Rice Farmers’ Behaviors and Attitudes toward Agricultural Extension Programs in Healthy Food Production (Case of Lahijan and Amlash Counties, Northern Iran)

Abstract

This study­aimed to explain thebehavior and attitudes of farmersin the adoption ofIntegrated Pest­­­Management (IPM) technologiesinrice fields. The main instrument ofresearch was a questionnaire whose validitywas confirmed bya panel of professorsandexecutive experts, and its reliabilitywas confirmed by apreliminarytest.The sample employed inthe research study comprisedfarmers who were participating in extensionprograms of integrated pest managementheld in Lahijanand Amlash during2012-2014.The findings showed that the predominant activity of farmers wasthe use of combinedmethods (chemical and non-chemical), leaving crop residue on the field, and using biological control, with the rank average of 9.27, 9.25, and 9.12from the total average of 6.5, respectively.In addition to,private extension cooperatives, rice supervisors, agricultural extension staff,educators, and TV programswith the average of 11.14, 10.87, 10.80, and 10.71 of the total average of 7.49 had the highest share in informing the farmers. Based on such findings, some suggestions were also given,such as concentration on special aspects of integrated pest management, attention to the education of rural women, and employingyoung and educated members of farmers' familiesas arms of agriculture extension in transferring innovation of integrated pest management to families.