In this research, price transmission between wholesale and retail levels of two products, potato and onion has been studied. The data of wholesale and retail prices of Kurdistan province from 1386:12 to 1392:3 were used. According to the results of the ADF unit-root test series retail and wholesale prices of two products were integrated of order 1 and the Johansson cointegration test results indicated the prices for products were two series cointegrated. To examine the causal relationship between retail and wholesale prices of products, Toda –Yamamoto (1995) test was used and the results indicated that there was a one-way causal relationship from wholesale to retail for potato and onion. Hansen(1999)’s Sup-F test was carried out to examine the existing of nonlinear price adjustment that the result indicated that there were nonlinear price adjustment for potato and onion. Therefore, univariate TAR, M-TAR and LSTAR models were used. The results indicated asymmetry price transmission in potato and onion market. 

Present study investigates aspects of irrigation water pricing as an important economic tool in integrated water resources management (IWRM) in the basin level. In this way, using linear programming model, water shadow price (the demand price of water) was estimated in Kohgiloye & Boyerahmad's basins. Then, using engineering economics method, the cost of water in farm level (the supply price of water) for Kowsar dam was calculated. From comparison of these two prices with existing tariff rates, the appropriate approach to agricultural water pricing was introduced. The results showed that the shadow price for each cubic meter of water is less than the cost of water. So, water pricing according to get all the cost of water supply, transmission and distribution of agricultural water is not suitable option and implementing this policy in line with the IWRM requires government support and preferential pricing policies in the long-run.

Given that farmers try to optimize their individual utility, they generally have different goals, most of which are economic. They usually do not pay much attention to the goals of minimizing water consumption. This study attempted to investigate the addition of water minimizing goal and setting restrictions on the supply of water to the multiple objectives of farmers. It also deals with the impact of this practice on cropping patterns, water use and gross income of farmers. To achieve this, a fuzzy multi-objective programming with nonlinear membership function (hyperbolic tangent) was used. The data was collected out of questionnaires filed by 130 farmers of Chenaran (Khorasan Razavi province) using the random cluster sampling in 2012-2013 crop year. The farmers were divided into three homogenous groups, based on the cultivation area: less than 8 hectares, from 8 to 24 hectares and more than 24 hectares. Then model optimized for each of the three groups was based on the goals of profit maximization, minimization of capital and maximization of labor. Then by adding water minimization to the objectives, effects of these changes were evaluated. The results showed that by entering the water to the objectives of farmers in groups 1 and 3, water consumption was reduced. However, it did not change in Group 2. Also in all 3 groups, onions and cucumber cultivated area was decreased. In contrast, the area under wheat cultivation increased, although this would reduce the income of farmers in all 3 groups. The results also showed that with policy of restrictions on water supply in addition to changing cropping patterns and decrease in income, the total cultivated area will decrease in all 3 groups.

Nowadays due to the limited existing resources of the country, the use of modern technologies has an important role in saving inputs consumption, increasing productivity and gaining a comparative advantage in agricultural production. In this regard, biotechnology has particular importance. Considering the importance of the issue and the lack of study about the effect of applying biological technologies in comparative advantage of agricultural production, so this research to determine indexes comparative advantage of production with biotechnology entry in the field of wheat and corn production in Fars Province is done. Accordingly, based on available information from variety biological fertilizers and its different combinations with chemical fertilizer the indexes of comparative advantage including DRC, SCB and NSP in 1392 are calculated in several scenarios. The results indicate that the use of bio fertilizer as a supplement or replacement with part of chemical fertilizer (50% & 100%) will improve the comparative advantage indicators, so that the DRC index of wheat reduced from1/13 in scenario (1) to 0/49 in scenario (4). Also about corn the combination of bio-fertilizer with chemical fertilizer leads to decrease DRC index from 0/28 in scenario (1) to 0/15 in scenario (4). Also SCB and NSP indexes have shown the comparative advantage improvement in wheat and corn production due to this replacement. Therefore, according to the results the use of biotechnology in consolidated management of nutrition will improve the changes in the production cost practically. So it is expected to be more economical to promote such technology in production process of agriculture.

