Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI)Village and Development1563-33229420180314On-Farm Research: Features and FunctionsOn-Farm Research: Features and Functions559059321FAAlirezaKashaniJournal Article20180314 On-farm Research (OFR) is complementary to on-station research and is a connecting bridge between farmers, research and extension. The variables that can influence OFR include: type of farmers (small, large, man, woman), farmer’s land, nature and degree of farmer’s involvement in research and farmer’s environment. The purpose of this kind of research is experimentation and confirmation of on-station results, generating and adapting modern technologies, and demonstration and diffusion of generated technology. OFR is more of experimental and occasionally of developmental type. The experiments are managed by researchers, farmers or jointly by researchers and farmers. Farmers involvement in research experiments varies from instrumental and passive to very active. Developmental OFR utilizes extension techniques and methods to introduce concepts or building farmers’ awareness; it needs, thus, involvement of researchers, farmers and extension agents. Developmental OFR has three stages: exploratory, intermediate and pilot. Technologies under experimentation in this OFR can include one of these three forms: a) single component, such as chemical fertilizer or one variety of a crop; b) package, including independent components such as improved seeds, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides; and c) composite, including several interactive components such as alley farming. Transforming OFR from a single component to composite necessitates gradual reduction and omission of the gap between agricultural research and extension. Recommendation for the dissemination of new technology should be carried out through leaders of village community, organizing public meetings and explaining the benefits of technology. Utilization of posters, demonstration of methods, results, and successful examples can strongly affect the adoption of technology by farmers. Attracting farmer’s participation and generating a sense of confidence in them, training, practicality of research, and linking research and extension can be counted as most important advantages of OFR. The most important disadvantage is the lack of complete control over research subject by researcher. On-farm Research (OFR) is complementary to on-station research and is a connecting bridge between farmers, research and extension. The variables that can influence OFR include: type of farmers (small, large, man, woman), farmer’s land, nature and degree of farmer’s involvement in research and farmer’s environment. The purpose of this kind of research is experimentation and confirmation of on-station results, generating and adapting modern technologies, and demonstration and diffusion of generated technology. OFR is more of experimental and occasionally of developmental type. The experiments are managed by researchers, farmers or jointly by researchers and farmers. Farmers involvement in research experiments varies from instrumental and passive to very active. Developmental OFR utilizes extension techniques and methods to introduce concepts or building farmers’ awareness; it needs, thus, involvement of researchers, farmers and extension agents. Developmental OFR has three stages: exploratory, intermediate and pilot. Technologies under experimentation in this OFR can include one of these three forms: a) single component, such as chemical fertilizer or one variety of a crop; b) package, including independent components such as improved seeds, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides; and c) composite, including several interactive components such as alley farming. Transforming OFR from a single component to composite necessitates gradual reduction and omission of the gap between agricultural research and extension. Recommendation for the dissemination of new technology should be carried out through leaders of village community, organizing public meetings and explaining the benefits of technology. Utilization of posters, demonstration of methods, results, and successful examples can strongly affect the adoption of technology by farmers. Attracting farmer’s participation and generating a sense of confidence in them, training, practicality of research, and linking research and extension can be counted as most important advantages of OFR. The most important disadvantage is the lack of complete control over research subject by researcher.http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_59321_cb0ad9132928a42f70797a828062dc5b.pdfAgricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI)Village and Development1563-33229420180314Development-Oriented Media Institutions, Axis of Rural Development: The Consistency between Programmes of Provincial Television and Rural Development in Ardabil Province of IranDevelopment-Oriented Media Institutions, Axis of Rural Development: The Consistency between Programmes of Provincial Television and Rural Development in Ardabil Province of Iran13717659322FAAryanGholipourTaherRoshandel ArbataniJournal Article20180314 Villages have a vital role in biological, demographic and economic equilibrium of societies from the late times; thus the issue of integrated rural development is the main focus of many studies. Rural development has a special position in modern theories of development. These theories consider the enhancement of social participation as the main tool for development. Today, social participation is not only an end but also a mean to development which its realization necessitates the utilization of powerful instruments such as mass media. It is an indicator of development and a contributing factor to it. The focus of participatory theory is on local media instead of national media in rural development projects. But a few decades of experience in Iran indicate they had not a desirable performance. The objective of this study is to examine the structure and contents of television programmes in Ardabil provincial network with respect to their consistency with social, economic, cultural, psychological, functional, and structural features of rural society in one hand, and their consistency with the social participation of rural population on the other hand. Research results indicated the contents of these programmes were not consistent with the mentioned dimensions