Analyzing Challenges and Strategies to Improve the Performance of Supportive Researchers in the Agricultural Knowledge Network of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Institute of Agricultural Education and Extension, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

2 Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection (IRIPP), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

3 Agricultural Engineering Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

Abstract

Lack of an appropriate linkage 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. Accordingly, the purpose of this research was to analyze the challenges and strategies to improve the performance of supportive researchers in the agricultural knowledge network of Iran. The 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 questionnaire; validity of questionnaire was approved by a panel of experts and construct validity (AVE Index). In order to measure the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR) were calculated. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS22 and Smart PLS3 software. 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). At last, some recommendations were presented due to the research results in order to improve the performance of supportive researchers.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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.

 

References

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 Journal, 14(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 Development, 140, 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 Studies, 49, 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 Sciences, 44(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 Research, 40(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 Development, 24(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 Services, 45, 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 Values, 28(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 Policy, 104, 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 Sustainability, 19(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 Education, 32(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.
Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Volume 55, Issue 2
August 2024
Pages 251-270

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics