Educational and Psychological Factors Influencing Application of Pro-Environmental Technologies Among Wheat Growers
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International Journal of Research in Agricultural Sciences Volume 3, Issue 3, ISSN (Online): 2348 – 3997 Educational and Psychological Factors Influencing Application of Pro-Environmental Technologies Among Wheat Growers M. Keshavarz F. Razzaghi Borkhani M. Salmani A. Rezvanfar Department of Agricultural Department of Agricultural Department of Agricultural Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty Extension and Education, Faculty Extension and Education, Faculty Extension and Education, Faculty of Agricultural Economics and of Agricultural Economics and of Agricultural Economics and of Agricultural Economics and Development, University of Development, University of Development, University of Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran Tehran, Karaj, Iran Tehran, Karaj, Iran Tehran, Karaj, Iran Abstract – The main purpose of this study was to management practices need to address the widespread soil investigate educational-communication and psychological conservation such as land degradation, declining soil factors that influenced application of pro-environmental fertility, unreliable and even desertification in a context of technologies among wheat growers in Karaj county, Iran. global climate change[7],[8]. Research was applied by farmers who resident in Karaj, Pro-environmental technologies application refers to central district. Stratified proportional random sampling was used, and 97 wheat growers (by Krejcie & Morgan formula) farmer behavior that harms the environment as little as were selected. Data were collected by questionnaire, which its possible, or even benefits the environment [9]. Application validity (Face validity) was obtained by Jihad-e-Agriculture of pro-environmental technologies among farmers consist exports of Karaj County and panel of faculty members of of planting practices, harvest and post-harvest agricultural agricultural extension and education, and exports of products with particular attention to soil conservation, sustainability agriculture. To measure reliability of the plant conservation, water conservation that including questionnaire, Coronbach’s Alpha formula was used (at technologies integrated pest management, agricultural greater than 0.7). The study found that educational level, conservation, good agricultural practices (GAP) together familiarity with agricultural extension services, participation in order to achieve environmental, economic and social in extension- education courses, participation in FFS 1 programs, level of communication channels usage, contacts sustainability. with extension experts, participation in local associations, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and and cooperation were positively and significantly correlated environmentally sensitive approach for pest management with application of pro-environmental technologies among and plant conservation that focuses on long-term wheat growers. Regression analysis indicated that about prevention or suppression of pest problems with minimum 64.8% of the variation in the extent regarding pro- impact on the environment, human health, and non-target environmental technologies among wheat growers, could be organisms [10], [11], and [6]. explained by variables consisting: level of knowledge toward Conservation agriculture is taken into consideration as a pro-environmental technologies, level of communication pro-environmental approach to improve stability, channels usage, and level of attitude toward pro- environmental technologies. efficiency, increase profits, and protect. Additionally, this kind of agriculture enhances the food security resources Keywords – Pro-Environmental Technologies, Application, and environmental context, and has three basic principles: Sustainable Agriculture, Wheat Growers. 1) decrease soil disturbance or, if possible planting no- tillage, 2) maintaining soil cover, and 3) the use of crop I. INTRODUCTION rotation or integration product [12], [13]. According to the annual statistics on the conservation Environmental problems are serious threats to agriculture that was published by FAO between 2006 and environmental sustainability, global issues, concern about 2011, Latin America and North America had the largest warming, urban air pollution, water shortages, percentage of conservations treatment. They applied environmental noise, soil erosion, and biodiversity. Many conservation agriculture to approximately 55 and 40 of these problems due to human behavior [1],[2],[3].In million hectares, while in African and Asian countries this recent years, demands are growing for sustainable number reached to five million hectares [14]. agricultural development in response to the environmental Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) were included a set impacts of conventional agriculture [4], and also of pro-environmental technologies such as IPM, maintaining the product, regarding environmental agricultural conservation for soil management, water considerations coupled with reduce production costs, management, crop and fodder production, crop protection, producing healthy crops and empowerment of farmers, animal production, animal health and welfare, harvest and were caused extension of widespread sustainable on-farm processing and storage, energy and waste agriculture [5]. One of the major goals of sustainable management, human welfare, health and safety, and agricultural systems is decreasing use of inputs in wildlife and landscape conservation with aim to absorbent agriculture [6]. Sustainable and renewed resource new market vantages and also by improving supply chain control, improving natural resource utilization, workers health, and working conditions, consumers and farmers 1 Farmer Field Schools Copyright © 2016 IJRAS, All right reserved 152 International Journal of Research in Agricultural Sciences Volume 3, Issue 3, ISSN (Online): 2348 – 3997 families health and creating new market opportunities for farmers. [6]'s studies indicated that major factors in farmers. Additionally, they require to obtain new skills adoption of technologies were included educational level, and competencies. attitude, knowledge, perception toward IPM practices and [15] Found that conservation agriculture knowledge was participation in extension-education courses, level of acquired through seminars, educational and extension communication channels, information resource usage, and services. Furthermore, providing educational programs income. Furthermore, they were some factors which showed relative benefits of conservation technologies and correlated with the adoption of IPM practices by farmers. also motivate farmers to adopt these technologies. [13] concluded that information and communication According to study done by [16] information sources resources for the dissemination of agriculture conservation such as FFS programs was the main determinant of information and knowledge of agricultural conservation adoption FFS programs, field days, and pamphlets. including educational seminars and demonstration farms, Moreover, they found that exposure to FFS participants, sharing and exchange of information and knowledge from respectively were other important variable in adoption of farmers to farmers through social meetings and IPM. association, community, FFS program, and contact with [17] Stated that application of FFS programs was superior farmers and neighbors.[18] indicated that influenced increasing IPM knowledge of farmers, and IPM adoption of sustainable agricultural practices depends on knowledge was major factor in the adoption of IPM. socio-economic, ecological –farming, institutional, According to study by [7], level of perception toward IPM informational-psychological factors and features, and also practices, participation in extension-education courses, nature of technologies. Especially understanding the level of communication channels, information resource fundamental policy should be considered. Table 1, usage, level of motivation, level of awareness sustainable displayed the summary of major factors of applying pro- conservation practices were some major factors in the environmental technologies among farmers. adoption of sustainable soil conservation practices among Table 1. Displays the summary of major factors to application pro-environmental technologies Variable Source Dependent Level of pro- Soil conservation practices Rezvanfar et al.,(2009); Grabowski (2011); Tey et Variable environmental Water conservation practices al.,(2014); Swinton et al.,(2015) technologies Plant conservation practices Independe Demographic Rezvanfar et al.,( 2009);Razzaghi Borkhani et al.,(2011); nt Variable characteristics Lesch & Wachenheim(2014) Education- Educational level Rezvanfar et al.,( 2009); Razzaghi Borkhani et al.,(2011) extension Familiarity with agricultural Araya & Asafu (2001); Rezvanfar et al.,( 2009); characteristics Extension services Razzaghi Borkhani et al.,(2011) Participation in extension - Araya & Asafu (2001); Rezvanfar et al., (2009); education courses Razzaghi Borkhani et al.,( 2011); Lugandu et al.,(2012 ) Participation in FFS programs Yamazaki & Resosudarmo (2008); Lugandu et al.,(2012); Razzaghi Borkhani et al., (2013) Communicati Level of communication Channels Barrera, et al.,(2005); Rezvanfar et al., (2009); Lugandu on usage et al.,;(2012); Tey et al., (2014);Lesch & Wachenheim characteristics (2014) Level of communication with Razzahi Borkhani et al.,( 2013); Asghari & Hadi (2009) opinion leaders Contacts with extension experts Razzahi Borkhani et al.,( 2011); Rezvanfar