The ravages of pistachios market structure in Iran has created numerous problems in the pricing and trading off of this product. In this context, it is important to create a centralized market such as commodity exchange, that decreasing price volatility and as a result improving revenue and competitive conditions of suppliers are its consequences. In this study, one type of transportation model, which is based on maximizing export earnings and minimizing transportation cost, was used for evaluation of effects of the creation of pistachios exchange on competition of producing areas in the field of internal and external pistachios trade. according to the results of this research, under the existence of the commodity exchange, will be added to the number of applicants for the pistachios of Khorasan‌ Razavi, Yazd, and Semnan provinces, but instead Fars, Qom and Qazvin provinces will lose their some markets. Also, while the total exports of pistachios remains constant, but will make changes in the way of export and the exporter provinces. So that it decreases the direct pistachios exports of Kerman province and increases it from Tehran. According to these results, the establishment of the pistachios exchange in the country can change the target markets of major pistachios producing provinces. Also, due to the pistachios production potential in the eastern provinces in Iran, the development of storage and processing industries in these areas could be useful in the management of pistachios demand and supply.

Agriculture is mostly a risky activity in less developed countries, and usually there is inefficiency associate with it. So, Simultaneous study of risk and inefficiency could lead into a more favorable outcome. This study was done to identify factors influencing risk and inefficiency of potato farms in Ardabil. The required data collected by questionnaire from 156 Ardebil potato farmers in 1391. To achieve the purpose, Kumbhakar (2002) and Jaenicke (2003) models that are based on Aigner et al (1977) and the Meeusen and Van Den Broeck (1977) frontier model, were estimated. According to the results, water does not affect production risk in the farms. labor and machinery, reduce production risk and seed increase it. Seed and labor increase the efficiency average and machines and water decrease it. Producers Gender does not affect the efficiency average and efficiency variance. Therefore, increased using of labor for risk reducing and efficiency increasing in these units is recommended.

Given the importance of agriculture and energy consumption in this sector, this study was performed to evaluate the producer supports and energy intensity are looking for evaluation of past performance and solutions to improve future situation. For this purpose, in this study is used an approach of time series models in 1981-2012 to investigate the convergence of long-term between energy intensity and producer support policy. In this context, according to the data type is used the Johansen –Joselius cointegration method. The results show with the increase in government supports from agriculture producers, energy intensity declined.so that in the long term for increasing a billion Rials in supports, the energy intensity will decrease -2.66 *10-6 units. Based on these results, according to the targeted subsidy program, the Government pays its benefits to this sector in the fifth and sixth development programs with more aggressively pursue.

Since the agriculture sector is the largest custodian of the food supply, food production and food security, there is a need to increase the production in this sector which is subject to technology and mechanization level. Therefore, the purpose of this study aims to investigate the effect of agricultural mechanization coefficient on the food security of Iranian rural families in the period 1984-2013 using auto-regressive distributed lag method (ARDL). The results show that the mechanization coefficient and per capita income variables had a positive impact on the food security of rural families in the long term, while the food price index variable had a negative impact on the food security of rural families in the long term. Hence, it is suggested that the government should support the importers of agricultural machinery against currency exchange rate fluctuations. Also, the use of technology is difficult due to the small and scattered farms in Iran. Therefore, localization and promotion of the capital-intensive technologies is proposed.

The aim of the present study is to measurement and analysis of food price inflation due to implementation of Targeted Subsidy Reform program on urban households in Sistan and Baluchestan province. For this purpose, firstly to evaluate composition and changes in household consumption basket Engel functions for food and non-food items in years 2009 and 2012 were estimated. In the next step Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) for all food groups in mentioned years was estimated, Then, Compensating Variation (CV) criterion was computed to measuring the consumer’s welfare changes based on Taylor series expansion method and using the results from the estimated QUAIDS model. Income elasticities of Engel Functions showed that after the implementation of Targeted Subsidy Reform program by the end of 2012, none of the food and non-food products consumption status has not changed. The results of the CV computing indicated that in this period, the urban Sistan and Baluchestan households on average were lost 11,008,222 Rials of their income due to rising food prices after the implementation of the first phase of Targeted Subsidy Reform program. This amount is equivalent to 61.73 percent of the food budget and 19.94 percent of their total income.

