar 2019

According to experts, the inefficient agricultural sector has a dominant role in degrading water resources all over the world. Farmers’ conservational behavior is an important aspect of new integrated water management studies. Relevantly, various behavioral theories have been proposed in the field of environmental psychology. The main objective of the present comparative analysis and review study was to explain foundations of the most remarkable water conservation behavioral theories, classify them, and finally, present a critical discussion on the better application of each theory to explain the farmers' Water Conservation Behaviors (WCBs). This study is based on the documentary research method which was accomplished using a systematic literature review. The comparison analysis of existing theories indicates that the “theory selection” should be consistent with the “type of behavior under study”. Consequently, it is recommended to adopt the theories like Planned Behavior Theory and Reasoned Action Theory to illustrate the private-sphere WCBs such as farmers’ willingness to pay for water conservation because these behaviors are directly associated with the farmers’ personal interests. With respect to those conservational behaviors with participatory and collective nature, an individual may ignore his/her short-sighted and immediate benefits to achieve collective and long-term interests. In such a case, the use of moral approach and its relevant theories, including the Value-Belief-Norms Theory and the Norm Activation Theory, seems to be more appropriate. Consequently, agricultural practitioners and researchers are recommended to use rational approach theories to analyze the WCBs of farmers.

This research investigated the effectiveness of IPM/FFS project from economic, technical, social-communicative, environmental and psychological aspects in a descriptive-correlational design based on the survey method. The research population consisted of 70 greenhouse producers that had implemented IPM/FFS project in Tehran and Alborz provinces, Iran. Using Krejcie and Morgan (1970)'s sample size table and stratified random sampling method, 55 greenhouse producers were selected as the research sample. A questionnaire was the main tool for data collection. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of agricultural extension and education experts and its reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficients (0.77≤a≤0.86). The results showed that the IPM/FFS project has affected social-communicative, psychological, environmental, technical and economic factors, respectively. There were positive and significant relationships between effectiveness of the IPM/FFS project and education, the duration of IPM implementation, satisfaction with governmental support and the characteristics of IPM/FFS learning sites whilst the effectiveness of IPM/FFS project was negatively and significantly related to age and greenhouse area under IPM project. According to multiple regression analysis, the characteristics of IPM/FFS learning sites, education and satisfaction with governmental supports could account for 66 percent of variance of the effectiveness of IPM/FFS project. Finally, as implementation cost of integrated pest management is usually beyond greenhouse producers’ financial ability, it is suggested that the government provide greenhouse producers with more economic supports (e.g. granting loan and special facilities and guaranteed purchase of organic products).

Due to the frequent drought periods, water consumption increase, and competition of different water-using sectors, the Hirmand catchment is in a critical water status in the Sistan region. This threat has been intensified in recent years. To cope with this problem, we must pay more attention to different types of water use such as virtual water as a water saving method. The present study calculates virtual water demand of agricultural products in the Sistan region in the cropping year of 2013-2014 using water evaluation and planning (WEAP) system. Furthermore, impacts of the implementation of the virtual water scenarios are predicted on water resources and consumption over the 2015-2030 period. Results show that tomato and alfalfa have less virtual water demand despite their high water requirements due to their high production yield. Furthermore, wheat and barley have the highest virtual water demand. Also, the results of the WEAP model reveal that in the virtual water scenario, the mean annual water demand is lower than the current account (61% for net efficiency, 17% for current efficiency). Consequently, unmet demand will be reduced about 383 million m3. Therefore, given the prevalence of drought in the region, it is appropriate to implement this scenario to protect water resources. Hence, it is highly recommended to orient planning and investment in agricultural development projects of the Sistan region with the concept of virtual water.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the adoption of wheat waste management by wheat farmers. The method used in this study using the spatial Probit models and Bayesian model was used to estimate the model. MATLAB software was used in this study. The data of 220 wheat farmers in Khouzestan Province based on random sampling were collected in winter 2016. To calculate Bayesian coefficients the Gibbs sampling and Metropolis–Hastings algorithm were used. A Lagrange Multiplier test for spatial error dependence [LM(err)] and a Lagrange Multiplier test for spatial lag dependence [LM(lag)] to extract the appropriate model were used.The results of both models were statistically significant with 99% probability. Thus, both models can be used in interpreting the results. Based on the results of the estimation of spatial models the variables of participation in extension courses, technical knowledge about management of waste, income, crop’s yield, mechanization level and the spatial autoregressive coefficient had significant role on adoption of waste management.

