Improving Loan Distribution to Farmers: Informational Needs of Mexican Banks

The Mexican Ministry of Agriculture provides lending institutions outlooks for respective crops grown in the country. This study sought to assist in determining Mexican banks’ perceptions of the relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability,and observability of agricultural information from the Ministry to aid in distributing loans to farmers. Fourteen (N = 14) agricultural loan officers from Mexican banks were interviewed to meet the study’s objectives. The majority of participants believed the Ministry’s information had a relative advantage over other sources. Complexity was the primary barrier for lending institutions not adopting the Ministry’s information. Providing the information more quickly, improved communication between both entities, and using social media were recommendations lending institutions provided the Ministry for increasing the rate of adoption of their information. Expanding the timeframe under which lending institutions receive commodity analyses from the Ministry may increase the amount of accessible finance to Mexican farmer

Perceptions of the Putnam County Explorer & Junior 4-H program by local public school educators

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the perceptions of Putnam County Explorer and Junior 4-H Program by Local Public School Educators regarding The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension 4-H educational program. The study focused on respondent\u27s perceptions regarding the Objectives of 4-H, Communication Strategies and Image of the agent, Knowledge of the 4-H Curriculum, the Tennessee 4-H Priority Program Areas. The study strived to determine the relationships between these variables and selected demographic variables including: gender, age, number of years employed, present position, area the respondents were raised, and whether their children were in 4-H. The study was descriptive/coorelational. The target audience was school personnel including principals, assistant principals, fifth and sixth grade teachers, and fourth grade teachers in the Putnam County public school system. A total of 115 questionnaires were hand delivered to each school. Of the 87 returned, 24% were principals or assistant principals, 46% were fifth and sixth grade teachers, and 30% were fourth grade teachers. A closed ended Likert-type scale was used for the decision making statements on the survey. Questionnaire data were tabulated by the researcher using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS for windows version 10.07). The findings were deduced through the use of descriptive statistics, t-test and ƒ-test, and Duncan\u27s Multiple Range Test for multiple comparisons. The t-test and ƒ-test were used to determine the level of significance of the findings for the Post Hoc comparisons. The level of significance was p ≤ .05. The instrument consisted of two parts. Part I collected respondent\u27s perceptions concerning Objectives of 4-H, Communication Strategies and Image of the agent, Knowledge of the 4-H Curriculum, the Tennessee 4-H Priority Program Areas. Part II collected demographic information regarding the respondents: age, gender, level of education, years employed, present position, where they were raised and whether their children were 4-H members. The educators participating in this research indicated that 4-H members were acquiring public speaking and self-expression skills through their participation in the 4-H program. Respondents indicated that e-mail, personal visits, personal letters, and telephone calls were the most effective methods for the 4-H agent to communicate with school personnel. The findings in the study indicate that educators preferred personal contact over mass media as a means of communicating with the 4-H agent. Educators indicated that the 4-H agent should keep school personnel informed of the 4-H mission and provide recognition (plaques, banquets, etc.) to 4-H volunteer leaders. Furthermore, educators reported using the history and language arts materials more than any other 4-H curriculum. Respondents indicated that an in-school 4-H program provides youth an opportunity to gain leadership skills, and teaches citizenship skills. Female educators agreed more favorably that members acquired the 4-H objectives, with the image of the agent statements, and with the ability of 4-H to address priority program areas than did the male educators. Respondents 36 to 45 years old indicated more agreement that the agent train volunteers to plan and conduct 4-H club meetings than did educators over 55 years old. Of the 12 respondents that participated in the study over age 55, nine were principals. Principals agreed less strongly that the agent train volunteers to plan and conduct 4-H club meetings than did teachers. Principals more strongly agreed that the agent should keep school personnel informed of the 4-H mission, devote time to public relations, and provide recognition to volunteers than did fourth and fifth and sixth grade educators. Also, educators who had been employed 11 to 20 years and 21 years or more agreed more strongly that the agent should keep school personnel informed of the 4-H mission than did educators who had been employed 10 years or less. Principals, that participated in the study, had been working eleven years or longer. Fourth grade teachers agreed more favorably that the agent use volunteers to administer the curriculum than did principals or fifth and sixth grade teachers

Anomers Of D-Galactosamine Benzoates

D-Galactosamine has been known as one of the rarer amino sugars, occurring widely distributed in small concentrations in living organisms. The biological importance of D-galactosamine and its derivatives was thought to justify a study of the chemical properties of this group of compounds. As a result of this study the reactions of D-galactosamine have been found to differ more than previously thought from those of D-glucosamine, the more common amino sugar For this investigation D-galactosamine hydrochloride was isolated from chondroitin sulfate, a polysaccharide obtained from the cartilaginous tissues of animals. This was changed by appropriate reactions to the 1,3,4,6-tetra-0-benzoyl-N-carbobenzoxy-α-β-D-galactosamine (III). This sirup, when reacted with hydrogen bromide in glacial acetic acid, produced 3,4,6-tri-o-benzoyl-l-bromo-α-D-galactosamine bydrobromide (IV), which was used as the starting material for the subsequent reactions

An analysis of the five major social institutions of Buxton, Maine.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Introduction and Table of Contents

The Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education is the official refereed publication of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE). Its purpose is to enhance the research and knowledge base of agricultural and extension education from an international perspective

Motivational Orientations of Adults Participating in a Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program

The purpose of the study reported here was to develop a better understanding of adult participation in the Master Gardener Program in Putnam County, Tennessee. Eighty-nine participants were surveyed, and 66 participants returned their completed survey, for a 74.16% response rate. Adults participated to obtain a practical benefit, to feed an appetite for knowledge, to satisfy an intellectual curiosity, and to satisfy an inquiring mind. MG Coordinators should market their programs as opportunities to learn and share specific gardening knowledge. More comprehensive research is needed to determine if adults are primarily interested in the MG Program strictly for knowledge

Recommended Competencies Needed for Training in International Extension Settings

Agricultural extension plays a significant role in the global production and supply of food. A problem with extension services in developing countries is the lack of an adequate balance between the technical and professional competencies of personnel. The purpose of this study was to explore the professional competencies needed by U.S. extension agents to teach adults in international settings. The conceptual framework for this study was constructed on the knowledge domains that doctoral students should acquire before teaching internationally. Twelve internationally experienced U.S. extension agents were purposively selected to participate in the study based on their regional supervisor’s recommendation of program excellence. Change strategies, program evaluation methods, learning principles, and organizational development were identified by the agents as professional competencies needed before teaching internationally. Extension administrators and professional development specialists should ensure mechanisms are in place for current and future agricultural extension agents to acquire these competencies. U.S. agricultural extension agents could be mentored by agents proficient in the identified professional competencies before teaching globally. Enrolling in a doctoral program is an avenue for extension agents to acquire the professional competencies associated with teaching adults in international settings. Preparing current and future U.S. extension agents in the identified professional competencies could enhance global agricultural extension programs

Implications of Maintenance and Motivation Factors on Extension Agent Turnover

What factors are relevant in determining why agents remain employed in Extension? This article discusses the implications of maintenance and motivation factors on Extension agent turnover. It describes motivator and maintenance factors affecting job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and their influence on agent turnover. Professional associations offer agents the motivation factors discussed in this article. The benefits gained by investing in Extension\u27s current employees may ultimately enhance Extension\u27s ability to fulfill its mission as the educational outreach branch of the land-grant university