The importance of economic variables forecasting for policy makers and planners and firms is obvious. Therefore, in recent decades, several models have been developed. In the present study, the Oilcake import quantity predicted by using econometric Model and artificial neural network for 1400-1394. For this purpose, for predict and education network, the data of the 88-1348 and for test the accuracy of forecasts, the data of the 1393-1389 were used. The results showed that forward neural network compared to ARIMA and exponential smoothing method with fewer errors and better performance for predicting of Oilcake import. The results show that the Oilcake imports in 1394 compared to last year, a 32% increase. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the amount of imported and domestic needs, be protectionist policies. Also, to control of the steep rise in Oilcake import, policy makers and planners would be necessary programs apply, including increased tariffs. The grants for the production and supply companies in the conversion process to oilcake can be used to increase the productivity and competitiveness of these products to be effective.

the main purpose of this study was to develop a theory with regard to limiting factors for organic crops consumption in Alborz province. in this regard, applying a grounded theory approach, limiting factors of organic crops use were investigated. following theorizing steps, a model for limiting factors for organic crops consumption was developed. applying a purposive snow ball 25 experts in different agricultural sciences were interviewed to gather required data. interviews were continued to rich the saturation point. coding of data was conducted in three steps i.e open coding, axis coding and selective coding, after interviews. in axial coding stage, paradigm model was developed - considering the main phenomenon, strategies, casual conditions, intervening conditions and context.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate agricultural experts’ knowledge toward ‘precision agriculture’ and a descriptive correlational research design was used. The target population of this study was agricultural experts of Jihade-agriculture Organizations in the Tehran province of Iran (N=153) that 115 subjects were studied finally (n=115). The main research instrument of this study was a questionnaire and its validity was checked by the panel of experts included faculty members of Agricultural Extension and Education and Mechanics of Agricultural Machinery Departments of Tarbiat Modares University and Agricultural Engineering Research Institute experts. Following the recommendations of them the instrument was revised. Also the questionnaire’s reliability was tested by calculating Cronbach’s alpha and Kuder-Richardson formula 20 and their coefficients were 0.91 and 0.72. The results showed that the agricultural experts’ knowledge level was low to medium on ‘precision agriculture’. The highest level of knowledge was related to ‘global positioning system’ (GPS), ‘soil type sampling’, ‘yield monitoring’, ‘geographic information system’ (GIS), and ‘aerial photography and satellite imaging’. The results from correlation analysis indicated that there were significant relationships between knowledge level of experts on ‘precision agriculture’ and age, work experience, as well as educational level. There were significant differences between knowledge levels of experts on ‘precision agriculture’ in relation to interest in learning new technologies, informed from activities about ‘precision agriculture’, participation in the training classes, visit from research farms, and using the journal publications about ‘precision agriculture’.

The renewable natural resources, which now assumed as a life foundation in scientific and academic circle, is a capital not only for current generation but also for future generations. But recently inappropriate and over use of this resources, endanger the interests of future generations. Also, it is a main challenge for the current generation, as sustainable utilization of forest has considered in planners thoughts. So this study aimed to recognize effective factors on sustainable utilization of forest in Lorestan Province foresters. This research was sort of applied studies in terms of objective, field survey in terms of control degree of variables, and descriptive-correlational research in terms of gathering information. The statistical population of this study was consisted of local forest settlements in Lorestan province which were 235000 persons. Sample size was estimated using Cochran formula to 210 foresters and because they were scattered in a wide geographic range of province, cluster sampling was used through several stages, and foresters were interviewed by the questionnaire. Reliability of the questionnaire confirmed through Cronbach alpha and validity confirmed by experts’ opinions. Finally, Data was analyzed by SPSS software version 20. Correlation test results showed that there were significant and negative relationship between sustainable utilization of forest and variables; age, the experience of agriculture, the experience of Animal husbandry. There were significant and positive relationship between sustainable utilization of forest and variables; income, literacy level, the amount of participation in agriculture activity, the amount of participation in animal husbandry activity, the number of days livestock presence in forest in one year, the amount of participation in forest management, the amount of knowledge and awareness about forest, the amount of accessibility to rural services and facilities, the amount of gained educations, the amount of formal organizations support of forest settlements and bioenvironmental attitude. The results of regression shoed that seven factors of the amount of gained educations, participation in forest management, literacy level, accessibility to rural services and facilities, the number of days livestock presence in forest in one year, the amount of formal organizations support of forest settlements and the amount of knowledge and awareness about forest were entered into equation respectively and totally explained 79 percent of dependent variable variance.

