The purpose of this study was to assess the viewpoints of extension agents regarding the most appropriate methods for teaching adult fanners, their own educa tional needs, and obstacles hampering them in developing and delivering educational programs for adult fanners in Esfahan Province, Iran. The population included all extension agents in the province of Esfahan who were involved in teaching processes andpractices to adult fanners (N=102).. Data were collected through a questionnaire mailed to each extension agent. The response rate was 83%. The most appropriate teaching methods as perceived by tie extension agents were result demonstrations, method demonstrations, formal group meetings, and informal discussions. Most extension agents said that they needed training in identifying and organizing training content, various teaching methods, and needs analysis. Obstacles hampering extension agents in developing educa tional programs in the Province of Esfahan, Iran, were lack of teaching equipment poor educational facilities, dispersion among fanners, and poor linkages between research centers and extension administration.

Iran's northern provinces, including the Gilan Province, comprise 26% of the nation's farmland. Although dramatic and widespread increases in rice yields have been achieved, Iran is still dependent on rice imports. More than 75% of rural women in the Gilan Province are engaged in agricultural activities. But, Iran's extension service has been ineffective in reaching rural women farmers. In particular, limited access to extension programs by women rice producers has restricted further gains in rice production. Factors associated with participation of rural women in rice production activities in the Gilan Province were studied. Using cluster sampling procedures, 142 rural women farmers were selected. It was found that size of rice field, income, and education levels of rural women farmers affected their participation in rice production activities. Opportunities for the extension service to better meet the unique educational and technological needs of rural women rice farmers are suggested.

Although the number of adult programs in agricultural production has dropped off in recent years, the need for these programs has not. This need has been magnified with development and adoption of advanced technology, innovative marketing strategies, new strategies in farm management, and the addition of new agricultural laws and regulations. After reviewing adult education in agriculture in the South, Haynes (1984) indicated that adult farmers in this region are in desperate need of educational assistance, while an absence of adult farmer education programs exists in many Southern school districts. Agnew and Gilbertson (1986) warned that to deny this need for education is to deny that agricultural problems exist or that technologies related to agriculture are changing. Lee (1981) stated that adult education programs in agriculture do not have the priority, as they did some years ago. Phipps and Osborne (1988) indicated that the 1980's have not supported the agricultural prediction made in the 1970's that adult education programs would grow. They found that only 20 to 2.5 percent of all secondaty agriculture instructors teach adults. Research has been conducted in few states to identify the educational needs of adults involved in production agriculture. Findings from a study by Lilley, and others (1987) indicated that among the most significant subject matter needs of adults in production agriculture are feeds and feeding, crop production, soil and fertilizers, farm records, farm mechanics, farm/financial management and decision making, government laws and regulations, and long range planning.

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