MODERNITY OF FARMERS ِِِِA STUDY OF TWO VILLAGES IN MINUFIYA GOVERNORATE

This study aimed at: 1. Identify the level of modernization between respondents in the Minufiya Governorate in Egypt, 2. Study the relationship between the farmers’ characteristics and level of modernity. The present study was conducted in two villages of Minufiya governorate which were Kafer Betibs from Tala districts and Met Faris Barket El- Sabah districts. A random sample of 100 farmers was chosen from each village. Data were collected by interviewing respondents through using a pretested questionnaire. It were statistically analyzed by using frequencies, percentages, simple correlation coefficients, T Scores, Z Scores and logistic regression analysis .   The results revealed that   1. The highest proportion of farmers was between 28 and 60 years. Mean values for family size in the different study areas were 5.49, the main occupation of respondents was agriculture (60%) A large share of farmers (70%) received formal education, while (30%) of farmers did not receive any formal education. Farmers in the study area were small-scale farmers, it showed that the average size of land owned was one feddan, the average level of living was 12.19, the average annual gross farm income in the study area was 11362 L.E per household. All farmers in the study areas were members of the agricultural cooperative, which exist in all villages. Membership of these cooperatives was mandatory for those farmers who had reasonable access to it; 51.5% of farmers have a medium level of cosmopoliteness, 37% have a high level. More than 75% of farmers were falling in the medium level of communication with agricultural information, more than 65% of farmers had a medium level of aspiration, only 1.5% of farmers had a high level of aspiration, The highest proportion of farmers was a medium degree of filiations to community. 2. The results showed that non of the respondents from the sample size had a high level of agricultural modernity, 76.5% had a medium level and 23.5 % only had low level. 3.The coefficients of the logistic model used to investigate factors affecting the modernity of farmers. The chi-square test showed the level of significance of the parameters included in the model (at P <0.01).  Modernity of farmers was correctly predicted for 77.5% of the farmers. The factors that contribute to modernity of farmers according to the Wald chi-square statistic were in order of importance: degree of affiliation, cosmopoliteness, family size, farm size, and aspiration level.