The aim of this study was to analyze managerial tasks and Job performance of Departments’ manager from the viewpoint of faculty members in Agricultural and Natural Resources Higher Education institutes in Khuzestan Province. This study applied a descriptive-correlational research method. The Statistical population of the study included faculty of three universities in Khuzestan Province :Ramin University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ahwaz Shahid Chamran University and Behbahan Khatamolanbia University(N=148). The study sample consists of 111 faculty members from these universities that were selected through a stratified Proportional sampling. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of experts (the panel include expert of Agricultural extension and education). Furthermore, The questionnaire internal reliability was investigated using coefficient (Cronbach’s) alpha. Scales indicated an excellent reliability (α=0/96). Data were analyzed using the software SPSSwin16. The findings revealed that departments manager monitoring and control functions were relatively undesirable at Khuzestan Ramin University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Manager of departments’ planning, organizing and evaluation functions, also, were relatively undesirable in the faculty of Agriculture of Ahwaz Shahid Chamran University. Furthermore, findings showed that at Environment and Natural Resources College of Behbahan Khatamolanbia University, functions of planning, organizing and human Resources Management were relatively desirable. Results of regression analyzes indicate that four factors: personal characteristics, managerial skills, job satisfaction and work experience were explained a total of 54% of the variance in manager of departments’ function.

Promoting Farmers’ knowledge along with other production factors and facilities will lead farmers to achieve a desired and reasonable level in production process by properly and accurately benefiting from technology. This research sought to investigate the effectiveness of extension education activities on promoting tobacco growers' knowledge level in Mazandaran province. The study adopted a descriptive- correlational approach as its methodology. The statistical population of this research consisted of 1500 tobacco growers of Mazandaran province, and based on Morgan table, 306 people were randomly selected through proportional stratified sampling. The data collection tool was a questionnaire, whose validity was confirmed by a panel of experts, and its reliability was measured through Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.77 to 0.94. The results showed that effectiveness of extension education activities on promoting tobacco growers' knowledge level is excellent 12%, good 28.2%, medium 39.4% and weak 20.5%. and the most effective factor on effectiveness of extension education activities on promoting tobacco growers' knowledge level was extension-education activities content with path coefficient of 0.325. In addition, extension-education activities compatibility with educational need was also effective on effectiveness of extension education activities on promoting tobacco growers' knowledge level with the path coefficient of 0.314.

Abstract Transformational Leadership uses personal abilities to promote the ideals of others, and direct individuals and organizations the upper point of the entrepreneurial performance. The present study was conducted to investigate the role of transformational leadership on organization's entrepreneurial orientation of Agricultural Jihad Organization of Isfahan Province in 1392. Research populations consisted of 226 experts of organization that by using Krejcie and Morgan table and by simple random sampling technique, the number of 140 persons as the sample size was considered. Methods of data collection based on a standard questionnaire leadership style MLQ and entrepreneurial orientation Dess and Lumpkin (2005) was performed. SPSS version 20was used to analyzing data. The results of study indicate that, the use of transformational leadership in agriculture Jihad organization of Isfahan province and state of this organization in terms of transformational leadership was higher than average level and entrepreneurial orientation of studied experts was lower than the average level. The results indicate a positive and significant effect of transformational leadership on entrepreneurial orientation (EO). According to results, Idealized Influence Dimension has been had greater predictive power in determining the level of entrepreneurial orientation of Jihad Agriculture Organization experts.

