Hazem Kassem
Mansoura University, Agricultural Extension, Faculty Member
Extension services (ES) play a crucial role in addressing the various needs of organic farmers and little is known about the extension agents’ (EA’s) perceptions of organic agriculture and the role of ES in organic agriculture. This study... more
Extension services (ES) play a crucial role in addressing the various needs of organic farmers and little is known about the extension agents’ (EA’s) perceptions of organic agriculture and the role of ES in organic agriculture. This study investigated EA’s perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture. Data were collected via a questionnaire, which was sent electronically to all enlisted extension agents in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. In total, 69 extension agents completed the questionnaire, representing a 54% response rate. Overall, extension agents had slightly positive attitudes toward organic farming but were unsure about their role and participation in this. Furthermore, their perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture significantly varied according to their age, work experience in organic agriculture, and education level. These findings have implications for the design of future training programs for the professional development of extension agents and will ...
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A diverse group of rhizobacteria persists in the rhizospheric soil, on the surface of roots, or in association with rice plants. These bacteria colonize plant root systems, enhance plant growth and crop yield. Indigenous rhizobacteria are... more
A diverse group of rhizobacteria persists in the rhizospheric soil, on the surface of roots, or in association with rice plants. These bacteria colonize plant root systems, enhance plant growth and crop yield. Indigenous rhizobacteria are known to promote soil health, grain production quality and serve as sustainable bioinoculant. The present study was aimed to isolate, identify and characterize indigenous plant growth promoting (PGP) diazotrophic bacteria associated with the rhizosphere of rice fields from different areas of Jammu and Kashmir, India. A total of 15 bacteria were isolated and evaluated for various PGP traits, antagonistic activity against phytopathogens, production of hydrolytic enzymes and biofilm formation under in-vitro conditions. The majority of the isolated bacteria were Gram-negative. Out of 15 bacterial isolates, nine isolates produced IAA (12.24 ± 2.86 to 250.3 ± 1.15 μg/ml), 6 isolates exhibited phosphate solubilization activity (36.69 ± 1.63 to 312.4 ± 1.1...
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Purpose : Generally Cooperative Associations play positive and productive role in disseminating the latest information on all aspects and services to the farming communities. However, it seemed imperative to assess the perceptions of the... more
Purpose : Generally Cooperative Associations play positive and productive role in disseminating the latest information on all aspects and services to the farming communities. However, it seemed imperative to assess the perceptions of the members and evaluate role of the Unaizah Agricultural Cooperative Association (UACA) to improve its working by addressing the issues and concerns of its members.Research Method : One hundred thirty-two respondents representing 25% of registered member farmers of the association were identified by applying a random sampling technique. Data were collected by using a well-designed and pre-tested questionnaire to achieve the objectives of the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and interpret the data. Findings : Respondents had high perceptions regarding the role of UACA in the following areas: makes agricultural innovations available to the farmers at suitable prices; establishes good contacts with extension staff; brings useful activiti...
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Climbing plants have an important role in forest communities and ecosystems. Despite the significance of the climbers in ecosystems, most of the previous research work in Pakistan has been concentrated on trees, shrubs, and herbs, with... more
Climbing plants have an important role in forest communities and ecosystems. Despite the significance of the climbers in ecosystems, most of the previous research work in Pakistan has been concentrated on trees, shrubs, and herbs, with little attention paid to climbing plants. The current study investigated the ecology of climbers and the influence of soil characteristics on diversity, richness, and indicator species distribution in the Changa Manga Forest Plantation, Punjab, Pakistan. Field surveys were carried out between 2020 and 2021, with the data gathered using a random sample approach for ordination and cluster analysis of each plant species and edaphic data from sample plots. We reported a total of 29 climber species belonging to 23 genera and 9 families from the area. The Convolvulaceae family was the most prevalent, followed by Apocynaceae and Cucurbitaceae. Herbaceous climbers were the typical life form (70% species) and species showed peak flowering during the months of ...
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The world faces a once-in-a-century transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adversely affecting farmers’ employment, production practices, and livelihood resilience. Meanwhile, climate change (CC) is a crucial issue limiting... more
The world faces a once-in-a-century transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adversely affecting farmers’ employment, production practices, and livelihood resilience. Meanwhile, climate change (CC) is a crucial issue limiting agricultural production worldwide. Farmers’ lives, severely affected by extreme weather conditions, are resulting in the reduced production of major economic crops. The CC has drastically influenced the major agricultural sectors of Pakistan, leading to a significant decline in farmers’ living standards and the overall economy. Climate-smart and eco-friendly agricultural practices can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and ameliorate agricultural productivity under extreme environmental conditions. This paper highlights farmers’ autonomous CC adaptation strategies and their influence on cash crop (maize for this study) yield under prevailing circumstances. The current study used a simultaneous equation model to examine the different adaptation impacts on ada...