and with the exception of economic consistency the impacts of other variables on the social participation of rural population were significant. Rural development requires developed media that consider development issue in all of its dimensions as the main agenda for activity and planning. Villages have a vital role in biological, demographic and economic equilibrium of societies from the late times; thus the issue of integrated rural development is the main focus of many studies. Rural development has a special position in modern theories of development. These theories consider the enhancement of social participation as the main tool for development. Today, social participation is not only an end but also a mean to development which its realization necessitates the utilization of powerful instruments such as mass media. It is an indicator of development and a contributing factor to it. The focus of participatory theory is on local media instead of national media in rural development projects. But a few decades of experience in Iran indicate they had not a desirable performance. The objective of this study is to examine the structure and contents of television programmes in Ardabil provincial network with respect to their consistency with social, economic, cultural, psychological, functional, and structural features of rural society in one hand, and their consistency with the social participation of rural population on the other hand. Research results indicated the contents of these programmes were not consistent with the mentioned dimensions and with the exception of economic consistency the impacts of other variables on the social participation of rural population were significant. Rural development requires developed media that consider development issue in all of its dimensions as the main agenda for activity and planning. http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_59322_e026df3bf1362ea052645c81160e3631.pdfAgricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI)Village and Development1563-33229420180314Skills Required for the Selection of Managers of Agricultural and Natural Resource Research Centres with an Emphasis on the Ministry of Jihad-e Sazandegi (JS) in IranSkills Required for the Selection of Managers of Agricultural and Natural Resource Research Centres with an Emphasis on the Ministry of Jihad-e Sazandegi (JS) in Iran17720059323FAMohammad TaghiShariatiBehrouzDorriJournal Article20180314 Research management is among unique activities.“Weakness of management structure” was mentioned as one of the ten main problems in many research institutions in an Asian Productivity Organization Seminar. Various studies in the country indicate “weakness in research management causes low efficiency and performance in research institutions. There were no clear-cut criteria for the selection of managers for research units in JS and this would occasionally lead to questioning the selection of these managers. It is necessary to find logical and value based criteria in a framework that is appropriate to the nature and functions of research units. Attaining a managerial position requires occupational and personal characteristics such as knowledge, skills and attitudes. From these, the deterministic skills for a research manager include: technical, human, perceptional, programming and problem solving. In this study the skill coefficients were measured as an appropriate tool for the selection of research manager in the form of a function the variables in which are management skills. These coefficients are explained based on average views of JS research community in relation to 33 factors related to triad skills (excluding technical skill). Statistical population is composed of two groups of personnel from 50 centres, institutes and independent research stations of JS. The first group consists of 1139 managers and researchers with Msc and higher qualification, and the second group consists of 5001 employees with Bsc and lower qualification excluding wage labours and illiterates. Probabilities of selection proportionate to size were assigned to each centre/institute/independent station such that the sample size were 288 and 356 for the first and second group respectively. The reliability of the questionnaire could be seen in the computed Cronbach’s Research management is among unique activities.“Weakness of management structure” was mentioned as one of the ten main problems in many research institutions in an Asian Productivity Organization Seminar. Various studies in the country indicate “weakness in research management causes low efficiency and performance in research institutions. There were no clear-cut criteria for the selection of managers for research units in JS and this would occasionally lead to questioning the selection of these managers. It is necessary to find logical and value based criteria in a framework that is appropriate to the nature and functions of research units. Attaining a managerial position requires occupational and personal characteristics such as knowledge, skills and attitudes. From these, the deterministic skills for a research manager include: technical, human, perceptional, programming and problem solving. In this study the skill coefficients were measured as an appropriate tool for the selection of research manager in the form of a function the variables in which are management skills. These coefficients are explained based on average views of JS research community in relation to 33 factors related to triad skills (excluding technical skill). Statistical population is composed of two groups of personnel from 50 centres, institutes and independent research stations of JS. The first group consists of 1139 managers and researchers with Msc and higher qualification, and the second group consists of 5001 employees with Bsc and lower qualification excluding wage labours and illiterates. Probabilities of selection proportionate to size were assigned to each centre/institute/independent station such that the sample size were 288 and 356 for the first and second group respectively. The reliability of the questionnaire could be seen in the computed Cronbach’s http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_59323_76a6fffa57bcfbb84edeb5206a30eaf9.pdfAgricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI)Village and Development1563-33229420180314Optimal Allocation of Crop Production F actors in Kerman Province of IranOptimal Allocation of Crop