تحلیل چالش‌ها و راهکارهای بهبود عملکرد محققان معین در شبکه دانش کشاورزی ایران

نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی

نویسندگان

1 موسسه آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران

2 موسسه تحقیقات گیاهپزشکی کشور، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران

3 موسسه آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران.

4 موسسه تحقیقات فنی و مهندسی کشاورزی، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، کرج، ایران.

چکیده

یکی از مشکلات نظام ترویج کشاورزی، عدم ارتباط مناسب با تحقیقات بوده است که پس از اجرای نظام نوین ترویج کشاورزی، به‌منظور نقش‌آفرینی سازمان‌یافته‌تر تحقیقات در شبکه دانش کشاورزی، دو گروه پژوهشگر مروجان ارشد و محققان معین تعریف شدند. لذا این پژوهش، با هدف کلی تحلیل چالش‌ها و راهکارهای بهبود عملکرد محققان معین در شبکه دانش کشاورزی انجام شد. جامعه آماری آن، شبکه تحقیقات کشاورزی (1876 نفر) بود که حجم نمونه بر اساس فرمول نمونه‌گیری دانیل، 348 نفر برآورد شد و با استفاده از روش نمونه‌گیری تصادفی ساده انتخاب شدند. ابزار گردآوری داده‌ها پرسشنامه‌ای محقق‌ساخت بود که برای تعیین روایی آن علاوه بر نظرخواهی از متخصصان (روایی صوری)، از روایی همگرا و به‌منظور محاسبه پایایی نیز از آلفای کرونباخ و پایایی ترکیبی استفاده شد. تجزیه و تحلیل داده‌ها توسط نرم‌افزار SPSS  نسخه 22 و برازش مدل تحقیق نیز توسط نرم‌افزار Smart PLS نسخه 3 انجام شد. رتبه‌بندی چالش‌های پیش‌روی محققان معین نشان داد که ابعاد «زیرساختی - حمایتی» در بالاترین و «کارکردی» در پایین‌تر رتبه‌ها قرار گرفتند. رتبه‌بندی راهکارهای بهبود عملکرد آنها نیز نشان داد که ابعاد «زیرساختی - حمایتی» در بالاترین و «برنامه‌ریزی - سیاستگذاری» در پایین‌تر رتبه‌ها قرار گرفتند. همچنین، نتایج حاصل از تحلیل عاملی تأییدی نیز نشان داد که الگوی چالش‌ها و راهکارهای بهبود عملکرد محققان معین، هر یک دارای چهار بعد «سیاستگذاری - برنامه‌ریزی»، «زیرساختی - حمایتی»، «ساختاری» و «کارکردی» بودند که همگنی و پایایی معرف‌ها مورد تایید قرار گرفت. در نهایت، بر اساس یافته‌ها، پیشنهادهایی برای بهبود عملکرد محققان معین ارائه شد.

کلیدواژه‌ها

موضوعات


Extended Abstract

Objectives

Lack of an appropriate connection between extension and research, is one of the problems of the agricultural extension system. After the implementation of the agricultural extension new system, "senior extension researchers" and "supportive researchers" were defined in order to play a more organized role in the agricultural knowledge network. Supportive researcher, technical supporter of agricultural extension agents, was planned and administrated to improve the extension- research linkage in Iran. Regarding the importance of this initiative and the research gap, the main purpose of present study was to examine the challenges of this plan and providing some mechanisms for improving it.

 

Methods

Statistical population of the study consisted of research network (N= 1876), out of whom 348 people determined as sample using Daniel's sampling formula and simple sampling technique. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire; consist of: demographic characteristics (6 items); (b) challenges facing supportive researchers include: four dimensions: functional (10 items); infrastructural-supportive (10 items); structural (14 items); and policy making-planning (10 items) and (c) performance improvement strategies include four dimensions: functional (10 items); infrastructural-supportive (13 items); structural (6 items); and policy making-planning (14 items). Data were analyzed using SPSS22 and Smart PLS3. Validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of experts and construct validity using AVE Index. In order to measure the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR) were calculated.