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The issue of the agricultural cooperatives’ sustainability in developing their businesses is gaining increasing prominence. Building partnerships between development actors and agricultural cooperatives has been considered an effective... more
The issue of the agricultural cooperatives’ sustainability in developing their businesses is gaining increasing prominence. Building partnerships between development actors and agricultural cooperatives has been considered an effective strategy for supporting financial capital and addressing sustainability issues collectively. Therefore, this study aimed to address the features and strengths of 33 partnerships established between the Beekeeping Cooperative Association in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia, and other actors between 2016 and 2021. The analysis of the collaborations was based on six criteria: motivations, partnership planning, outputs, governance practices, outcomes, and sustainability of a partnership. Furthermore, we developed a weighted scoring model to control variable selection and submit the strength of each partnership. The findings indicated that most collaborations (45.5%) were signed with the private sector. Furthermore, the honey value chain development was the most freq...
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The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is widely considered to be highly invasive and the most damaging insect pest affecting palms in the world. Nonetheless, the prevention or significant slowing of the spread of RPW... more
The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is widely considered to be highly invasive and the most damaging insect pest affecting palms in the world. Nonetheless, the prevention or significant slowing of the spread of RPW mainly relies on the application of integrated pest management (IPM) programs. This study aimed to evaluate farmers’ adoption of RPW IPM practices and examine the differences in adoption according to the farmers’ socio-economic attributes and their farm characteristics. The data were collected from 156 farmers through structured questionnaires by the Al-Kharaj governorate, Saudi Arabia. The findings showed that the farmers moderately adopted the categories of legislative control (54.77%) and cultural practices (50.44%), whereas they were showed a low-level adoption regarding the prevention, mechanical control, and chemical control categories. The cluster analysis revealed two variable farmer segments, “low adopters” and “moderate adopters”, based on the ...
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Institutional linkages and information flow between agricultural organizations play a critical role in addressing sustainability issues and promoting agrarian innovation. The aim of this study was to evaluate institutional relations and... more
Institutional linkages and information flow between agricultural organizations play a critical role in addressing sustainability issues and promoting agrarian innovation. The aim of this study was to evaluate institutional relations and information between the various actors within the agricultural knowledge and information system (AKIS). The study focused on eight actors within the AKIS in Dakahlia governorate of Egypt, namely policy, extension, research, agricultural cooperatives, higher education, secondary education, credit, and the private sector. Thus, the survey sample included 11 representatives of each actor with 88 respondents. Data were collected by a standardized questionnaire distributed online. The graph theoretical technique was used for the quantitative assessment of information flow and institutional linkages established among actors. The findings indicated that agricultural extension ranked first about their real cause and effect on the rest of the system, having a...
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The partnerships between agricultural cooperatives and development actors play a critical role in meeting development challenges and building cooperative sustainability. The objective of this study was to analyze the key characteristics... more
The partnerships between agricultural cooperatives and development actors play a critical role in meeting development challenges and building cooperative sustainability. The objective of this study was to analyze the key characteristics of engagements established between agricultural cooperatives and other actors and determine their success level. An analytical framework was developed to highlight nine areas, namely partnership configuration, stakeholders, objectives of the partnerships, partnership types, partnership stages, communication methods, achieved outcomes, partnership evaluation, and partnership sustainability. The targets were all agricultural cooperatives building associations with other actors between 2016 and 2020 in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the study covered 69 partnerships founded by 32 agricultural cooperatives. The results revealed that the cooperatives involved in partnerships essentially provide farming inputs and equipment for their stakeholders and capacity bu...
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The adoption of mobile Internet technology (MIT) in organizational systems is rapidly increasing. MIT has developed agricultural structures and dramatically altered farming activities to improve agricultural systems. MIT is considered one... more
The adoption of mobile Internet technology (MIT) in organizational systems is rapidly increasing. MIT has developed agricultural structures and dramatically altered farming activities to improve agricultural systems. MIT is considered one of the most essential technologies because of its huge impact on agriculture, economy, and our daily lives. In this study, we utilized sample data from 460 wheat growers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan to analyze the adoption of MIT and its impact on the promotion of wheat productivity. This study used the propensity score matching (PSM) technique to address probable self-selection bias. Existing research outcomes show that decision making, education, farm size, cooperative membership, gender, extension services, access to credit, weather forecast information, risk perception, market distance, and other factors significantly affect productivity and subsidy awareness agendas. However, outcomes signify that MIT adoption will have ...
