A comparative study on the scientific outputs of agricultural faculty members at State Universities in Khuzestan

Background and aim: Today, the scientific outputs of universities are quantitatively and qualitatively measured using scientometrics on which the scientific progress of these institutions is evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the scientific outputs of agricultural colleges in State Khuzestan Universities during 1989-2008 and to assess the scientific status of these institutions. Material and methods: This descriptive-analytical survey was performed using scientometrics. A checklist, Web of Science (WoS) and research report were used to gather the data. The study population consisted of 128 faculty members working in the Faculties of Agriculture in Shahid-Chamran University, Ramin (Khuzestan) Agricultural and Natural Resources and Behbahan Natural Resources. Findings: The results of the research showed that the total scientific outputs of all three institutes were 5715 titles, and had the growing trend the studied period. The most scientific documents with 1445 titles (about 25% of the total scientific output) were produced in 2008. Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that there was a significant relationship between scientific degree, work experience and scientific outputs (p≥0.000). Conclusion: The trend of scientific outputs of the studied institutions was growing. Educational groups of agronomy and plant breeding, animal sciences and plant protection had more scientific outputs than other groups

Identify Factors Affecting on Attitude of Vegetable Growers at Bavi city in Khuzestan province Towards Organic Farming

The importance of organic agriculture and its vital role in sustainable development is irrefutable, Different factors affect on the decision to accept it. Farmers' Attitudes towards organic farming is One of the most important factors. Because, Activity and decisions of individuals About any phenomenon Is effective on their Attitude. This study aimed to identify factors Affecting on Attitude of vegetable growers towards Organic Farming in Bavi city in Khuzestan province. The research method was Descriptive - correlation. The statistical population of the study were vegetable growers in Bavi city(N=140). By using Morgan’s table the sample size was determined (n=103). The findings showed that, most respondents have a relatively negative attitude towards organic farming(40/4 percent). Between Farming experience and Literacy levels and attitude towards organic farming were positive and significant correlation (p=0/05). The results of the factor analysis indicate that four factor: Supportive- education,managerial, cultural and product features in total explained 54.27 percent variance factors affecting on positive attitude of Vegetable Growers towards organic farming. 50.44 percent variance factors affecting on negative attitude towards organic farming Were explained By the five factor: Lack of support facilities, economic, Inputs, Weakness of knowledgeand awareness and farming

Evaluation of effective factors on the performance of production cooperatives in the catchment area of Khuzestan province with emphasis on the management of irrigation and drainage networks

Cooperatives are one of the types of participatory management systems, which provide farmers with a role in decision-making and agricultural management by providing mechanisms. In this regard, water users' organizations are formed with the aim of reducing the role of government and increasing the role of water consumers and other local institutions in the management of irrigation networks and play a key role in optimal water consumption. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the factors affecting the performance of production cooperatives in the catchment area of Khuzestan with emphasis on the management of irrigation and drainage networks. The statistical population of the study consisted of all members of production cooperatives within the irrigation and drainage networks of Khuzestan (N = 5831). The sample size was determined using the sampling table of Bartlett et al. (2001) and by stratified random sampling method with proportional assignment (according to member production cooperatives), 361 people. The results of factor analysis indicate that the factors affecting the performance of production cooperatives in the catchment area of Khuzestan province include economic and financial, socio-cultural, legal-political, managerial and technical factors. The results of multi-criteria analysis using AHP technique also showed that the management criterion is the highest priority for the success of production cooperatives compared to other criteria. In fact, this finding shows that the prerequisite for the success of production cooperatives in Khuzestan is the improvement and empowerment of management structures in the areas of planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling, implementing and evaluating production cooperatives

Explaining the Strategic Position of Iran’s Agricultural and Natural Resources University in Using Virtual Social Networks in Teaching and Learning Process

Virtual social networking (VSN) is an important new technology that can redesign the structure of society and help create a learning community on campuses. This research aimed to explain the strategic position of universities in the implementation of VSN and formulate appropriate strategies for its effective implementation. SWOT analysis, along with the construction of multilevel matrices, was used to achieve this goal. The statistical population was composed of the faculty members of Iran’s agriculture sciences and natural resources universities, 28 of whom were selected as a statistical sample using the "special cases" sampling method. Data were analyzed using SPSS and MS-Excel software. In the qualitative phase, verifiably was confirmed by the following steps: 1) self-review of the research committee during the process of data collection and analysis; 2) use of special coding procedures in the analysis stage; 3) carrying out research steps by testing items such as raw data, data summarization products, and the noting process; 4) interview with faculty member separately and comparing their answers, and 5) using a steering committee to evaluate and conduct interviews. The validity and reliability of the research instrument were confirmed by the universities’ faculty members and Cronbach's alpha calculation (0.83-0.92). Findings from the SWOT matrix showed that the studied universities were in a reformation (ST) position in using VSN. By using the SWOT matrix, we developed four strategies to implement VSN in the studied universities, which included attack strategies (SO), diversification (WO), reformation (ST), and defense (WT)

