نشریه علوم ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی
سال نهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 17، بهار و تابستان 1392)

Considering the potential of agricultural extension programs on promoting sustainable knowledge and practices, the main aim of this survey research was to explore the impact of agricultural extension programs on the sustainability of irrigated and rain fed wheat production systems. A survey was conducted using a multi-stage stratified random sample of 300 farmers of Kermanshah County. A semi-structured questionnaire was designed to collect data. Despite the rather low use of the extension programs and services by farmers the findings revealed the importance of extension services as a predictor of sustainability of both irrigated and rain fed wheat production systems. There were a positive significant relationship between extension services and the three dimensions of sustainability. Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of extension programs are recommended as means of achieving sustainability.

Utilizing irrigation and drainage networks are some of the main developmental projects in Iran for which a lot of monetary budgets are annually invested. In spite of different benefits of these projects, delay in operation of them has led to the failure in accomplishing the presupposed objectives. Analysis of the causes of delayed operation of Kheyrabad irrigation network was taken into account as the aim of present study and qualitative research method was used. Furthermore, in order to gather data, research techniques such as deep observation, structured interview and questionnaire were applied. Research clients were three different groups i.e. farmers, consulting company and taskmaster's organization. Based on the problem tree structure, causes of delayed operation and exploitation of the supposed irrigation and drainage system were arranged in a structure consisted of Roots (causes), Stem (main problem) and Branches (consequences). Research findings were organized and analyzed using the problem tree framework. Then, the objective tree was designed based on the problem tree. Results showed that "lack of proper management of contractor", "environmental factors" and "factors related to employer and consultant" were the main reasons of delay respectively. Based on the results of this study, it can be recommended that giving priority to technical and financial resources is more important than the proposed price. Moreover, scheduled and step by step time table and identification of critical stages of project implementation can be really useful in reaching the best quality in such projects.

In the present research the information-seeking behavior through the Internet among agricultural undergraduate students at Razi University of Kermanshah was investigated through a survey. The research population included all agricultural undergraduate students at the university (N=985). Based on Krejcie and Morgan’s Table, a sample of 276 students was selected through stratified random sampling. Data collection tool was a questionnaire, whose validity was confirmed by a panel of experts, and its reliability was measured through a pilot test and Cronbach's alpha. Cronbach’s alphas ranged from 0.73 to 0.82. Findings revealed that among the statements related to the students’ information-seeking, seeking information for university assignments ranked as the first, and making contact and exchange of information with the faculty ranked as the last. The most important problems of the students for an appropriate use of the Internet included inadequate infrastructure and problematic internet access. Significant positive correlations were found between student's internet skills, their satisfaction with the Internet site of college, and their English language skills and awareness of search methods with student's information seeking through the Internet. The results also revealed that student's internet skills, their satisfaction with the internet site of college, and their awareness of search methods explained 62 percent of changes in the student's information seeking through the Internet.

The stable promoting of agriculture in the current age of knowledge and technology is due to capable and informed beneficiaries. Having proficient farmers requires a systematic informative corporation which is realized under the extension centers and agricultural services. It is clear that having an effective extension centers and agricultural services requires carrying out a wide research in order to discern the influential factors on effectiveness of this system and also find the appropriate solutions. As a consequence, the overall goal of this study is to analyze the experts’ viewpoint in extension centers and agricultural services on effectiveness in centers. A research tool was a questionnaire with 85 items to assess the effective factors on effectiveness of centers such as labor, equipment, rules, budget, planning, evaluation, organizational communication and participation of the beneficiaries, which its validity was approved by the authorities and, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for this scale was calculated by performing a preliminary study. The case study was all experts in centers in Khorasan Razavi Province (n =142). Results showed that the majority of experts (37.7) believed that the effectiveness of centers was stood at an intermediate level. By analyzing the relationships between the factors and the effectiveness of centers, we infer that there is a significant relationship between workforce, legislation, funding, planning, evaluation, budget, planning, evaluation, organizational communication and participation of the beneficiaries with effectiveness of centers. In multiple linear regression, planning variables, participation of the beneficiaries and organizational communication of centers demonstrate 53% of changes in the dependent variable.