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Mobile internet technology (MIT) is considered a significant advancement in information and communication technology (ICT), due to its crucial impact on the financial system and social life. In addition, it is an essential technology to... more
Mobile internet technology (MIT) is considered a significant advancement in information and communication technology (ICT), due to its crucial impact on the financial system and social life. In addition, it is an essential technology to overcome the digital divide between urban and rural areas. In terms of agricultural advancement, MIT can play a key role in data collection and the implementation of smart agricultural technologies. The main objectives of this study were to (i) investigate MIT adoption and use in sustainable agriculture development among selected wheat farmers of Pakistan and (ii) examine the crucial factors influencing MIT adoption. This study selected 628 wheat farmers from four districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK), Pakistan, for sampling. This study used a bivariate probit method for sampling wheat farmers. The analysis of wheat farmer’s data showed farmer’s age, farm size, farm location, and knowledge about Internet technology (IT) are strongly correlat...
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Concern for a particular stimulus constitutes a major driver to mitigate its negative effects. This study was undertaken to know the level of concern for climate change among Saudi farmers in Jazan province and to evaluate the role of... more
Concern for a particular stimulus constitutes a major driver to mitigate its negative effects. This study was undertaken to know the level of concern for climate change among Saudi farmers in Jazan province and to evaluate the role of various socioeconomic indicators in relation to their concern level. Moreover, an account of farmers’ beliefs about climate change and capacity building initiatives needed to address this issue at the community level is also presented. Field level data collected through a face-to-face survey using a structured questionnaire were utilized to draw insights. The ordered logit model was used to find out the determinants for the level of concern for climate change among respondent farmers regarding three top concern categories. Farmers ranked insect infestation, higher incidence of crop diseases, and drought as the first, second and third, respectively, as top climate change concerns in the study area. Results of the ordered logit model showed that higher f...
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Fraudulent pesticides suggest a solemn risk to sustainable agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and human health due to their unrevealed composition and quality. Nonetheless, their large-scale utilization in the agrifood... more
Fraudulent pesticides suggest a solemn risk to sustainable agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and human health due to their unrevealed composition and quality. Nonetheless, their large-scale utilization in the agrifood sector relies on many factors, such as personal, institutional, and legislative ones. This study aimed to evaluate farmers’ perceptions of fraudulent pesticides and examine their marketability elements. The data came from 394 farmers’ structured questionnaires from Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. The factorial analysis revealed beliefs, health and environmental risks, quality recognition, price, and policies as the critical drivers for buying fraudulent pesticides. The cluster analysis disclosed two varied farmer segments—“conventional” and “conscious”—based on perception. “conventional farmers” signify 59.9% of the sample and reveal typical farmer behaviors and give more attention to factors such as beliefs and product price. Contrarily, “conscious f...
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This paper is aimed at evaluating the factors affecting the concurrent adoption of two risk coping strategies among hybrid maize farmers, namely income diversification supplemented with off-farm work and contract farming in the wake of... more
This paper is aimed at evaluating the factors affecting the concurrent adoption of two risk coping strategies among hybrid maize farmers, namely income diversification supplemented with off-farm work and contract farming in the wake of changing climatic conditions. Climatic changes and food insecurity at the national level have emerged as key risk elements for hybrid maize production due to varying economic conditions. The present paper addresses these risks by examining various sources of risks faced by hybrid maize farmers and develops ideas to tackle these risks. Bivariate and multinomial probit models were employed to analyze numerous factors that influence farmers’ choice of the simultaneous adoption of income diversification (both on and off the farm) and contract farming at the farm level. The results reveal that hybrid maize farmers’ socioeconomic attributes significantly affect their adoption of risk coping tools. Similarly, the climatic, economic (price-related), biologica...
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Global climate change may result in major environmental issues that have already affected and will continue to affect agricultural sector in the future. A continuing effort to utilize and adopt new agricultural technologies is necessary... more
Global climate change may result in major environmental issues that have already affected and will continue to affect agricultural sector in the future. A continuing effort to utilize and adopt new agricultural technologies is necessary to mitigate climate change and increase agricultural income. Agricultural cooperatives are gradually being used in emerging countries to encourage improved technology and reduce food insecurity and poverty. This research analyses the influence of cooperative supports (CS) and technology adoption (TA) on agricultural income in Pakistan. It applied the propensity score matching (PSM) technique to evaluate the productivity on survey data from 498 wheat growers to conduct counterfactual analysis for farmers in Pakistan. In addition, a dual selection model (DSM) was applied to resolve the bias in sample selection caused by observed and unobserved aspects of survey data. The results showed that, contrasted with non-membership and non-adopters, growers who ...
