Factors Influencing Rural Women Participation in Agricultural Extension Programs, Case Study Mazandaran, Iran

Abstract

The general purpose of this article is to identify the influencing factors on rural women participation in<br />agricultural extension programs in Mazandaran Province. Therefore, using multi-stage sampling, 300 rural<br />women were selected randomly. The research instrument was a semi-structured questionnaire. Results show<br />that rural women participation in agricultural extension programs is at average level. Rural women have<br />more interaction with agricultural extension workers and female facilitators. Moreover, significant<br />associations were found between some of the individual and professional characteristics of rural women and<br />their participation in agricultural extension programs. Moreover, results from multiple regression shows that<br />about 32 percent of changes in rural women participation in extension programs are identified by their<br />experience in rice farming and their education level.