Factors Influencing the Gardening Management Skills among Citrus Farmers (Case of Iran, Sari)
Subject Areas : Farm Managementمهدی علیخانی دادوکلایی 1 , مهدی چرمچیان لنگرودی 2 , امیر ضامنی 3
1 - باشگاه پژوهشگران جوان و نخبگان، واحد ساری، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، ساری، ایران
2 - گروه ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی، واحد ساری، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، ساری، ایران
3 - دانش آموخته کارشناسی ارشد ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی، واحد ساری، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، ساری، ایران
Keywords: skill, Sari, Gardening management, Citrus farmers,
Abstract :
Production management is the best and foremost factor in exploiting the production factors more desirably and advantageously. Accordingly, the present study sought to evaluate the factors affecting the gardening management skills among citrus farmers in Sari, north of Iran. The statistical population for the study was 12,800 people. The stratified random sampling using the Cochran test was applied, and 250 subjects were selected for the study. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire, the content validity of which was confirmed by the agricultural and extension experts and its reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha as to be 0.94. The data analysis results showed that the respondents’ gardening management skills was at high (41.6%) and average levels (54.1%). Considering the research findings, there was a significant positive correlation at the one percent level between citrus farmers’ gardening management skills and social, knowledge, attitude, educational factors, the total cultivated area and gardening experience. Also, there was a significant positive correlation at the five percent level between citrus farmers’ gardening management skills and the garden area, citrus annual income and the distance of the garden to the agriculture center. Considering the stepwise regression results, 45.7% of the variation in respondents’ gardening management skills was accounted for by three variables of knowledge, educational factor and the total area of cultivated land, serving as the best predictor of citrus farmers’ gardening management skills in Sari.
1. Allahyari, M. S., Saburi, M. S., & Keshavarz, F. (2011). Analyzing Farm Management Skills in Poultry Production Enterprises in Iran. Life Science Journal, 8(1), 61–67.
2. Asadi, A., Akbari, M., Sharifzadeh, A., & Alambeigi, A. (2009). An Introduction to systemic approach in agriculture extension and development emphasizing on agricultural knowledge and information system. Tehran, University Jihad.
3. Balasubramanian, V., Morales1, A. C., Cruz, R. T., & Abdulrachman, S. (1999). On-farm adaptation of knowledge-intensive nitrogen management technologies for rice systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agro Ecosystems, 53, 59–69.
4. Barimnejad, V. (2006). Translation of farm management principles and strategies (written by Kenneth Olson). First published in Tehran, TH: Aiezh Publication.
5. Carli, G., & Canavari, M. (2013). Introducing Direct Costing and Activity Based Costing in a Farm Management System: a conceptual model. Procedia Technology, (8), 397 – 405.
6. Dehghanian, S. (2002). Translation of agricultural management (written by Hogo astin Hauser, Kai Langbhn and Peters). 2nd. Ed., Mashhad: Mashhad University publication.
7. Dorward, P., Galpin, M., & Shepherd, D. (2003). Participatory farm management methods for assessing the suitability of potential innovations, a case study on green managing options for tomato producers in Ghana. Journal of Agricultural Systems, 75, 97–11.
8. FAO. (2003). World agriculture: Towards 2015/2030 – An FAO Perspective. Rome, FAO & London, EarthScan Retrieved from: www.fao.org/3/a-y4252e.pdf.
9. Hasani, A. (2013). Factors affecting the farm management skills among rice farmers in Savadkouh. Agricultural Extension and Education Department thesis. Sari, University of Sari.
10. Lantzosa, T., Koykoyrisa, G., & Salampasisb, M. (2013). FarmManager: An Android application for the management of small farms. Procedia Technology, 8, 587–592.
11. Mohammadi, D. (2001). Analyzing the production management factors in top corn farmers’ farms in Fars province. Proceedings of the Third Conference of Agricultural Economics, February, 17-19, (pp. 669-696). Mashhad: Iran Agricultural Economic Society.
12. Nuthall, P. L. (2006). Determining the important management skill competencies:The case of family farm business in New Zealand. Agricultural Systems, 88, 429–450.
13. Oenemaa, J., van Keulena, b., Schils, c., & Aartsa, H. (2011). Participatory farm management adaptations to reduce environmental impact on commercial pilot dairy farms in the Netherlands. NJAS -Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 58, 39–48.
14. Onyuma, S. E., Birachi, T., Cheruiyoit, K., & Icart, E. (2006). Effect of management in agricultural production: Evidence from Kenya. African Journal of Business and Economics, 1(1), 1-18.
15. Rolls, M. J. (2001). Review of farm management in extension programs in central and Eastern European countries and agricultural organization of the United Nations. Rome, Italy.
16. Shabanalifami, H. (2013). Agricultural extension and education principles. Tehran, TH: Payam Noor University publication.
17. Soltani, Gh., Najafi, b., & Torkamani, J. (1998). Management of Agriculture unit (Third Edition), Shiraz, Shiraz University.
18. Veisi, H., Mahmoudi, H., & Sharifimoghaddam, M. (2010). Explaining the farmers’ behavior in pest integrated management technologies. Research of Agricultural Economics and Development, 4, 481-490.