Research Interests: Agriculture and Land
The growing complexity of the private sector in agricultural extension services provision has stimulated the debate on which determinants hamper its role in promotion of agricultural knowledge and information system. The aim of this paper... more
The growing complexity of the private sector in agricultural extension services provision has stimulated the debate on which determinants hamper its role in promotion of agricultural knowledge and information system. The aim of this paper was to analyze the coordination and cooperation relationships between the private sector and other actors in Dakhlia governorate along with the constraints faced by the private sector. Data were collected from fifty three board members of different agricultural companies who had attained the workshop at Mansoura University. The results showed no strong relationship between the private sector and the other actors. Moreover, financial and technical issues are the main constraints faced by the private sector. This study recommends a legal framework to realize cooperation and coordination in order to ensure synergy and integration among the actors.
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The aim of this study was the isolation and molecular characterization of fungi from untreated refinery effluent by using multiple conserved genes. The Fungi isolated were characterized based on PCR amplification and genomic sequencing of... more
The aim of this study was the isolation and molecular characterization of fungi from untreated refinery effluent by using multiple conserved genes. The Fungi isolated were characterized based on PCR amplification and genomic sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), partial β-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM), and RNA polymerase second large subunit (RPB2) genes, along with morphological characterization. The obtained sequences were subjected to BLAST analysis and the corresponding fungal isolates were assigned species names after comparison with representative sequences available in GenBank. Fifteen (15) Fungi species belonging to four genera of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Trichoderma with Aspergillus as the predominant genus were identified. Therefore these genes should be used as molecular markers for species level identification of fungi (especially Aspergillus and Penicillium as proven in this study.
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In this study, we assessed the coating of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mangoes with films containing chitosan and nano-silicon dioxide in terms of the effects on fruit parameters as an indicator of quality. After coating, the fruits were first stored... more
In this study, we assessed the coating of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mangoes with films containing chitosan and nano-silicon dioxide in terms of the effects on fruit parameters as an indicator of quality. After coating, the fruits were first stored at 13 ± 1 °C and 90–95% RH for 30 days, and then at 20 ± 2 °C and 70–75% RH for 5 days, which corresponds to the marketing period. The results showed that coating treatments significantly decreased the fruits’ weight loss and decay percentage compared to the uncoated control samples over the storage period. Additionally, all coated treatments delayed skin degreening, reduced endogenous ethylene production, suppressed respiration rate, and maintained the firmness, compared to untreated control fruit. Titratable acidity and vitamin C significantly decreased in all samples during storage, but this decrease was less pronounced in the coated fruits. Furthermore, coating can delay the increments in total soluble solids and total sugars while maintaining to...
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The aim of this study was to explore the impact of aqueous ozone technology on maintaining grapefruit flavor and freshness by minimizing the occurrence of postharvest deterioration. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Star Ruby grapefruit... more
The aim of this study was to explore the impact of aqueous ozone technology on maintaining grapefruit flavor and freshness by minimizing the occurrence of postharvest deterioration. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Star Ruby grapefruit fruits were treated with 0.3 and 0.6 ppm aqueous ozone for 5 and 10 min after harvest at water temperatures of 5 °C and 15 °C, respectively. The fruits were stored for 40 days at 8 ± 1 °C with 85–90% relative humidity. The results revealed that all the ozonated water treatments reduced physiological weight loss, disease infection, and decay, as well as providing long-term protection to the fruits throughout storage. The best treatment for preserving the postharvest quality was 0.6 ppm ozonated water at 5 °C for 5 min, which successfully delayed ripening while concurrently preserving the TSS/acid ratios, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity. Overall, aqueous ozone treatment is a promising example of a treatment that is beginning to be utilized on...
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This paper aimed to evaluate the health, social and economic effects of sewage on rural people's life in Al-Hair, Saudi Arabia. A total of 90 rural people, representing about 1% of the population of the study area, were interviewed... more
This paper aimed to evaluate the health, social and economic effects of sewage on rural people's life in Al-Hair, Saudi Arabia. A total of 90 rural people, representing about 1% of the population of the study area, were interviewed using a questionnaire. Percentages, arithmetic means, and standard deviations were calculated. The study revealed that 26.7% of the respondents had expressed a high degree of health impact from sewage and high social and economic effect with the percentages of 85.6% and 84.4% respectively. The interrelation between the perception of the diverse effects of sewage and people's personal characteristics indicate that age, gender, household size and education level, are key determinants of rural people' perception on health, social and economic-related risks due to sewage. Therefore, there is need to sensitize rural people about risk-reduction measures of sewage. Additional research is required to suggest intervention framework for dealing with sew...