 

Results

Results of prioritizing challenges facing supportive researchers indicated that "infrastructural-supportive" dimension was in the highest, and "functional" dimension was in the lowest ranks. Also, results of prioritizing performance improvement strategies for supportive researchers showed that "infrastructural-supportive" dimension was in the highest, and "policy making-planning" dimension was in the lowest ranks. In addition, the results of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that challenges and performance improvement strategies models had four dimensions (i.e. functional, infrastructural-supportive, structural and policy making-planning).

 

Discussion

According to the results, each of the four dimensions such as functional, infrastructural-supportive, structural and policy making-planning can play an importance role in improving performance of supportive researchers in the agricultural knowledge network of Iran. Therefore, more attention should be paid to these dimensions in the agricultural research, extension and education organization (AREEO). Finally, it is recommended to improve the performance of supportive researchers through: motivating, credits allocation, infrastructure development, providing database, reforming the organizational structure and using the capacity of the non-governmental sector.

 

Albore, A. (2018). Review on role and challenges of agricultural extension service on farm productivity in Ethiopia, International Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 4(1), 93-100.
Alizadeh, A., & Hadadi, A. (2020). Pathology of the current status of the agricultural extension new system, with an emphasis on Supportive Researchers in West Azerbaijan province. The 8th National Congress on the Extension and Education for Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, 27-29 October 2020, Institute of Agricultural Education and Extension, Tehran. (In Persian).
Alizadeh, N., Alipour, H., Nikooei, A., Hajimirrahimi, S., Bakhshi-Jahromi, A., & Hasanpour, B. (2019). Identification of challenges and requirements of the agricultural extension and pathology of the current status of the new agricultural extension system of Iran, Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal14(2), 21-35. (In Persian).
AREEO. (2017). Regulations for the participation of Supportive researchers in extension activities, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization. (In Persian).
Asadollahpour, A., & Khodaverdian, M. (2022). Analysis of the challenges of the agricultural extension new system: A case of Mazandaran Province. The 9th National Congress on the Extension and Education for Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, 6-8 September 2022, University of Tabriz, Tabriz. (In Persian).
Asadollahpour, A., Alipour, H., & Farhadi, F. (2021). The role of components in the challenges of New System of Agricultural Extension (NSAE) in Mazandaran, Agricultural Education Administration Research, 13(57), 5-27. (In Persian).
Bahmanabadi, A.R. (2016). Study of implementing the research projects results of plant production performed in AREEO during 2001-2011: The researchers' opinion, Journal of Studies in Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Agricultural Development, 3(1), 97-119. (In Persian).
Boyer, E.L. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities of the professoriate. Princeton University Press, 3175 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Cidro, D.A., & Radhakrishna, R.B. (2007). Extension, technology, and client constraints in hybrid rice technology as perceived by farmers and extension agents in the Philippines. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE), 20–24 May 2001, Polson, Montana.
Cook, B.R., Satizábal, P., & Curnow, J. (2021). Humanizing agricultural extension: A review, World Development140, 105337.
Daniel, W.W. (1999). Biostatistics: A foundation for analysis in the health sciences. 7th edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Debele, T., Gebeyehu, M., & Abebe, A. (2019). Contributions and challenges in research and extension linkage for agricultural transformation in Ethiopia: A Review, International Journal of Agricultural Extension, 7(2), 187-195.
Deneke, T.T., & Gulti, D. (2016). Agricultural research and extension linkages in the Amhara region, Ethiopia, Technological and Institutional Innovations for Marginalized Smallholders in Agricultural Development, 113-124.
Eastwood, C., Klerkx, L., & Nettle, R. (2017). Dynamics and distribution of public and private research and extension roles for technological innovation and diffusion: Case studies of the implementation and adaptation of precision farming technologies, Journal of Rural Studies49, 1-12.
Ghasemi, J., Alipour, H., & Alizadeh, N. (2022). Analyzing the performance of researchers in model sites as perceived by farmers (Case Study: Alborz, Fars, Sistan & Baluchestan and Lorestan Provinces). The 9th National Congress on the Extension and Education for Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, 6-8 September 2022, University of Tabriz, Tabriz. (In Persian).
