In-depth content analysis of conservation agriculture training programs in Iran based on sustainability dimensions

Abstract

Conservation agriculture (CA) is a tool of sustainable agriculture utilized in many countries. Sustainable agriculture has different dimensions among which the most important ones are environmental, social, economic, and institutional. Educational and extension programs of CA are in accordance with the principles of sustainable agriculture. Accordingly, educational and extension contents prepared for farmers should include the four dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, economic, and institutional). The main objective of the present study was to examine the sustainability dimensions in the contents of CA training programs using an in-depth content analysis technique. Educational contents considered here included brochures, extension publications, regulations, and training slides. Based on the literature, themes and sub-themes for each of the four sustainability dimensions were extracted. Then, the frequency of each sub-theme in the CA training contents was counted. The findings showed differing emphasis on the sub-themes of sustainability dimensions in the contents of CA training programs so that the environmental and social dimensions had the highest and lowest frequencies, respectively. As the main principles of CA, no tillage/low tillage, crop rotation, and maintenance of crop residues constituted the sub-themes of the environmental dimension, and the emphasis was placed on this dimension reasonably and expectedly.