Participatory Technology Development (PTD), as a New Approach for Generation and Transformation of Appropriate Technology to Small Farmers

To effectively support small farmers, an efficient system of technology generating and transforming in agriculture is needed. Lack of close and effective interaction among extension organizations and research systems and between various groups of farmers and agricultural organizations is one of the important institutional problems facing the ministries of agriculture in many developing countries. The present study was conducted for the purpose of introducing an innovative approach of Participatory Technology Development (PTD) in Iranian context. The research included tow phases: the first one was based or fundamental research, conducted through a documental study and the second phase completed through a survey application research, which ended up in a Field Model (FM). Population of the study was comprised of four groups, including: researchers working in agricultural research institutes of Iran (1157 in dividuals), faculty members of state agricultural colleges (1200), specialists of Agricultural Extension Organizations (1684), and farmers (3094763 households). Considering the overall features and while selected variance and While using Cochran formula, sample sizes of 188, 163, 201 and 211 were selected respectively. Multi-stage random sampling technique was employed to select the sample for the study. Data were collected from the provinces of Khorasan, Eastern Azerbyijan, Mazendaran, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Fars, Isfahan and Tehran. Instrument of the study was a questionnaire the validity of which was confirmed by a jury of experts and while its reliability established using Chronbach Alfa. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results of the study indicated that the sample agreed on an appropriateness of 31 out of 53 mechanisms/strategies for PTD model in agricultural technology generation, transformation and application.