Since a lot of material and human expenditure are spent for implementing extension education programs for rural people, one of the most important aspects of these programs is “effectiveness evaluation” and the rate of accomplishing program objectives, as well as determining program obstacles and solving them for future plans. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of rural extension education programs regarding sheep breeding. To achieve this purpose, the first phase of the present study analyzed effectiveness evaluation models using documentary studies. Then, an Effectiveness Evaluation of Extension Education Programs (EEEEP) model was designed and accomplished in the form of evaluating a rural education program. The second phase used an experimental research method in one-group pretest-posttest design. A purposeful sampling method was used for selecting research sample (n=32) from sheep breeders in Pasargad Township, Fars Province, Iran. The data gathering instrument was a questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed with the Lincoln and Guba assessment method. The results revealed that participants’ satisfaction with the programs was higher than average in three dimensions. Also, these courses had a significant influence on the attitude and knowledge of the participants about the educated subjects. The participants’ main problem was the difficulty of attending the class. Finally, based on the findings, some executive recommendations have been provided. پرونده مقاله

In recent decades, climate change and frequent droughts have had great impacts on farming systems and have led farmers to become accustomed to these conditions, which are causing problems, especially, for smallholder farmers. With the severe weather events and their adverse effects, especially in arid regions, farmers' adaptation to these changes is an indisputable and critical strategy. Thus, farmers need to make complex decisions about mitigating the adverse effects of climate change to take advantage of newer opportunities as possible. The understanding of the process by which farmers decide to stand facing climate changes and probing into the determinants of the process provide research evidence for policymakers to assist farmers to adapt to climate change effects. This article would establish a conceptual framework, inclusive of factors influencing farmers’ decision-making to adapt to climate change, and would clarify causal relations among these factors. According to the results, household characteristics, economic factors, knowledge, motives and goals, perceived outcomes of adaptation, social, personal norms, perception of climate change, perceived risk and obstacles, attitude towards climate change, prospective perception of climate change, the evaluation of climate change, and adaptation initiatives could influence farmers’ decisions to adapt to climate change. پرونده مقاله