Production F actors in Kerman Province of Iran20121659324FAHosseinMehrabi BoshreabadiJournal Article20180314 Kerman is the largest province in the country and agriculture is one of the main economic sectors in this province. In this study the value of marginal production was computed for factors of production of 9 major crops in Kerman province. The sample size consisted of 679 cultivators in year 2002. The 9 crops composed of wheat, barley, maize, chickpea, beet root, sunflower seed, lentils, cotton and potato. The value of marginal production for each factor was computed by using factor prices, and estimating Cobb-Douglas and Transcendental production function. The present allocation pattern of production function. The present allocation pattern of production factors were examined based on the values of marginal production, price of the production factors and economic principles. The results indicated the existing pattern is not optimal and a reallocation of resources can lead to a rise in profit and income of farmers. Kerman is the largest province in the country and agriculture is one of the main economic sectors in this province. In this study the value of marginal production was computed for factors of production of 9 major crops in Kerman province. The sample size consisted of 679 cultivators in year 2002. The 9 crops composed of wheat, barley, maize, chickpea, beet root, sunflower seed, lentils, cotton and potato. The value of marginal production for each factor was computed by using factor prices, and estimating Cobb-Douglas and Transcendental production function. The present allocation pattern of production function. The present allocation pattern of production factors were examined based on the values of marginal production, price of the production factors and economic principles. The results indicated the existing pattern is not optimal and a reallocation of resources can lead to a rise in profit and income of farmers. http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_59324_7d903d254915e0f232b6465ef8731115.pdfAgricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI)Village and Development1563-33229420180314Participatory Research: Approaches, Experiences and SuggestionsParticipatory Research: Approaches, Experiences and Suggestions21724859325FAMohammad BaqerKamaliJournal Article20180314 It is not possible to develop people but we must provide an environment that facilitates their development and advancement by themselves. In recent years, expert- induced research like vertical development has been questioned very intensively and the issue of the local community’s role in research is strengthened. In this sense Iran is no exception, though it is occurring with a time lag. In other words, main stream research have been challenged in parallel to the growing questioning and criticisms of current top down approaches. The time passed when development workers and researchers (outsiders) research, plan and implement “for” people. It is necessary that these activities will be carried out with people and even by them. Farmers have performed these activities usually but outsiders have not acknowledged the research and development activities carried out by them formally. The main argument of this paper is to identify the contributing factors affecting rural development, i.e., research. We started by a critical review of the main stream research, followed by a presentation of participatory research and its most important approaches. Based on our experiences about participatory research we attempted to recognize the constraints and challenges to participatory research in Iran and to provide recommendations that will improve and facilitate participatory research. It should be recognized that the systematic participation of farmers in research process is still in its infancy and we have a long road a head of us to enhance and improve research activities. Prior to initiation of a research with people, researchers and development workers should start to educate themselves. The success of farmers participation in research and development projects requires a restructuring plan that should be formed through the evolution of organizational culture which could not happen quickly. It is not possible to develop people but we must provide an environment that facilitates their development and advancement by themselves. In recent years, expert- induced research like vertical development has been questioned very intensively and the issue of the local community’s role in research is strengthened. In this sense Iran is no exception, though it is occurring with a time lag. In other words, main stream research have been challenged in parallel to the growing questioning and criticisms of current top down approaches. The time passed when development workers and researchers (outsiders) research, plan and implement “for” people. It is necessary that these activities will be carried out with people and even by them. Farmers have performed these activities usually but outsiders have not acknowledged the research and development activities carried out by them formally. The main argument of this paper is to identify the contributing factors affecting rural development, i.e., research. We started by a critical review of the main stream research, followed by a presentation of participatory research and its most important approaches. Based on our experiences about participatory research we attempted to recognize the constraints and challenges to participatory research in Iran and to provide recommendations that will improve and facilitate participatory research. It should be recognized that the systematic participation of farmers in research process is still in its infancy and we have a long road a head of us to enhance and improve research activities. Prior to initiation of a research with people, researchers and development workers should start to educate themselves. The success of farmers participation in research and development projects requires a restructuring plan that should be formed through the evolution of organizational culture which could not happen quickly.http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_59325_c34a68f808b572da7e4068c48c842a4e.pdfAgricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI)Village and Development1563-3322942018031425526159326FAJournal Article20180314http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_59326_85ea9e66ee72e87130296f0b79030074.pdf