Document Type : Original Research
Author
Assistant Professor of Pistachio Research Center, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Rafsanjan, Iran
Abstract
For sustainable development plan, we need to consider the role of local community and participation of local people in decision making. In this study, possibility of using five local non-governmental organizations, village councils, Basij (one of the five forces of the Islamic revolutionary guard corps in Iran’s villages), agricultural production cooperative, mosque board of trustees and the organization of agricultural well management, as intermediate organizations for agricultural extension was investigated in Kerman province. The data used, were prepared from the managers of the surveyed organizations as well as 1099 farmers participating in the meetings of these organizations through two types of questionnaires of organization and farmer. Variance analysis and regression model was used for measuring the effects of socio economic factors on NGOs efficiency. The results showed that 74% of farmers, in addition to other resources, use the experience of other farmers. Participating in training classes, studying extensional and technical journals and referring directly to experts have a significant positive effect on pistachio crop yield. The results also showed that more than 90% of the surveyed farmers considered the use of non-governmental organizations to promote and transfer the findings of agricultural research useful. In terms of farmers' acceptance of the meetings of the organizations and the number of people present in these meetings, village council and the organization of agricultural well management have a higher advantage. But, none of these five NGOs, solely, can be considered as an intermediate organization for agricultural extension. So, a formal or informal combination of these NGOs should be constructed.
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