Value co-creation process as a mutual interaction between individuals is a key issue across the management network. Recently, studies have placed a special emphasis on people’s interaction in order to accomplish value co-creation. Given that the process of experience exchange enables us to identify our resources in transactional processes and make collaboration to achieve common values, the purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting student value co-creation to institutionalize sustainability in agricultural and natural recourses universities. Statistical population of the research consisted of 2248students of which 204 students were selected using stratified random sampling. The main research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire whose face and content validity was confirmed by a panel of experts and whose construct validity was confirmed by using explanatory factor analysis (KMO = 0.752; P= 0.01).The reliability was checked by calculating ordinal theta ( 0.89). Data was analyzed by SPSS20.Descriptive findings showed that student value co-creation level was moderate (43.060 percent). The findings of exploratory factor analysis revealed that seven factors including teaching quality, support from top management, students’ social capital, confidence to faculty member, self-efficacy, pro-environmental values, and infrastructures of information and communication technology (ICT) captured 77.74 percent of student value co-creation variance.

With the widening of the gap in water supply and demand in recent years and the schemes of the Ministry of Energy to restore and balance underground tables, the agricultural sector is projected to be under increasing pressure due to the rationing programs and the allocation of water resources to other sectors with higher economic efficiency in water use. We explored the economic impacts of non-pricing policy of limiting water supply and the policies of water pricing, taxing, and subsidization as per each m3 water use over or below the average gross requirement of the planting pattern on the components of the agricultural sector in Qazvin Province using the data and statistics for the 2013-2014 growing season and the expansion of positive mathematical programming model with the maximum entropy approach. The results showed that the non-pricing policy of 50% limitation of water supply would have the highest economic return per m3 water use. It is estimated to be 0.23$. The highest reduction of chemical fertilizer use would be accomplished in the scenario of 50% limitation of water availability and the integrated scenario of 30% water availability limitation + 50% higher price for water. According to the comparison of employment per unit area vis-à-vis the reference year under different scenarios, the scenario of 50% limitation of water supply (20% increase per ha versus the reference year) would be the best for employment creation followed by the integrated scenario of 30% limitation of water availability. Since the non-pricing policy of limiting water availability would be more effective than the pricing policies in improving water use status and changing planting pattern, it is recommended to apply a combination of these policies in the studied region.

A field experiment was conducted at Rice Research Station of Tonekabon, Iran, to determine the effect of seed inoculation with plant growth-promotingrhizobacteria on rice grain yield and yield components under different nitrogen (N) rates. The experimental design was a Randomized Complete Block with factorial arrangement and three replicates. Factors included seed inoculation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria [control (un-inoculated), seed inoculation with Azospirillum lipoferum, seed inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum, and seed inoculation with a combination of A. lipoferumand A. chroococcum] and N rates (100%, 75%, and 50% of recommended nitrogen rates, i.e. 100, 75 and 50 kg N ha-1, respectively). Results showed that the highest grain yield (7875 kg ha-1) was recorded for plants inoculated with a combination of A. lipoferumand A. chroococcum, while the lowest one was recorded for un-inoculated control plants. Moreover, rice grain yield, panicle number per m2, grain number per panicle, and 1000-grain weight increased by 9%, 9%, 18%, and 6%, respectively, as N fertilizer rate increased from 50 to 100 kg ha-1. The highest grain yield (7875 kg ha-1) was obtained when N was applied at the rate of 75 kg ha-1to seeds inoculated with a combination of A. lipoferumand A. chroococcum.