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The study aimed at assessing attitudes of female undergraduate students toward participating in farming activities and determining factors influencing participation using a descriptive-analytic research by a surveying approach. The... more
The study aimed at assessing attitudes of female undergraduate students toward participating in farming activities and determining factors influencing participation using a descriptive-analytic research by a surveying approach. The statistical population consisted of 433 female students enrolled in various disciplines at the three branches of the College of Science and Humanities at the Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia during the academic year 2016/2017. Out of the total population, some 90 students were selected randomly. A well-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was administrated as a research tool. Results of the study revealed that 42.2% of the target females were with positive attitude towards farming and were agreed to get involved in the farming activities, 30% students remained neutral whereas some 27.8% students showed negative attitude towards agricultural work. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between agreed and disagreed female students regar...
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In Egypt, pamphlets are often used to disseminate agricultural information to farmers. The aim of this study was to construct and develop a scale of quality standards for agricultural extension pamphlets. The process to construct the... more
In Egypt, pamphlets are often used to disseminate agricultural information to farmers. The aim of this study was to construct and develop a scale of quality standards for agricultural extension pamphlets. The process to construct the scale involved the following steps: (1) The articulation of the construct; (2) Selection of response format; (3) Data collection; and (4) Psychometric analysis. The scale consists of 33 items measuring five domains: content; processing the information; the appearance of text; illustrations; and designing and formatting. Items analysis, reliability, and validity estimates were obtained by a group of experts (N= 78). The reliability of the domains was strong and ranged from (α= 0.81 to α= 0.91). The authors tested validation process by evidence of content validity, criterion-related validity, construct validity, and discriminant validity. Depending on the reliability and validity results, the scale was suggested as a reliable tool for assessing the qualit...
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The strategies required to develop contract farming in the Egyptian sugar industry were examined by applying the Strength-Weakness-OpportunitiesThreats (SWOT) approach in combination with an analytic hierarchy process. Data were collected... more
The strategies required to develop contract farming in the Egyptian sugar industry were examined by applying the Strength-Weakness-OpportunitiesThreats (SWOT) approach in combination with an analytic hierarchy process. Data were collected from sugar beet farmers, extension workers, experts, and employees of the Dakhalia Sugar and Refining Company in Egypt. Market risk has the highest overall priority score among the strengths. Noncommitment of farmers to harvest time received the highest overall priority score among the weaknesses, while valorization of sugar industry wastes had the highest overall priority score among the opportunities, and accumulation of large reserves of sugar at the factory was perceived as the most important threat to the sugar industry. These findings can be used to formulate strategies based on current situation analysis and create suitable conditions for successful contract farming in the sugar sector. Keywords: strategies; SWOT-AHP; contract farming; sugar...
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The growing alignment between Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and cooperation development actors has contributed to creating new partnerships to be harnessed in addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDG 17). This study... more
The growing alignment between Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and cooperation development actors has contributed to creating new partnerships to be harnessed in addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDG 17). This study aimed to map the key characteristics of engagements between NPOs and other actors. An analytical framework was designed to map the partnerships in terms of four main areas, namely, drivers, motivations, the partnership’s characteristics, and outcomes. Charitable associations were selected as a representative type of NPO. The study analyzed 459 partnerships established by charities in the Riyadh region during 2016–2018. The findings showed that the associations engaged in partnerships mainly to enhance their financial stability. Cross-sector partnerships were observed in 63.4% of the cases, principally with the private sector. The results also indicated that 89.7% of the partnerships could be called “transactional partnerships” in cases of both philant...
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Agricultural knowledge and innovation system (AKIS) has a strong potential to enhance economic performance of farming and contribute to agricultural sustainability, as it may increase synergies and complementarity among actors. This paper... more
Agricultural knowledge and innovation system (AKIS) has a strong potential to enhance economic performance of farming and contribute to agricultural sustainability, as it may increase synergies and complementarity among actors. This paper is aimed to develop a proposed framework to strengthen AKIS in the study area based on the results of this study. This paper explores perception and views about strengthening AKIS in Dakhalia governorate of Egypt by applying a multi-actor approach. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussion. This paper focuses on three structural dimensions, namely actors, interactions, and technologies, to describe the nature of innovation processes within AKIS. Results indicate that legal and regulatory frameworks, lack of infrastructure, and weak the role of intermediary organizations are the main barriers that AKIS faces. Linkages of contracting and public–private partnerships were viewed as main ...