The purpose of this study is investigating factors affecting rural women’s awareness about their individual-family, economical and socio-cultural status and laws. A survey was conducted using stratified random sample of 400 rural women in Boushehr province. Data were collected through a questionnaire that its validity was tested by faculty. Also, the reliability of different scales used in the study were between 0.78 to 0.86. The finding revealed that level of education, income, access to media and participation in educational classes have influence on women’s awareness about their status and laws. Also, the results showed that there is no significant difference between the mean of women’s awareness about their individual-family and their socio-cultural status and laws. But, a significant difference was seen between the mean of women’s awareness about their economical laws with their individual-family and socio-cultural laws. Based on these results, to increase women’s awareness about their status and laws, the study suggested creating new jobs, establishing production cooperative, increasing number of agents in rural areas and increasing supports for public groups and increasing the role of women in decision making.

Human societies with different social activities and cultural characteristics have different values and attitudes toward the environment. Access and use of water as one the important natural resources has been the source of many conflicts. The agricultural sector is not exception from this rule. "Agricultural water conflict" is a term describing disputes and contrasts among stakeholders over an access to water resources in agricultural sector. The purpose of this paper was to investigate attitudes of farmers and water experts toward agricultural water conflicts. A descriptive, correlation method using a survey technique was fulfilled as a research method. The study was conducted in Doroodzan dam irrigation network zone in Fars province. Multistage stratified random sampling was used to collect data from 294 farmers as a first population and all of regional water experts who worked in Doroodzan dam irrigation network formed second population of this study (75 experts). The research tool included two questionnaires for farmers and experts. Findings revealed that those who have Egoistic view had higher levels of water conflict than other stakeholders as well as they had less attendance to environmental damage caused by water conflict. Path analysis findings of this study confirmed the causal relationship between environmental values, beliefs and norms toward water conflicts with the behavior of the agricultural water conflict. Also, findings showed that having pro-environmental values, to reduce water conflicts having environmental values is not adequate to reduce water conflict and it is necessary the stakeholders participate in water resource management and refuse from passive and avoidance strategy toward water resource management.

The efficacy of each organization and its ability to reach the specified goals, are highly dependent on the staff’s job satisfaction. In order to review the job satisfaction among the Kerman agriculture organization’s staff and their motivational and related health factors, this study is conducted with a cross-sectional method and it is based on Herzberg's two-factor theory. The research tools used in this study are questionnaire which were filled by 196 Kerman agriculture organization’s employees, who were randomly selected. The results revealed that employee’s satisfaction level is 63.34%. The highest satisfaction level was observed in the promotion variables and the lowest satisfaction level was related to payroll variables. Also this results revealed that the variables such as age and employees’ years of service had no significant relationship with job satisfaction, and there is no significant difference between job satisfaction in men and women based on their education. According to stepwise regression, organization administration with the 73% modifications in the satisfaction variables had the highest effect on this factor. Considering the other 26% of the job satisfaction variables, may have a major role in improving the employees’ performance.

Various studies have shown that the application of agricultural inputs especially soil and water resources in uneven lands are not optimal. Laser leveling is one of the important advances in efficient use of agricultural inputs and surface irrigation. The purpose of this paper was to analysis of agronomic consequences of laser land leveling from the view of engineering (adopters of previous land leveling technology) and laser land leveling adopters. The qualitative method using multiple case study was used to collect data from 22 adopters of laser land leveling and 5 adopters of engineering land leveling. The sample was selected through purposive sampling technique. The results showed that the farmers believe that the most important agronomic consequences of laser land leveling are reduction in water consumption, uniform distribution of water on land, uniform drying of irrigated land, reduction of water waste, total area planting increase, reduction in irrigation time, uniform germination of seeds, increase of yield, uniform growth of crop, facilitating agricultural activities, increased speed of machineries, increasing the plot size and increasing the useful area of farm. Also, the results revealed that users of laser system expressed more consequences than the group. Farmers believed that the amount of use of agricultural inputs have decreased over time. Finally, based on the results some practical recommendations have been suggested.

Entrepreneurship is one of the most important solutions to create employment and alleviation poverty in the rural areas. It has some unique characteristics such as need achievement. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting need achievement as a major factor to entrepreneurs’ success. A survey was conducted among 41 rural women entrepreneurs who were selected in MarvdashtCounty using proportional stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire of its face validity was confirmed by experts. Also, the questionnaires were subjected to reliability testing by using data collection in a pilot study. The values found for the Cronbach Alpha’s coefficient were 0.6 to 0.84. The findings indicated positive and significant relationship between need achievement and variables of psychological and personality traits, contact to agents and belief to existence of obstacles. Also, contact with agents and belief about existence of obstacles can significantly predict the changes in need achievement variable. In sum, the results of study can be useful for planning to develop entrepreneurship, improving need achievement among rural women entrepreneurs and help them to success.