International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development
Volume:3 Issue: 3, Sep 2013

The presence of women in social and managerial fields is onethe indicator of social justice and development that leads to optimumuse of capabilities and potentials of half of the country’srural population. In the recent years, establishing public institution of Dehyary by the Ministry of Interior have provided new opportunity for women presence in rural management. This study aimed to identify women’s participation obstacles in rural management in Iran, specifically in Dehyary. The statistical population of this study was 15-64 year – old females which were resident in rural areas of Oskou County. Applying a proportional random sampling and Cochran formula, 347 women were chosen to be surveyed as sample. A questionnaire was used for data collection, which its face validity was approved by a panel of experts and its reliability was calculated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α=0.84). The results revealed that, negative attitudes and believes in rural community is the most important obstacle for women to participate in rural management. Furthermore, factor analysis categorized obstacles for women participation in six factors including cultural, personal, supportive, job-related, religious and Economic constrains.

Fast food has become a prominent feature of diet and has grown into a dominant dietary pattern among youth worldwide. It is difficult to escape noticing the colourful edifice and bill boards of these food outlets, one is probably just around the corner of your street. Mr Biggs, Tastes Fried Chicken, Sweet Sensation, Big Treat, Favourite etc. Due to competitive nature of the market many of the food outlets market have started to blend their menus with African cuisines like Pounded Yam, Amala, Moin-Moin, Eda, Semovita, Fufu etc.This study analyzed fast food consumption pattern among the youth in Ogbomoso metropolis of Oyo State, Nigeria. Data were collected randomly from two hundred (200) respondents with the use of structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Logit and Tobit regression analysis. Data analysis revealed that 68% of the respondents were male, 92% were singled, 86.5% had tertiary education, 71% are Christians while 72% of the respondents were students. Average age was 24.5 years. The factors affecting the respondents decision to consume fast food are gender, hours spent in watching television, income, education and hours spent at work/school.

The study was carried out to assess the effects of the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) on the livelihood of project beneficiaries in Kwara State, Nigeria. A 3-stage sampling technique was adopted for the study, selecting a total of 80 cassava processors from two Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) zones in the State. Structured interview schedule was used as instrument to elicit primary data from processors. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the socio economic characteristics of the respondents. The t-test was used to test the hypotheses on the relationship between the income and livelihood of RTEP beneficiaries and non beneficiaries, while those on the socio economic characteristics was tested using the Mann-Whitney (U) test. The findings of the study showed that RTEP provided more than 73 percent of total cassava processing equipment in the study area. The study further revealed that there was no significant difference in the socio-economic characteristics and livelihood of RTEP and Non RTEP participants. There was however a significant difference in their income. Amongst others, the study recommended massive investment in subsidizing critical cassava processing equipment, and provision of micro-credit at low interest rates to cassava processors.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting entrepreneurial motivations of agricultural students at Razi University. Statistical population of this study consisted of all agricultural undergraduate students (senior) (N=186), that 164 of them were selected as research sample using proportionate stratified sampling method. The main instrument in this study was questionnaire which its validity was confirmed by the panel of experts and its reliability was established by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data was analyzed by SPSSWin20 software. Findings revealed that agricultural students at Razi University have the entrepreneurial motivations at moderate to high level. In addition, multiple regression analysis showed that three variables including the attitude toward entrepreneurship, the role model, and the courses of entrepreneurship education can be explaining 35.5 percent of variances of the student's entrepreneurial motivations. Results of this study have applications for planners of higher agricultural education system in order to improving the agricultural student's entrepreneurial motivations.

Poverty is the most serious threat to natural resources and the environment and most of the poor are rural-based who engage in various agricultural activities. Land is a critical asset for the rural poor and lacking means to appropriately intensify agriculture which compels the poor to either overuse or misuse this natural resource base to meet basic needs. This study presents empirical relationship between land and poverty using Foster, Greer and Thorbecke weighted poverty measure. Through the multi-stage sampling procedure, 150 rural farmers were selected with the aid of questionnaire. The results of poverty decomposition show that the prevalence of poverty is more among the nearly landless farming households. Result of stochastic dominance analysis indicate that poverty incidence is sensitive to changes in poverty lines and there is second order stochastic dominance as poverty depth and severity are robust to the choice of poverty line for this sub-group. Results further suggest that households with little or no access to farmland depend on non-farm income sources for family survival.

Food security remains a major challenge for most rural households in Kenya especially those in arid and semi arid areas. Women play a crucial role as primary food producers and custodians of household food security. They however face many constraints in their endeavor to secure food for their households. Women, lack access to extension education, land and credit and these challenges are exacerbated by effects of climatic variability, especially drought. In response to the difficulties facing them, women in Mwala have formed organizations (women groups) as safety-nets to help them face these challenges collectively rather than as individuals. This study research was designed to investigate how women’s participation in the groups influences them to overcome constraints related to their household food security. The study used a cross sectional survey design. A sample of 156 respondents was selected through simple random sampling, with 94 women farmers being group members and 62 non group members. Ten key informants were purposively sampled from group leaders of the most active women groups influenced in agricultural activities to participate in a focus group discussion. The data was analysed using SPSS package version 17 and presented using frequencies, percentages, multiple regression, and Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient. The study revealed that household food security is significantly and positively influenced by participation of women farmers in women groups (F = 9.980, p < 0.001), that the level of intensity of participation in group activities did not significantly influence household food security (x2 =.112) and that linking with outside agencies was positively and significantly correlated to group performance measured in terms of benefits availed to the members through their groups.

This paper examines the economic effects of investment in developing and introducing Almond Late Flowering Cultivars (ALFC) in a period of 52 years from 1968 to 2020, developed in Sahand Horticultural Research Station (SHRS), using the economic surplus model and field survey data. ALFC make almond supply curve move less to the left when there is a chilling case, thus affect the economic surplus of producers and consumers. Results showed that because of ALFC, economic surplus of producers and consumers had been increased about 0.4 and 0.6 million US Dollars, respectively that the share of consumers from benefits was 58 percent. The social net present value of ALFC regarding to the cost of research and extension was about 0.1 million US Dollars. It was identified that the internal rate of return in developing and introducing of ALFC had been about 11%. The findings expressed that if the research investment in ALFC could keep the position of almond supply curve unchanged unless the weather conditions, then the economic surplus of producers and consumers would decreased 3 and 4.2 million US Dollars less annually, respectively and internal rate of return in almond research would be 33 %. Comparing the results showed that the introduction of late flowering cultivars could reduce the loss only 4 % per hectare. The results illustrated that investment in R&E of almond could make supply curve shift less in chilling situation because of decrease in cultivation cost, but it is necessary to enhance almond yield too. The findings identify that the efficiency of current system of R&E for almond is low. So it is a necessity to find ways for make better the R&E performance in Iran.

This study aimed to identify the factors influencing adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies by paddy farmers in Sari County of Iran. A sample of 260 farmers who selected randomly, participated in this study through a survey questionnaire. Findings of the study revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between adoption of IPM technologies and farmers’ participation in extension activities,Farmers’ Field School, local associations, and influence of opinion leaders. Regression analysis indicated that nearly 43 % of variation in the IPM technologies adoption could be explained by participation in extension activities, local associations, and influence of opinion leaders. Findings have implications for designing extension programs that can encourage adoption of IPM technologies by farmers.