Ghasemi, J., Noori, H., Tavakoli, A.R., & Gholami, H. (2022). Validation of CIPP model in evaluating the effectiveness of supportive researchers as perceived by agricultural extension network of Iran, Journal of Studies in Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Agricultural Development, 9(4): 61-84. (In Persian).
Gulbrandsen, M. (2011). Research institutes as hybrid organizations: central challenges to their legitimacy, Policy Sciences44(3), 215-230.
Hejazi, Y., Gholami, H., & Asadi, A. (2009). Relationship between outreach activities with research productivity and teaching performance: (Case study: Agriculture and natural resources campus, University of Tehran), Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research40(1), 31 -38. (In Persian).
Khaksar Astane, H., & Karbasi, A. (2010). The survey of agricultural research and promotion investment in Iran. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development24(1), 42 -48. (In Persian).
Lajoie-O'Malley, A., Bronson, K., Van der Burg, S., & Klerkx, L. (2020). The future (s) of digital agriculture and sustainable food systems: An analysis of high-level policy documents, Ecosystem Services45, 101183.
Monfared, N., & Bayat, P. (2020). Pathology of the current status of the agricultural extension new system in Boshehr province. The 8th National Congress on the Extension and Education for Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, 27-29 October 2020, Institute of Agricultural Education and Extension, Tehran. (In Persian).
Musa, Y.N., Aboki, E., & Audu, I.A. (2013). The limitations and implications of training and visit (t&v) extension system in Nigeria, Journal of Agriculture and Sustainability, 4(1), 67-76.
Neef, A., & Neubert, D. (2011). Stakeholder participation in agricultural research projects: a conceptual framework for reflection and decision-making, Agriculture and Human Values28(2), 179-194.
Nettle, R., Morton, J.M., McDonald, N., Suryana, M., Birch, D., Nyengo, K., & Reichelt, N. (2021). Factors associated with farmers’ use of fee-for-service advisors in a privatized agricultural extension system, Land Use Policy104, 105360.
Nourouzi A., & Malek Mohammadi, I. (2007). Difficulties of extension & research relationships and possible linkage mechanism, Journal of Agricultural Economics & Development, 58 (Special Issue for Agricultural Policies). 135-150. (In Persian).
Nyamupangedengu, Z.S., & Terblanché, S.E. (2016). Weak and or non-existent farmer-research-extension linkage structures, a cause for concern: The Nyanga District Perspective, Zimbabwe, South African Journal of Agricultural Extension, 44(2), 110-120.
Osmanpour, M., & Eskandari, F. (2018). Investigating the success of establishing the agricultural extension new system in Kurdestan province as perceived by extension agents. The 7th National Congress on the Extension and Education for Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, 25-27 August 2018, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan. (In Persian).
Ranaei Kordshouli, H., & Mortazavi, M. (2016). Structural reforms in the agricultural extension system of Iran, Tehran, Agricultural Education Publication, 1st edition. (In Persian).
Research, S. & Chiligati, J (2021). Factors influencing research –extension – farmer linkages in Tanzania: a case of the western agricultural research zone. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/factors-influencing-research-extension-farmer-linkages-in-tanzania-a-case-of-the-western-agricultural-research-zone.
Rezaei-Moghaddam, K., & Fatemi, M. (2020). Strategies for improvement of agricultural extension new approach of Iran, Iran Agricultural Extension and Education Journal, 15(2), 223-251. (In Persian).
Singh, G., Pathak, R., & Dixit, H. (2019). Strengthening of research-extension-farmers-market linkage, International Journal of Agriculture Innovations and Research, 7(6), 601-604.
Steinke, J., Van Etten, J., Müller, A., Ortiz-Crespo, B., Van de Gevel, J., Silvestri, S., & Priebe, J. (2021). Tapping the full potential of the digital revolution for agricultural extension: an emerging innovation agenda, International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability19(5-6), 549-565.
Weerts, D.J., & Sandmann, L.R. (2008). Building a two-way street: Challenges and opportunities for community engagement at research universities, The Review of Higher Education32(1), 73-106.
Wetzels, M., Odekerken-Schröder, G., & Van Oppen, C. (2009). Using PLS path modeling for assessing hierarchical construct models: Guidelines and empirical illustration, MIS Quarterly, 33(1), 177-195.
Worku, W.A. (2022). Determinants of research-extension-farmers linkage in the process of technology transfer: The case of Dangila district, Ethiopia, International Journal of Energy and Environmental Science, 8(2): 13-18.