نشریه علوم ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی
سال هشتم شماره 1 (پیاپی 15، بهار و تابستان 1391)

The crop residues management is one of the important aspects of the conservation agriculture and includes every kind of action and decision, which is done on the residues of the harvested crop in order to provide the best possible medium for the subsequent crop cultivation. This research used capital theory to investigate the determinants of crop residues management by farmers. Mixed quantitative and qualitative methods were used. A sample of 330 wheat growers in Marvdasht County selected through a multi stage classified random sampling was used in the survey part of the study. In the qualitative part of the study an extreme sampling method was used in order to select the two cases that were using different methods of crop residues management (burning and not burning crop residues) for a long time. The findings of study indicated that economic capital and the symbolic capital achieved through agricultural activities are the most important determinants of crop residues management behavior. Factors such as farm's technology, access to extension services, ownership of domesticated animals and government policies are other determinant factors, respectively. The case studies confirmed the findings of the survey. Based on the findings of the study recommendations are offered to promote more sustainable crop residual management.

Benefiting agricultural producers of advisory services is one of the most fundamental development strategies. For this purpose, one of the measures taken by the country's agricultural development planners and policymakers is using agriculture graduates in agricultural engineering and technical consulting services firms (AETCSFs). The purpose of this survey was to identify determinants of the activities of the AETCSFs in Broujen County. For this purpose the stages of establishing, stability, and durability of the firms were considered. Survey method was used to gather data. The statistical population of this study included 10 active and 20 non-active firms. A stratified random sampling technique was used for selecting 5 active and 10 no-active firms. Therefore, a total of 81 members of two types of firms were interviewed with the aid of a questionnaire containing open-ended and closed questions. Face validity was confirmed by experts, and the questionnaire was subjected to reliability testing by using data collection in the pilot study with Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.63 to 0.94. Comparative analysis revealed that suitable environmental and socio-culture condition were the key determinants for the establishing stage. Findings also showed that the desirable economic, personal, structural, environmental, and socio-cultural situations were important in stabling stage. This is while, the good village, governmental supports, and within group member's trust were key determinants in the durability stage. Logistic regression modeling results showed that economic, socio-culture, management, and within group member's trust were the most important significant factors to predict firm's activity.

Internship program has it roots in experiential learning. As a hands-on learning experience for agricultural extension and education students, internships integrate theory with practice which in turn develop employment skills. Therefore, the effectiveness of internship programs can enhance teaching and learning process. This descriptive-survey study sought to investigate the effectiveness of internship programs across universities in western provinces (Kermanshah, Hamedan, Ilam). Objectives of internship programs were used as criteria for measuring effectiveness. Moreover, three groups of stakeholders (students, instructors, employees) participated in this study. A census of 19 instructors were interviewed across three universities. A purposive sample of 150 employees were selected based on their experience with interns. Finally, a random sample of 100 former interns were selected from all three universities. A researcher-made questionnaire was developed to collect data from three groups of internship stakeholders. Content validity was confirmed using experts in the field and alpha coefficient was used to test reliability of research instrument. An alpha coefficient of 0.77, 0.88, and 0.88 was estimated for instructors, employees, and students respectively. Results revealed that effective components of internship programs can be categorized into eight components: 1) stakeholders’ responsibilities being made clear, 2) Interns’ preparedness, 3) internship environment, 4) internship instructor, 5) appropriate learning condition, 6) planning and coordination, 7) stakeholders’ interaction, and 8) internship duration. Overall explaining power of these components estimated at 69%. The result of this study has implications for stakeholders involved in agricultural extension and education internship programs. For example, an orientation meeting for all stakeholders before the start of internship can clarify the objectives of such programs. Moreover, placing potential interns in appropriate government and private sector can enhance the program. In addition, signing a bilateral agreement between universities and employment could improve the internship effectiveness. Finally, extending internship duration can also improve the overall effectiveness of internship programs.

Research on factors reinforcing and facilitating participation is an inevitable part of regional and sectorial development programs. Answer to the question that which factors really influence participation, will help the planners to design more effective development programs. In this study, the relationships between social capital and water users’ participation in irrigation and drainage management and exploitation were analyzed. Survey research method with pre-designed questionnaire was used in the study area named Lishter plain. The validity of the questionnaire was verified using face validity procedure and the reliability score of the questionnaire was calculated between 0.73 to 0.90 using Cronbach's Alfa coefficients. The sample consisted of 190 farmers that were selected based on stratified random sampling technique. The results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between social capital and farmer’s participation, while the relationship between social capital and cooperatives membership was also significant but negative. Regression analysis showed that independent variables such as social capital, cooperatives membership, farming experience and attitudes towards official organizations explain about 33 percent of the variation of dependent variable (participation).