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This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data, using questionnaires and interviews, from 792 randomly-selected farmers in two of the governorates in the Nile Delta Region, Egypt. A workshop was organized for 59... more
This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data, using questionnaires and interviews, from 792 randomly-selected farmers in two of the governorates in the Nile Delta Region, Egypt. A workshop was organized for 59 extension professionals working in the two governorates, looking at how the adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector towards climate change was being guided by policy-makers. Two focus groups were used: one with senior officials from the regional governorates and the other with central government administrators from the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. The study findings suggested that 51.9% of the investigated farmers at the two targeted governorates had no knowledge about the climate change phenomenon. Maximizing the use of manure, changing crop patterns, and crop rotation were the adaptation measures most commonly adopted by aware respondents against climate change. Results of a probit model analysis indicated that farmers’ ability t...
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The main aim of this study was to design Sustainable Intervention Framework (EIF) consists of the approach followed, actors involved and role of extension organizations and other organizations for the rice farmers in the field of... more
The main aim of this study was to design Sustainable Intervention Framework (EIF) consists of the approach followed, actors involved and role of extension organizations and other organizations for the rice farmers in the field of sustainable agriculture in Egypt. This study was carried out in El-Senblawin district of Dakhalia governorate, Egypt. Stratified random sampling of 242Rice farmers was selected. Data were collected during the period from June to August 2013 bya questionnaire through personal interview. The results showed that only 3 practices by 13.6% were adopted in a sustainable way and for more than half of the farmers (56.5%) had no perception toward negative effects of the all practices studied. Lack of information, out of farmers' responsibility, farmers' beliefs about effect of conventional practices on increasing production, farmers' negative attitudes toward sustainable practices, the farmers' ignorance of the alternatives, negligence or laziness in...
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Chilling injury (CI) is a physiological disorder resulting from low storage temperatures that affects the fruit quality and marketing of the ‘Florida Prince’ peach. In this study, the exogenous application of a mixture of calcium... more
Chilling injury (CI) is a physiological disorder resulting from low storage temperatures that affects the fruit quality and marketing of the ‘Florida Prince’ peach. In this study, the exogenous application of a mixture of calcium nanoparticles (CaNPs) and ascorbic acid was found to significantly alleviate the symptoms of CI in peaches during cold storage. Fruits were treated with CaNPs plus different concentrations of ascorbic acid (AA; 0, 3, 6, and 9 mM). Peaches were immersed in CaNP–AA for 15 min before being stored at 4 ± 1 °C and 95 ± 1% RH for 30 days. We observed that the 9 mM CaNP–AA treatment lowered the values for the CI index, ion leakage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased antioxidant enzyme activities (AEAs), such as for ascorbate oxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GR). Furthermore, the treatment reduced the accumulation of both H2O2 and O2•− and increased the level of DPPH reduction throughout the duration...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs of extension agents for training on organic agriculture (OA) in the Riyadh Region. Fifty-five percent (n = 69) of extension agents were selected to collect data through an electronic... more
The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs of extension agents for training on organic agriculture (OA) in the Riyadh Region. Fifty-five percent (n = 69) of extension agents were selected to collect data through an electronic survey. Results indicated that extension agents in the Riyadh Region cited on job training as a main source for acquiring knowledge in OA. Agents expressed interest in receiving training in OA in general, OA marketing, and transitioning to OA. The most useful resources were field days at organic farms, OA training sessions at colleges, and attending OA trial plots. There were no differences in the level of interest in training; however, there were significant differences between individuals in terms of their experience in OA, job responsibility for providing information related to OA, and area of specialization in their job. This study recommends developing professional training programs based on the current knowledge of extension agents.
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Essential oils (EOs) have been described as promising eco-friendly secondary products of aromatic plants with several biological activities. The present study aimed to characterize the chemical composition and explore phytotoxic and... more
Essential oils (EOs) have been described as promising eco-friendly secondary products of aromatic plants with several biological activities. The present study aimed to characterize the chemical composition and explore phytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of Teucrium polium and Thymus decussatus EOs extracted using hydrodistillation (HD) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) methods. Twenty-seven and twenty-eight compounds were identified from HD and MAE extracted EOs of T. polium, respectively. The oxygenated sesquiterpenes (57.68%) were characterized as the main components of the hydrodistilled EO with a prominence of 6-epi-shyobunol (33.00%), while sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (54.48%) were the main components of the MAE method, with a prominence of delta-cadinene (25.13%). Eighteen and nineteen compounds, were characterized in T. decussatus EOs extracted using HD and MAE methods, respectively, and oxygenated monoterpenes represented the main components of both EOs with carvacr...