Obstacles Hampering Entrepreneurship of Rural Women in the Central Region of Kermanshah Province

Given the many barriers to women entrepreneurship that hinder their success in economic activities, identifying them will help encourage and facilitate the success of women entrepreneurs. Therefore, in this research, the views of rural women in the central part of Kermanshah Province on the rural entrepreneurship barriers were measured. This research was a survey type and the instrument used was a questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSSv20 software. The obstacles were prioritized in six groups of development, personality, socioeconomic, socio-cultural, managerial, and family

Factors Affecting Students’ Value Co-creation to Institutionalize Sustainability in Academic Structure: The Case of Iranian Agricultural and Natural Resources’ Universities

Value co-creation process as a mutual interaction between individuals is a key issue across the management network. Recently, studies have placed a special emphasis on people’s interaction in ord e r to ac co mplish val ue cocreation. Given that the process of experience exchange enables us to identify our resources in transactional processes and make collaboration to achieve common values, the purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting student value co-creation to institutionalize sustainability in agricultural and natural recourses universities. Statistical population of the research consisted of 2248 students of which 204 students were selected using stratified random sampling. The main research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire whose face and content validity was confirmed by a panel of experts and whose construct validity was confirmed by using explanatory factor analysis (KMO=0.752; P<0.01). The reliability was checked by calculating ordinal theta (θ≥ 0.89). Data was analyzed by SPSS20. Descriptive findings showed that student value co-creation level was moderate (43.060 %). The findings of exploratory factor analysis revealed that seven factors including teaching quality, support from top management, students’ social capital, confidence to faculty member, self-efficacy, proenvironmental values, and infrastructures of information and co mmunicatio n tec h n ol ogy (ICT) captured 77.74 percent of student value co-creation variance

Investigating the Household’s Food Insecurity of the Bawi Township

The main purpose of the present study is to measure the food insecurity status of the Bawi Township in the Khuzestan province. This is a cross sectional descriptive study. The population used in this study included all of the rural families in the central part of the Bawi district. Among them, 198 people were selected using the convenience sampling method. Data was collected by using the Radimer-Cornel questionnaire. The results revealed that in total only 12 percent of the respondents were food secure and 87 percent experienced on of the forms of food insecurity such as food insecurity without hunger, with medium hunger and with serious hunger. The results also showed that the highest frequency was related to food insecure without hunger. The results showed that women are in a more food insecure situation than men. Also, the educational level of the heads of households led to a difference in the household's food insecurity. In addition, the results showed that income entered the regression equation of factors affecting household food insecurity and determined 29% of the variation of the variance of the dependent variable

Identify the Role of Rural Women in Agriculture with Emphasis on Passive Defense Environment of Bavi Township

Improving agriculture, the environment and other sectors in need of passive defense that can effectively help to complete the chain of defense is in the improvement of the agricultural sector. This study is applied for the purpose of gathering data descriptive population study of rural women in two villages in the central city of Bavi Khuzestan Tlbovmeh Salieh and the sample size of 736 persons was estimated by using Morgan 250. The data in this study was obtained using a questionnaire designed for the faculty members of the University of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Ramin Khuzestan and the quotas were distributed randomly. Data were analyzed using the software described. Descriptive statistics and coefficient of variation in the average rate in the inferential statistical correlation test, Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the average F. The results of descriptive statistics showed that more rural women with primary education and familiar with the environment are very young and have a lot of faith, but their participation in solving environmental problems is very low. Based on the results of the correlation, age and education level of rural women in their understanding of the importance of agricultural activities passive defense is effective. The results of the test showed that in the comparison between age and level of education, rural women who are young and highly educated with a broad vision have a variety of agricultural activities in the context of agriculture that are passiv

Factors Affecting Farmers' Participation in Irrigation Schemes in the Rural of the Eastern Ramhormoz Township in Khuzestan Province

The purpose of this study, descriptive-correlation study, the factors affecting the participation of farmers in the rural outskirts of the eastern Ramhormoz township in irrigation projects. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire survey of a panel of experts including Astatyd validity of agricultural extension and education, studied and accordingly was approved. It also uses SPSS software reliability and reliability with Cronbach Alpha (0.83) was approved. The population of rural farmers study the outskirts of the eastern city Ramhrmztshkyl (N = 300) that of these, 170 sample using stratified random sampling method were selected as samples and finally 170 Completed questionnaires were received and analyzed. Pearson correlation test results show that trust between the social and the social status varies with the participation of farmers in irrigation projects and there is a significant positive relationship. In multiple linear regression with the variables of social trust and the ability to explain people's willingness to do community work 0.31 percent of variations in farmers' participation in irrigation projects have