Linking Agricultural Research with Extension: Iranian Agricultural Researchers’ Attitude Toward Collaboration with Extension Workers

This study examines Iranian agricultural researchers’ attitudes regarding collaboration with extension workers and the variables associated with the researchers’ attitudes. Data were obtained using a questionnaire developed by Agricultural Research Centers of Charmahal and Bakhtiari, Isfahan, Safiabad and Khuzestan in ۱۹۹۸. The findings re-vealed that the researchers’ attitudes towards collaboration with the extension workers were generally positive although actual collaboration between researchers and the exten-sion workers was at a low level. Therefore, it seems that lack of an overall strong relation-ship of attitudes with current behavior as well as weak collaboration is related to other factors that need to be studied more, for example management of participation or internal factors in each sub-system of extension or research etc. identified that The following fac-tors/characteristics of agricultural researchers were identified as having a positive corre-lation/association with their attitude towards collaborating with extension workers: higher research experience, greater interaction with extension workers, a lower scientific position or possessing a higher management position, greater participation in seminars and colloquiums related to extension, and the influence/thinking of colleagues and man-agers.

Keywords:

Attitude , Agricultural Research , Extension