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The current study tested core dimensions of the job characteristics model (JCM) among extension agents in Egyptian agricultural extension system. Agricultural extension system was chosen due to its importance in achieving sustainable... more
The current study tested core dimensions of the job characteristics model (JCM) among extension agents in Egyptian agricultural extension system. Agricultural extension system was chosen due to its importance in achieving sustainable agricultural strategy 2030. The paper examines the effect of core job dimensions on both affective responses represented by satisfaction, and behavioral responses represented by performance. Core job dimensions are skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. 230 extension agent were selected by formula. Data were elicited from extension agents who attended the weekly meeting which had been held in the sub-directorates in administrative districts during the period from September to October 2008 in Dakahalia and Qena governorates. Frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean, reliability coefficient, multiple correlation, and multiple regression were used to analyze data statistically. Regression analysis revealed that performanc...
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Extension services (ES) play a crucial role in addressing the various needs of organic farmers and little is known about the extension agents’ (EA’s) perceptions of organic agriculture and the role of ES in organic agriculture. This study... more
Extension services (ES) play a crucial role in addressing the various needs of organic farmers and little is known about the extension agents’ (EA’s) perceptions of organic agriculture and the role of ES in organic agriculture. This study investigated EA’s perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture. Data were collected via a questionnaire, which was sent electronically to all enlisted extension agents in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. In total, 69 extension agents completed the questionnaire, representing a 54% response rate. Overall, extension agents had slightly positive attitudes toward organic farming but were unsure about their role and participation in this. Furthermore, their perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture significantly varied according to their age, work experience in organic agriculture, and education level. These findings have implications for the design of future training programs for the professional development of extension agents and will ...
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Goal 17 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) attracted attention to the importance of partnerships between governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) for sustainable development. This paper aims to analyze... more
Goal 17 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) attracted attention to the importance of partnerships between governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) for sustainable development. This paper aims to analyze the processes of establishing and operating the partnerships between NPOs and other actors in terms of governance. The best practices for partnership governance were examined according to the partnering life cycle framework. A simple random sample of 184 NPOs in six regions of Saudi Arabia was selected for data collection. These organizations were analyzed according to their governance practices in 937 partnerships established during 2016–2018. The findings showed that the organizations had strongly implemented the phases of building and scoping and managing and maintaining, while their governance practices regarding phases of reviewing and revising and sustaining outcomes ranged between moderate and low levels. The results also revealed significant...
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The growing demand for promoting the role of higher education institutions in sustainability has contributed to creating new partnerships with other actors. In the field of education, the formation of cooperative education (co-op)... more
The growing demand for promoting the role of higher education institutions in sustainability has contributed to creating new partnerships with other actors. In the field of education, the formation of cooperative education (co-op) partnerships was adopted as a strategy for work-integrated learning in cooperation with industry. This study investigated the effectiveness of co-op partnerships and the factors that influence them in the context of tertiary agriculture education in Saudi Arabia. A random sample of 130 co-op students was selected within the Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences delivered by the College of Food and Agriculture Sciences at King Saud University. The satisfaction level of students was explored in terms of four main areas, namely, the quality of the program design, organizational climate, personal and professional qualities, and program learning outcomes. The majority of students (70%) were highly satisfied with the quality of the program design, while they had a m...
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Seven Bacillus spp. isolated from the marine water and the rhizosphere of the medicinal plant Coscinium fenestratum were studied to produce plant growth promotion (PGP) traits invitro. Among the seven isolates, MMRH22 and RHPR20 produced... more
Seven Bacillus spp. isolated from the marine water and the rhizosphere of the medicinal plant Coscinium fenestratum were studied to produce plant growth promotion (PGP) traits invitro. Among the seven isolates, MMRH22 and RHPR20 produced copious amounts of PGP traits. Based on the 16S rRNA sequence, the two potent bacterial isolates, RHPR20 and MMRH22, were identified as Bacillus mojavensis and Bacillus cereus, respectively. A compatibility test between the isolates RHPR20 and MMRH22 revealed they are compatible and can be used as a consortium. Both isolates were evaluated for the plant growth promotion and the biofortification of sorghum under greenhouse conditions. Treatments included the application of MMRH22, RHPR20, their consortium (RHPR20 + MMRH22), and an uninoculated control. Inoculation with bacterial cultures resulted in a significant increase in the plant height; the number of leaves; the leaf area; the root, shoot, and leaf weight; and the yield of sorghum at 30 and 60 ...
