validation of extension indices for ranking iranian provinces extension education activities

the main objective of present paper was to study the validity of agricultural extension indices for ranking iranian provinces in terms of extension and education activities. the study was carried out in two phases. in phase one through review of literature, 137 extension-education indices were identified. the indices were classified in seven fields as following: 1) indices of extension workers, 2) infrastructural indices of agricultural extension, 3) indices of extension–education activities, 4) organization and management indices of agricultural extension, 5) indices of mass education, 6) indices of extension communication and 7) indices of extension credits. the indices were validated by 180 extension experts of six provinces which randomly were selected. for data analysis the mode, mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation were estimated. in second phase, data collected for 133 indices, through deputy of extension and operation system, affiliated to the ministry of agricultural jihad and by using principal component techniques composite indices of each of the fields was calculated. the results revealed that except four indices, the rest of 133 indices were appropriate for agricultural and extension planning and evaluation purposes. the calculated composite index also showed that hamadan province was ranked in first position and qazvin province in the last position in this aspect.