Environmental Education
Roya Karami; Sahar Tabibian; Nasrin Ahmadi; Tahereh Sharghi
Abstract
Preserving and developing human resources in high-risk agricultural environments requires observing agricultural safety principles. In this regard, understanding the protective behavior of gardeners with emphasis on the role of health belief model components in explaining the formation of protective ...
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Preserving and developing human resources in high-risk agricultural environments requires observing agricultural safety principles. In this regard, understanding the protective behavior of gardeners with emphasis on the role of health belief model components in explaining the formation of protective behavior of gardeners in Zanjan city through the impact of knowledge on attitude has been selected as the purpose of this study. The study was conducted using the applied purpose and descriptive correlation method. The study population is gardeners in Zanjan city. The number of samples was calculated according to Cochran's formula of 293 people, and sampling was done using a stratified multistage sampling method. This survey research was conducted using a questionnaire, and its validity and reliability were assessed and confirmed. The results of this study showed that gardeners usually wear appropriate clothing and shoes as protective equipment when working with chemicals, but other personal protective equipment such as masks, hats, gloves, and goggles are less considered. Also, although gardeners have moderate to little knowledge of conservation behavior, there is a relatively good attitude towards the need to take preventive measures, which facilitates the implementation of the training program and its acceptance. Test of study hypotheses showed that 41% of the variance of gardeners' attitudes about preventive behaviors is formed under the influence of their knowledge. Further, the effect of attitude on all components of health belief is significant and explains almost half of the variability in perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, and practice guide. Path analysis indicates the explanation of 58% of changes in protective behavior based on the predicted model. Therefore, education, in addition to increasing knowledge and influencing attitudes, could affect gardeners' understanding of protective behaviors and provide the ground for implementing gardeners' safe behaviors.
Environmental Education
Nader Naderi; Ehsan Khosravi; Faranak Karamian
Abstract
The main purpose of this research was to providing a model for developing the market of healthy and organic food products in Kermanshah province. The approach governing the present research was conducted qualitatively using the grounded theory method. The study population of this research included all ...
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The main purpose of this research was to providing a model for developing the market of healthy and organic food products in Kermanshah province. The approach governing the present research was conducted qualitatively using the grounded theory method. The study population of this research included all key informants in the field of the researched subject in Kermanshah province. Purposeful snowball sampling was used to select participants. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached. In this research, theoretical saturation was achieved by examining 12 participants from the mentioned society. Data collection tools included in-depth and semi-structured interviews, field notes taking, and in some cases group discussions. In order to process the data, a three-step coding method was used in the qualitative part. The results of the study showed three categories of causal conditions (including cognitive factors, behavioral-motivational factors, management factors), contextual conditions (including infrastructural-technological factors, cultural factors and the economic status of the target community) in the development of the healthy and organic products market of the food industry units of Kermanshah province, and intervening conditions (including political-legal factors and regulatory factors) are involved. Also, according to the results, the adopted strategies were categorized into three categories (including marketing factors, advertising and information methods, and trust building and accountability factors) that had consequences (such as economic, social and environmental). In the end, practical suggestions were presented based on the findings.
Environmental Education
Ali Ahmadi Firouzjaie; Leili Ahmadi; Hamideh Khalaj
Abstract
Soil degradation caused by conventional agriculture is a growing problem on grain farms in Bagherabad district of Mahallat county. This study sought to investigate grain farmers᾽ soil conservation behavior (SCB) based on an extended technology acceptance model (TAM). Structural equation modeling technique ...
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Soil degradation caused by conventional agriculture is a growing problem on grain farms in Bagherabad district of Mahallat county. This study sought to investigate grain farmers᾽ soil conservation behavior (SCB) based on an extended technology acceptance model (TAM). Structural equation modeling technique was used to test this extended TAM based on the survey collected data from 243 grain farmers. Findings revealed that farmers poorly used soil conservation practices (SCPs). However, among SCPs, grain farmers have used organic manuring the most and cover cropping the least on their farms. The reason for this is they had more knowledge about organic manuring and also more access to the organic manures. This study also supported the indirect effect of technical knowledge (TK) and Technology Accessibility (TA) on Perceived Usefulness (PU) through affecting Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) directly. In addition, the present study pointed out that the intention was the most important factor explaining SCB and PEOU was the most important factor influencing intention. Therefore, to improve SCB, improving farmers᾽ perceived ease of use (PEOU) should be considered through facilitating TA along with enhancing TK. In this regard, along with providing extension services, policy makers are advised to facilitate farmers’ access to appropriate soil conservation (SC) technologies and inputs and also increase the purchasing power of farmers through granting cheap credit facilities and supplying technologies at affordable prices.
Environmental Education
Mojtaba Sookhtanlou; Fayyaz Esmat; Fatemeh Shafiee
Abstract
This study was carried out with the general purpose of determining the effective environmental components (in the form of protection motivation theory) on the behavior of chemical fertilizers consumption by tomato farmers in Ardabil province. The statistical population of the study included all active ...