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The Asteraceae (Compositae) family is one of the largest angiosperm families that has a large number of aromatic species. Pulicaria undulata is a well-known medicinal plant that is used in the treatment of various diseases due to its... more
The Asteraceae (Compositae) family is one of the largest angiosperm families that has a large number of aromatic species. Pulicaria undulata is a well-known medicinal plant that is used in the treatment of various diseases due to its essential oil (EO). The EO of both Saudi and Egyptian ecospecies were extracted via hydrodistillation, and the chemical compounds were identified by GC–MS analysis. The composition of the EOs of Saudi and Egyptian ecospecies, as well as other reported ecospecies, were chemometrically analyzed. Additionally, the phytotoxic activity of the extracted EOs was tested against the weeds Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Bidens pilosa. In total, 80 compounds were identified from both ecospecies, of which 61 were Saudi ecospecies, with a preponderance of β-pinene, isoshyobunone, 6-epi-shyobunol, α-pinene, and α-terpinolene. However, the Egyptian ecospecies attained a lower number (34 compounds), with spathulenol, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, α-bisabolol, and τ--cadinol...
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The strategies required to develop contract farming in the Egyptian sugar industry were examined by applying the Strength-Weakness-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) approach in combination with an analytic hierarchy process. Data were... more
The strategies required to develop contract farming in the Egyptian sugar industry were examined by applying the Strength-Weakness-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) approach in combination with an analytic hierarchy process. Data were collected from sugar beet farmers, extension workers, experts, and employees of the Dakhalia Sugar and Refining Company in Egypt. Market risk has the highest overall priority score among the strengths. Non-commitment of farmers to harvest time received the highest overall priority score among the weaknesses, while valorization of sugar industry wastes had the highest overall priority score among the opportunities, and accumulation of large reserves of sugar at the factory was perceived as the most important threat to the sugar industry. These findings can be used to formulate strategies based on current situation analysis and create suitable conditions for successful contract farming in the sugar sector.
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Recently, there has been increasing concern about reducing and replacing chemical fertilizers with biofertilizers to enhance soil fertility and maintain agroecosystems and sustainable agricultural production. Given that knowledge of... more
Recently, there has been increasing concern about reducing and replacing chemical fertilizers with biofertilizers to enhance soil fertility and maintain agroecosystems and sustainable agricultural production. Given that knowledge of biofertilizers is information-intensive, the lack of information-seeking behavior (ISB) might be the primary constraint for farmers adopting biofertilizers. This study aimed to analyze how ISB influences farmers’ adoption of biofertilizers, using a sample of 228 onion farmers in Al-Ahsa Governorate, Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that most farmers had a moderate level of ISB. The most frequently accessed sources were mobile applications, extension institutions, and progressive farmers. The results of cluster analysis show that farmers’ ISB differed significantly according to their main occupation. Among the onion farmers, 35%had adopted biofertilizers. The findings also reveal that farm size, attitude toward biofertilizers, the credibility of informa...
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Climate change is a serious threat to the sustainability of global agriculture and food supply that necessitates taking appropriate action for building resilient food production systems and preserving rural economies. In this regard,... more
Climate change is a serious threat to the sustainability of global agriculture and food supply that necessitates taking appropriate action for building resilient food production systems and preserving rural economies. In this regard, farmers’ beliefs and concerns about the effects of climate change on agriculture may influence their adoption of adaptation and mitigation practices to address this emerging issue. This work was undertaken to evaluate farmers’ level of concern about climate change in the Jazan province of Saudi Arabia. The study also explored the role of various socioeconomic indicators in shaping farmers’ concerns and highlights various capacity-building initiatives that can be applied at the community level for effective adaptation. Ordered logistic regression was used to study the relationship between farmers’ level of concern and their need for capacity-building initiatives to tackle climate change. Results indicated that insect infestation is the farmers’ top conce...
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The growing alignment between Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and cooperation development actors has contributed to creating new partnerships to be harnessed in addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDG 17). This study... more
The growing alignment between Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and cooperation development actors has contributed to creating new partnerships to be harnessed in addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDG 17). This study aimed to map the key characteristics of engagements between NPOs and other actors. An analytical framework was designed to map the partnerships in terms of four main areas, namely, drivers, motivations, the partnership's characteristics, and outcomes. Charitable associations were selected as a representative type of NPO. The study analyzed 459 partnerships established by charities in the Riyadh region during 2016-2018. The findings showed that the associations engaged in partnerships mainly to enhance their financial stability. Cross-sector partnerships were observed in 63.4% of the cases, principally with the private sector. The results also indicated that 89.7% of the partnerships could be called "transactional partnerships" in cases o...