| Author(s) | Mohammed M. Shibah, Faud A. Salama, El-Hag A. El-Hag and Khalid A. Al-Khuraiji |
| Affiliation | Department of Agricultural Extension & Rural Sociology, College of Agriculture, King Saud University, Riyadh |
| Title | Some Aspects Associated with Adoption of SModern Irrigation Methods by Al-Kharj Governorate Farmersome |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Agricultural Sciences. Volume 14, No 2. (2002/1422) |
| Abstract | This study aimed to study some aspects associated with of adoption of some modern irrigation methods by Al-Kharj Governorate farmers. This main objective was achieved descriptively and analytically through identification: Farmers' knowledge level of some modern irrigation methods and their characteristics, farmers' adoption level of modern irrigation methods and the relationship of social, economic and communication variables with the adoption of modern irrigation methods. The data were collected through personal interviews by using a pre-tested questionnaire. A stratified random sample of 153 farmers was selected as 5.1% of the population of Al-Kharj Governorate farmers. Some statistical techniques were used to analyze the data as percentages, averages, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The findings indicated that most of the sampled farmers (97.7%) had high and moderate level of knowledge regarding modern irrigation methods. The result showed the farmers adopted trickle irrigation methods (80.9%), stationary sprinkler irrigation methods (79.6%), landscape sprinkler irrigation methods (54%), center-to that pivot irrigation method (44.7%) respectively. In addition, about 79% of farmers were found aware of the modern irrigation methods, 36% of farmers had evaluated and tried these methods on small scales and 70% of sampled farmers had adopted the modern irrigation methods. Also findings showed that the most important variables affect the knowledge level as dependent variables were degree of cosmopolitness, farm size, educational level and number of children working in agriculture. These independent variables explained about 27% of the total variance of the dependent variable. In addition, the variables of farm residency period, number of workers, farm size and community participation explained together 24% of the total variance of degree of evaluation of the modern irrigation methods as a dependent variable. Meanwhile, number of worker, farm residency period, farm size and community participation explained together 22% of the total variance of farmer trial degree as a dependent variable. However, farm size, number of workers, community participation and family size explained together 10% of the total variance of the degree of complete application of modern irrigation methods. |
