Proceedings: 2nd International Conference on Food and Agricultural Economics: ANALYSIS OF SWOT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS (FFS)’S PROGRAMS ABOUT DEVELOPING IPM IN IRAN

Integrated pest management with farmer field school approach (IPM/FFS) as an approach of the participatory extension, several years in order to protect the environment and control pests and plant diseases in in the country's agricultural sector is ongoing. The main objective of this study was to evaluate for extension programs field school on the promotion of knowledge, skills and attitude of farmers participating in the program compared with farmers participating in courses traditionally is teacher-centered. In the other study, to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats extension programs IPM/FFS as SWOT analysis were the views of experts and facilitators. Survey research is based on correlative-descriptive method with comparison approach. The study population consisted of two distinct groups of farmers. The first group of participants in courses FFS and the second group, participant’s extension is traditionally teacher-centered that number 97 of the first group and the second group of 98 were randomly selected. Information through questionnaires and interviews with farmers and facilitators of discussions with experts and participating in programs of IPM/FFS, were collected. Face validity, by experts and agronomists, and reliability with Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.79-0.91), were approved. The results showed that the indexes the knowledge, skills and attitude of farmers participating in extension programs IPM/FFS were more than teachercentered extension courses, and its differences in the level of one percent error (P=0.01) is significant. Analysis of SWOT related to the extension programs IPM/FFS showed that the best strategy for the development of these programs, is competitive strategy, that should be applied, all strengths and capabilities IPM/FFS’s programs to deal with the possible threats.