Amir Ahmadpour Articles List

List of Articles Amir Ahmadpour

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1 - Effective Factors on the Participation of Mazandaran Province Rural Women in Rice Cultivation
سعید فعلی نهاوند امیر احمدپور

The purpose of this study was to identify factors which affect rural women's participation in rice cultivation (RWPRC) in Mazandaran Province, Iran. The population of this research consisted of all rural women in Mazandaran Province, Iran. By using a multi-stage random More

The purpose of this study was to identify factors which affect rural women's participation in rice cultivation (RWPRC) in Mazandaran Province, Iran. The population of this research consisted of all rural women in Mazandaran Province, Iran. By using a multi-stage random sampling, 300 rural women were selected as statistical sample. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire including some close-ended questions whose validity and reliability were confirmed by a panel of expert and through a Cranach’s alpha test (α= 0.86), respectively. The descriptive results indicated that RWPRC was close to a moderate level. Furthermore, it was shown that the main reasons for rural women's participating in rice cultivation were helping family economy, obtaining extra income, and gaining production surplus, in the order of importance. In addition, these results illustrated the highest RWPRCs were in selecting seed, transplanting and Preparing pre-germinated seedling storage, respectively. Moreover, the findings showed significant relationships between RWPRC and some of its individual and professional characteristics. Finally, the results of the multivariate regression analysis revealed that 42.9 % of variability in RWPRC stems from household income, family size, and land size under rice cultivation. Finally, it is recommended for extension organizations to give attention to the role of gender in agriculture for better extension planning. Manuscript profile
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2 - Preferred Extension System for Sustainable Horticulture in Sari, Iran
امیر احمدپور Hadi Moumenihelali

Lack of understanding of the extension, education, and developmentpractitioners’ role and their contribution to sustainableagriculture is the main challenge of sustainabilityprojects in Iran. Accordingly, the aim of this study was toidentify the extension system t More

Lack of understanding of the extension, education, and developmentpractitioners’ role and their contribution to sustainableagriculture is the main challenge of sustainabilityprojects in Iran. Accordingly, the aim of this study was toidentify the extension system that has been more successful insustainable horticulture. The population consisted of 22 pioneerfarmers that had used or are using the services and/or consultationsof both public and private extension experts in different ways.Based on census data, 20 farmers were studied. A questionnairewas used to collect the data. To determine the face and contentvalidity, a panel of experts and to assess the reliability, inconsistencyratio was used (IR=0.03). Based on the five sustainabilitycriteria, public extension system was identified as the superiorsystem in the improvement of the sustainability of horticultureactivities. Analytical hierarchy process based on the pair-wisecomparison and the combination of the relative weights ofsub-criteria and options showed that the public system ispreferred over the private system, especially in ecological,cultural, and social dimensions. Given the relative superiorityof the public extension system over the private extensionsystem, it is recommended to use private extension systemalong with the public system as a supplementary system so asto gradually pave the way for assigning the authorities and activitiesto the private sector. Then, we can hope for the full privatizationof agricultural education and extension system. Manuscript profile
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3 - Identification of Appropriate Strategies to Improve and Develop Private Agricultural Extension System: A Study in Mazandaran Province, Iran
امیر احمدپور فاطمه ابوالقاسمی هادی مؤمنی هلالی

In many countries, private sector provision of agricultural extension services is recognized as a key factor in the process of agricultural development. Insufficient attention to the private agricultural extension system in Iran, despite its relative success, has made i More

In many countries, private sector provision of agricultural extension services is recognized as a key factor in the process of agricultural development. Insufficient attention to the private agricultural extension system in Iran, despite its relative success, has made it imperative to explore and identify appropriate strategies to improve and develop its activities. The statistical population of the present study consisted of 40 knowledgeable and experienced experts of agricultural consultation and technical service firms as a sample of private extension systems in Iran. The research used the SWOT and TOWS methods as the basis for the AHP technique known as the hybrid A’WOT method. In the first step of the research, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of these firms were evaluated. The results of the first step were used to extract 11 strategies by the TOWS diagram. In the second step, to identify the most appropriate strategies to improve the performance of private extension firms, 12 experienced experts were sampled from the research population by the snowball technique. The research instrument was two questionnaires whose validity were determined by face and content validation methods and whose reliability were estimated by Cronbach’s alpha and inconsistency ratio strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were assessed in the first step. Then, TOWS was employed to develop 11 strategies. In the second step of the research, the AHP technique was used to identify the most appropriate strategies. The ranking of the strategies revealed that the strategies “financial support of firms and farmers in order to lay the ground for the privatization of agricultural activities” and “orienting the attitudes of the policymakers and managers of the public sector towards the role of private extension activities” were the most important strategies to improve and develop these firms in Mazandaran province, so they should be considered by the officials. Manuscript profile

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List of Articles Amir Ahmadpour