In order to increase agricultural water productivity and water use efficiency in agriculture, participatory irrigation management strategy through the formation of the water users associations to engage farmers in water management, has been recommended. Water users associations as an effective and appropriate strategy to increase participation of farmers in agricultural water management are greatly considered. However, transferring responsibility to water users associations without investigation of farmers’ opinion could lead to failure. Therefore, investigating factors affecting water users associations union members’ attitude toward development responsibilities was the main objective of this study. A questionnaire survey method was used in this study. Face validity of the questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts. A pilot study was conducted on 30 cases that were out of research statistical population and Cronbach’s Alpha analysis was calculated by SPSS software to measure reliability by estimating the Alpha coefficients. Those were between 0.72 and 0.87. Farmers who were members of water users associations union of Ordibehesht Canal in Doroodzan district were the research statistical population. 245 of them were selected as sample group by using simple random sampling method. Findings revealed that through four groups of independent variables (individual-attitudinal, social, farming-situational, and economic), age, level of education, household size, attitude toward Regional Water Organization and Local Water Utilization Company, attitudes toward fair relationships in the association, marital status, member’s responsibility in the association, knowledge toward objectives, authority and responsibilities of the association, level of participation in social activities, level of participation in the association activities, amount use of communicational channels and kind of information resources toward water and irrigation, respect to ethical principles among members of the association, kind of association, and income had a significant relationship with attitude toward performance of water users association. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that six variables (attitudes toward Regional Water Organization and Local Water Utilization Company, amount of canal water usage, level of participation in association activities, cultivation area of wintertime crops, level of education, and annual income) could predict about 69.7 percent changes of attitude toward water use association performance. Some recommendations presented to enhance associations’ performance and augment members’ attitude toward water users associations at the end of the article.

Drought is one of the most complex and a slow-onset natural disaster with frequent repetition in Iran's climate which affecting natural resources and human development recurrently. While the consequences of droughts can usually be predicted, preventive action is frequently absent or insufficient to prevent serious impacts in many regions of the world particularly in Iran. We believe that lack of a perception of what is drought management is stands in the way of cohesive anti-drought action. Evidences suggest that positive perception to feasibility of drought management is critical to its success, and major barrier to drought management approaches has been a lack of good perception. As such, an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms that lead people to be supportive of alternative water sources is critically important. Therefore, analysis of perception to feasibility of drought management was the main objective of the research. Jehad-Keshavarzi specialists in Boushehr provinces were the statistical population. Simple random sampling was used to choose 120 specialists at Jehad-keshavarzi organization using survey research method. The result reveals that specialists have favorable social norm about drought management more than other variables. We use, also, a path analysis for determine direct and indirect effects of other variables on perception to feasibility of drought management. Based on the research findings some applicable recommendations have been presented toward specialists’ drought management perception, at the end of the article.

Agricultural extension agency is one of the important organizations in society in which the existence of creative entrepreneurial staff is highly essential for achieving development goals. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the entrepreneurship in agricultural extension agency of Kermanshah province and analyze the role of information- communicative component of professional development in organizational entrepreneurship development of this agency. All the agricultural extension agents in Kermanshah province equal to 456 persons formed the population of this study. This research was conducted in descriptive-survey research method. Based on Morgan table, 210 agents were chosen as the sample using classification a stratified random sampling method. Questionnaire was used as a research tool and its face validity was confirmed based on the collective opinion of the university professors and experts of Ramin and Tehran Universities. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using Cranach’s alpha test for organizational entrepreneurship development and information- communicative component of professional development was 0.87, and 0.90, respectively and this calculation and results indicate that the research tools were chosen correctly, for data analysis, correlation and regression indicated method was used (SPSS15). The research findings showed that there was positive and significant relationship between organizational entrepreneurship development variables and information communicative component of professional development. Regression analysis also indicated that variables such as application of ICT, up-to-datedness of specialized information and professional and communication skills of staff, have great influence on the development of organizational entrepreneurship and abilities so that have explained 55.1 percent of the variation of organizational entrepreneurship.

This research was conducted to find the impacts of participatory management on sustainability of soil and water resources in Hableh Roud Basin. The statistical population of research included 36 managers and experts who were involved in Hableh Roud project. Structured interview and a questionnaire was used to collect data. The findings of the research showed that there are positive significant relationships between sustainability of water resources, sustainability of soil resources, improvement of rural traditional institutions, and environmental conservation with participatory management as the dependent variable of study.