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

This study aimed to explain the behavior and attitudes of farmers in the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies in rice fields. The main instrument of research was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a panel of professors and executive experts, and its reliability was confirmed by apreliminary test. The sample employed in the research study comprised farmers who were participating in extension programs of integrated pest management held in Lahijan and Amlash during 2012-2014. The findings showed that the predominant activity of farmers was the use of combined methods (chemical and non-chemical), leaving crop residue on the field, and using biological control, with the rank average of 9.27, 9.25, and 9.12 from the total average of 6.5, respectively. In addition to, private extension cooperatives, rice supervisors, agricultural extension staff, educators, and TV programs with the average of 11.14, 10.87, 10.80, and 10.71 of the total average of 7.49 had the highest role 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 employing young and educated members of farmers’ families as arms of agriculture extension in transferring innovation of integrated pest management to families.