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This study was carried out with the general purpose of determining the effective environmental components (in the form of protection motivation theory) on the behavior of chemical fertilizers consumption by tomato farmers in Ardabil province. The statistical population of the study included all active tomato farmers with irrigated cultivation in Ardabil province (N=1489). Based on the table of Bartlett et al. and a multi-stage random sampling method with proportional assignment, the sample size was determined (n=310). Tomato farmers from three counties (Pars Abad (191 people), Meshginshahr (80 people), and Kowsar (39 people)) were selected randomly and according to the population proportion. The behavior of chemical fertilizers consumption was estimated by the composite index (CI) technique. According to the findings, the majority of farmers (41.61%) used chemical fertilizers at a high level of consumption. The highest rate of this overuse (ratio of fertilizer consumption to permissible consumption) was related to liquid Potash fertilizer. According to the structural model analysis, the most paths explaining the behavior of chemical fertilizers consumption were related to the components of behavioral intention (0.731), response cost (0.543), and response effectiveness (0.494), respectively. Training and encouraging farmers to use alternative non-chemical fertilizers (organic fertilizers, humic acid or vermicompost, etc.), conducting periodic soil tests, granting subsidies to bio-fertilizers, holding "Farm Day" programs, and visiting and showcasing farms with successful use of bio-fertilizers can be effective to reduce or replace the chemical fertilizers consumption.
Environmental Education
Mehran Farajollahi; Alireza Nemati; Nazila Khatibzanjani; Talat Diba Vajari
Abstract
The main objective of this research is to determine the important factors of using mobile learning in organic agriculture education. The methodology of this study is quantitative and qualitative and it is an applied research. The statistical population of the study was agriculture experts in East Azerbaijan ...
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The main objective of this research is to determine the important factors of using mobile learning in organic agriculture education. The methodology of this study is quantitative and qualitative and it is an applied research. The statistical population of the study was agriculture experts in East Azerbaijan province (N = 429). Based on the Cochran Formula, a sample size of 202 was estimated by cluster sampling method. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire which its content validity was confirmed by experts. Initial reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using by Cronbach's alpha (0,77- 0.93). Structural validity and composite reliability (CR) of the research tool were also obtained by estimating the measurement model after applying the necessary corrections. Data was analyzed using by SPSS20 and AMOS20 softwares in the form of structural equation modeling. The results of the research displayed that 85, 1% of the experts were in the moderate to high level in terms of skills of working with mobile learning tools. 71, 2% of the experts were in the moderate to high level in terms of attitudes toward the use of mobile learning in organic agriculture education. Finally, structural model analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between self-efficacy, utility, attitude, social, and facilitating components with using mobile learning in organic farming education and explained 95 percent of its variances.
Environmental Education
Matin Moghim; Mohammad Badsar; Mehdi Ghasemi
Abstract
Today, environmental degradation and the lack of awareness of the farmers about its issues is one of the major challenges in rural areas .Therefore, sustainable environmental behavior in these areas is very important to achieve national development goals. Therefore, this study has been conducted with ...
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Today, environmental degradation and the lack of awareness of the farmers about its issues is one of the major challenges in rural areas .Therefore, sustainable environmental behavior in these areas is very important to achieve national development goals. Therefore, this study has been conducted with the aim of investigating the mediation role of intention in analysis of the factors influencing sustainable environmental behavior among farmers. The study population was consisted of farmers in Zanjan township that according to Cochran’s formula, 300 of them were selected by multistage sampling method. A questionnaire was used as research tools. Face and content validity of the questionnaire had been confirmed by panel of experts and key informant before the pre-test stage. The reliability of instrument was assessed by conducting a pilot study among 30 samples out of the original sample. The reliability of instrument for the all sections based on Cronbach's alpha coefficients value (in the range of 0.72 to 0.88) shows acceptable level of internal consistency. Data analysis was performed by SPSS24 and AMOS22 software. The collected data was analyzed using structural equation modeling technique. The results based on direct structural model showed that there is a positive and significant effect between variables such as subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and environmental attitudes with the dependent variable of sustainable environmental behavior in agriculture. Also, based on the mediation structural model specified that intention variable had a mediation role on the relationship between independent variable with sustainable environmental behavior in agriculture and these variables explained 39% of variances of dependent variable.
Environmental Education
fatemeh Razzaghi Borkhani; Mahdiye Sadat Mirtorabi
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychological factors affecting the Intention of conservation agricultural behavior of farmers in Sari County based on the Theory of planned behavior model. This research was a descriptive-correlational study (analysis of covariance matrix to test ...
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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychological factors affecting the Intention of conservation agricultural behavior of farmers in Sari County based on the Theory of planned behavior model. This research was a descriptive-correlational study (analysis of covariance matrix to test the research model) with the aim of showing the relationship between variables. The population of the study consisted of 30788 farmers in Sari County that 220 were selected through multistage random sampling. Validity of questionnaire was determined through sustainable agricultural experts of Mazandaran County and some faculty members at University of Sari Agricultural and Natural Resources. The reliability was acceptable. Diagnostic validity with using an average variance extracted (AVE) and reliability with using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR) were confirmed. To explain the Effectiveness of psychological factors and the tendency to conservation agricultural behavior from each other, the method of structural equation modeling with LISREL software, version 8.80 has been used. According to the results, psychological factors generally explained 96% of the variance Intention conservation agricultural behavior.When the effects of the three variables of psychological factors were assessed separately on intention of use; the results showed that three variables of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control could explain 66% of the variance in intention of use. In this study, in both models, among the psychological variables, subjective norms were the most effective predictor: in the first model with 74% factor load and in the second model with 39% factor load. In other words, reference groups and their support and agreement were found to be the most effective factors in the intention to conservation agriculture behavior among farmers of Sari. Therefore, the application of participatory education and extension methods and the impact of community opinion leaders on the credibility of local and technical leaders and sample farmers with farmers on the adoption of conservation agricultural technologies are undeniable.