Industrial revolution occurrence and changing humans' relationship toward nature, has been caused numerous environmental problems for human. Due to abundance those problems, the environmental aesthetics dimension has been less considered, compared with the other aspects. The purpose of this research was to investigate affective components on rural people's environmental aesthetics attitude in Miandoab Township. This research is a casual-correlative research that was fulfilled using a survey technique as a research method. Statistical population was rural people (N=121149) in Miandoab township that 136 people was selected as a sample by Cochran test and stratified random sampling method (0.63≤ ≤0.94). The research tool was a questionnaire, which its validity confirmed by a panel of agricultural extension and education experts and its reliability was calculated by using a pilot test and Cronbach's Alpha. Findings revealed that there were significant association between "environmental aesthetics attitude" and "aesthetics knowledge", "spirituality and ethic", and "environment factor". Also analysis results showed that environmental knowledge has highest ability to anticipation of environmental aesthetics attitude ( 0.632). In this regard, regression analysis showed that independent variables can explain 59.6 percent of environmental aesthetics attitude variance. Based on the findings, some executive recommendations have been presented at the end of the article.

Nowadays readiness for self-directing learning in order to improve in higher education graduate student’s life-long learning skills is emphasized. The purpose of this study was to analyse relationship between educational service quality and self-directed learning skills among the agricultural students of Tarbiat ModaresUniversity. Research was descriptive-correlation and survey method was used. Statistical population consisted of student of Tarbiat Modares University in 2011-2012 academic year (N=414). Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table and stratified random sampling technique 210 students were selected as sample (n=210). Questionnaire was the main tool for data collectin. Face and content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel expertof agricultural extension and education and its reliability was determined by calculating Cronbach’s alpha for educational service quality and self-directed learning lkills 0.80 and 0.78 respectively. Findings showed that among self-directed learning skills, communication skill and learning activities had highest and lowest priorities, respectively. Also, among educational service quality, empathy and physical conditions components had highest and lowest priorities, respectively. Correlation results showed that there were positive and significant correlation between three components of educational service quality (responsibility, assurance and empathy) and self-directed learning skills. Multiple regression results showed that these three variables could explained 56 percent of variance of self-directed learning skills.

Increasing and supply of foods sustainable, food security and promotion of agricultural productivity due to efficiency increasing and the reforming of management structure and farmers optimization. Those have need on essential Changes on knowledge, attitude and skill of farmers and behavioral changes of farmers in other word on farmer’s empowerment will have. hence, problems of knowledge and skill is solving through instruction .although incentive problems is solving hardly, however the plans of effective instruction help for solving some of this problem, also potentials of economical, social, environmental by reason of (that) are inner potential of spatial any regions. As result of activity on the sphere of space facilitate, hence, that is affecting factors on farmer empowerment. The total aim of this research is survey affecting factor on farmer’s empowerment. The kind of research method is analytical and explanatory. Also for gathering of information through questionnaire were used from inhabitant farmers on rural region of Ardabil province that including research statistical sample. Also total number of farmer producers of Ardabil province was estimated 109187. In addition, for determination of sample volume of farmer producers of inhabitant were used on the rural region through corn Bach .at the end some of sample volume of farmer producers was determinated 256. For good measures for determination content validity of the questionnaire quantities was used from corn Bach alpha coefficient and SPSS software. At this research the rate of mentioned alpha amounting to (%75) was calculated .in the end with assistance of path analysis model result in that economical factors have the most efficient on farmer empowerment. At the next stages, economical, social, environmental factors and total of factors sequentially have been from affecting factors on amount of farmers’ empowerment.

Considering the importance of agriculture sector for production, employment and establishing food security, different countries include developed and developing ones, support mentioned sectors in various ways. Present study investigates the effects on government support policies on Iran's food security using VECM and time series data of 1989-2013. Consumers and producers support in agriculture sector has positive effect and Significant on the food security in Iran. So that for each increase in Consumer Support Estimator, food security 0.228 has been increased. In fact, if the elasticity coefficient is expressed as a percentage increase in the index for consumer protection, food security index of 0.06 percent. This is despite the fact that for every one unit increase in the index of producer support, 0.177 unit value index increased food security. This means that for every percentage point increase in support from manufacturers, food security index 0.01 percent increase. ECM coefficient is equal to -0.489 skins. It show that the imbalance of 48.9 of the error disappears. The consumer protection policies and targeted support to producers to increase production in order to improve productivity and food security is essential.