Extension Challenges and Requirements of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming in Gilan Province,Iran

Integrated Rice-Fish Farming requires very little input and provides off season employment to farm labors. It has been observed that combination of rice and fish farming is mutually beneficial. Although, in implementation, it can be faced with several challenges and it demands some requirements. So, this study was conducted to identify challenges and requirements of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming in Gilan. The research population included all the experts in Gilan province (N=272). They include experts who are familiar with integrated Rice-Fish Farming. The initial and follow-up mailing generated 272 useable responses from experts resulting in a response rate of 100%. Using factor analysis, the challenges and requirements have been classified into four factors (Cultural-social, Human, Infrastructure, and Legal) and six factors (Educational methods, Cultural, Facilitating role, participation, Human resource development, and Economic) respectively. Among the variables which build the Cultural-social challenges, operator demographic challenges and farmers’ low educational level provides more impact compared to others, while holding field days and establishing demonstration plots provides more impact on the Educational Methods requirements, among other variables.