The main objective of this study was two-raid: first to dete mine socio
- economic and communication factors associated with the degrie of farm -
mechanization among farm· operators in selected village cOrl]munities of
Darnanhour county in Seheira Governorate ; second, based on the
implications of the stUdy set up essentials to be considered for more effective
extension work in farm mechanization. The specific objectives f this study
included the following: 1· To determine the interviewees level of farm mechanization. 2· To identify socio-econornlc and communication characteristics of the
interviewed farm-operators and to examine the relationship be een these
characteristics, and their level of farm machanization. 3- To determine the interviewees characteristics responsible fa explaining
variance in their levels of farm mechanization. 4· To set up a general framework for future extension work in farm
mechanization. The data were obtained by using a specially designed and pretested
questionnaire through Interviewing a random sample of 220 farm- operators
in the selected four main village communities representing Damanhour
county. The main statistical methods used used for data analysis included:
frequencies , percentages. means. standard deviation. simple correlation
coefficient and multiple regression.     The research is comprised of four chapters: The first explains the nature and
dimension of the research problem ; the second is a review of related
research and literature ; the third indicates the methodology and research
procedures : the fourth presents the results and discussion the main results
center around: determining the interviewees levels of farm mechanization;
identifying the intreviewees soico-economic and communication
characteristics and its relationship with their level of farm mechanization;
and finally prospects for more effective farm mechanization extension.
Multiple Regression Analysis; The First Model: Muttiple regression analysis between the interviewees characteristics
(variables) and their level of farm mechanization revealed - after eliminating
land holding variable due to linearity relationship with family income and the
other non-significant correlated independent variables with the dependent
variable that only six variables could explain 85.3% of variance in the
interviewees level of farm mechanization. These six variables included : Annual family income, actual use of farm machinery. level of living.
conditions of farm roads. family heads education score (farm operator and
wife education) , knowledge level of farm machinery. (F value = 205.991 significant at 0.01 level) . The second Model: The results of multiple correlation and regression analysis between
the interviewees characteristics (13 variables ) and their level of farm
mechanization showed that only four independent variables could explain
90.73% in variance of the interviewees level of farm mechanization. These
variables included after eliminating annual family income and the other non -
significantly correlated variables with the dependent variable: land holding,
farm machinery knowledge, level of living. farm machinery ownership.
Prospects of Farm Mechanization Extension The prospects of more effective extension work for better and wider
use of farm machinery are mainly based on the implication of this study
which include abstracts and syntheses of reviewed llteraturo, relevant former
studies and the reached research findings. Apparently, some progress has
been made along the last three decades for employing modern farm
machinery and equipments. this might be attributed partly to the efforts of
respective governmental and private sectors and to the increasing need for
replacing farm labor already transferred to other non-agricultural sectors or
abroad. However. there are some obstacles that set limits to wider and
efficient use of farm machinery either because lacking efforts of the
concerned governmental institutions and services or unfavorable socio-
economic conditions of farm families. The research finding showed clearly
that, according to the estimated level or degree of farm mechanization that
farm • operators who are considered having a relatively high level of farm
mechanization form only less then 25 percent. Important variables strongly
correlated with the achieved level of farm mechanization included: size of
land holding. family annual income. actual use of farm machinery knowledge,
level of living. farm machinery ownership, farmers and their wives
educational level.