Hasan Akca

Challenge of rural people to reduce digital divide in the globalized world: Theory and practice

Abstract In the future, knowledge will manage the world since knowledge gives a power to people/states to direct governmental and non-governmental organisations. Therefore, as starting in the last quarter of 20th century, leaders, bureaucrats, policy makers, education experts, scientists, local managers and people who are in the conscious of this reality have tried to draw the vision of their countries and reduce digital divide. Design of web pages and Internet access can be a bridge between rural and urban people in terms of marketing of agricultural inputs and outputs, supplying extension services for farmers, development of human resources, advertisement of natural, historical and cultural values, etc.

Functional analysis of fertiliser use on chickpea (Cicer arietinum) farms: A case study from Turkey

Abstract Fertiliser use in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) grown under dry conditions was analysed from an economic point of view. In addition, a simple relationship between output (amount of chickpea) and inputs (fertiliser cost, pesticides cost, chickpea production area, labour, and amount of seed) was determined. The Tokat province of Turkey was chosen as the research area because it was the main chickpea production area. To study the effects of fertiliser use on chickpea production, 74 farmers were randomly selected and surveyed. Research findings were as follows: (1) gross and net profit was negative for the fertiliser user group and non‐fertiliser user group; (2) lack of technical knowledge and high input prices were the main reasons for unbalanced fertiliser use by farmers; (3) chickpea production area and fertiliser cost were the most important factors affecting chickpea production; (4) chickpea production was little effected by labour; (5) amount of seed and total pesticide cost were not significant in the model; (6) farmers should increase average chickpea production area to use resources efficiently.

Factors affecting fertiliser use in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) growing: A case from Turkey

Abstract A farmer survey was carried out in Tokat Province, Turkey to determine the relationship between fertiliser use in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) crops and grower profile (age, education level, land ownership, etc) and other physical factors (farm size, soil analysis, chickpea production area). The chi‐square (χ2) test was used to determine the relationship. There was a statistically significant relationship between fertiliser use and chickpea production area. There was no significant relationship between farm size and decision making, the amount and type of fertiliser, between farmer education level and fertiliser use, between farmer age and fertiliser use, and between decision making and the amount and type of agro‐chemicals and land ownership. in addition, the response of farmers to different questions (whether they used fertiliser to grow chickpea or not, where they purchased fertiliser, and their criteria for deciding the amount and type of fertiliser used in chickpea cultivation, whether they made soil and leaf analyses and the reasons for not using soil and leaf analyses for the use of chemical fertiliser) were analysed.