محمود حاجی رحیمی

 In the last decade, many efforts have been made to expand innovative businesses in various economic sectors in Iran. Despite this fact, the share of the knowledge-based sector in the national economy is still insignificant. In the meantime, the agriculture, biotechnology and food industry sectors have a relatively more limited share. According to the available statistics, there are about 7,000 certified knowledge-based firms in the country, many of which are known as start-ups and have not had a significant impact on Iran's economy, while innovation and technology driven sector has become the engine of global economic growth. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) annually evaluates the performance of different countries in the form of the Global Innovation Index (GII) using a wide range of the indicators related to innovation. This index helps policy makers and decision makers to gain a clear understanding of how the process of innovative activities and its effects on economic growth and development. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of the factors that constituted this index, including institutional factors, human capital and research, infrastructure, market complexity, business complexity, knowledge creation and creative products in Iran. The approach of GII was applied to investigate the factors affecting the development of the knowledge-based economy in Iran. The necessary data and information were obtained from the website of WIPO in 2021. The Global Innovation Index (GII) consists of two main components, includingInnovation Input Sub-Index and Innovation Output Sub-Index, with seven key sub-indices of "Institutes and Institutions", "Human Capital and Research", "Infrastructure", "Market Complexity", "Business Complexity", "Knowledge and Technology" and "Creative Outputs". Based on the results of the GII for 2021, Iran achieved a ranking of 60th out of the 132 countries that were surveyed. An analysis of the factors constraining innovation in Iran, as compared to leading nations, revealed that Iran's position was significantly hindered by its low placement in key categories; specifically, it was notably low in the indexes of institutes and institutions and business complexity, and it also fared poorly in the market complexity. These particular aspects emerged as the primary obstacles curbing innovation and impeding the growth of a knowledge-based economy within Iran. Conversely, Iran demonstrated considerable strengths in terms of human and research capital. To elaborate, the country excels in areas such as the generation of knowledge, the development of inventive products, and the training of a skilled human workforce. These facets collectively underscored Iran's prowess within the knowledge-based sector. However, a distinct picture emerges when assessing the limitations. Institutional factors, the expansion of businesses, the progress of markets, and the development of essential infrastructure were identified as the pivotal bottlenecks constraining the advancement of an innovation-driven economy. In essence, while Iran possesses commendable strengths in its knowledge-oriented endeavors, it grapples with systemic challenges in fostering an environment conducive to broader innovation and economic growth. Based on the study findings, it is evident that the political, economic, and legislative institutions have thus far been unable to establish a consistent and conducive environment for the advancement of innovation and the growth of knowledge-based enterprises. Consequently, rather than relying solely on optimistic aspirations and anticipating miraculous outcomes from innovation and creativity, it becomes imperative for the nation to prioritize a thorough reassessment, adjustment, and modernization of these institutions in alignment with effective global paradigms.

Due to the limitation of surface water resources and excessive exploitation of underground water, the underground water table in many plains of Iran is in an unfavorable condition. One of these critical plains is the Dehgolan Plain, which is still facing a water shortage crisis despite its designation as a prohibited area. Therefore, in this research, the effect of tax and subsidy incentive policies for each added or saved cubic meter of water consumption on the changes in the cultivation pattern has been investigated in three scenarios of 10, 20, and 30 percent increase in the shadow price of water (714 Tomans) in 2023. The required data were collected by referring to Kurdistan Regional Water Company, Agricultural Jihad Organization, and the country's water demand system for seven major crops including Wheat, Barley, Forage corn, Potato, Cucumber, Alfalfa, and Rapeseed in Dehgolan plain. Then, the data were analyzed using the positive mathematical programming (PMP) model. The results showed that the application of tax and subsidy policies pushes the cropping pattern towards low-water-absorbing crops such as barley, wheat, and canola. It was also found that these policies reduce water consumption and gross farm yield. These findings show that the mentioned incentive policies can be an effective tool for managing water consumption in the agricultural sector. Of course, it is necessary to consider alternative solutions such as the use of new irrigation methods in addition to these policies to prevent negative effects on farmers' income.

Nowadays, standards in the world become as one the most important criteria in economic exchange as well as food industrial respect to development issues and it takes into account in agricultural development. The most Iran’s national standards provided from beginning are related to agricultural standards. The current study attempted to determine factors causes against standardizing of agricultural crops in Kurdistan province. The statistical population of the study are whole experts employed in all governmental offices such as standard, natural resources, Agri-Jehad organization, medicinal university’s deputy of food and medicine, faculty members which their filed are related to the study case in all universities like university of Kurdistan, medicinal and Sanandaj Islamic Azad University that all are about 300 people. Data were collected through interview and filling questionnaire by census method. The exploratory factor analysis were used to analyze data. The results of factor analysis divided all the barriers into 7 factors, which they are named address to their variables nature that formed them. These are knowledge, attitude, economic, structural-organizational, barriers related to private sector and mass media, trade and marketing as well as environmental barriers which could explained 55.029 percent of total variance. The results showed that, success of standardization in agriculture need more attention and without having a planned strategy based on its characteristics cannot take place. The structural and organizational were introduce as the most important barriers. We may recommend planning, bedding, incentive and facilitating, governmental support and patronage subject to privatization of standards in agricultural sector.

The increase in greenhouse gas emissions and climate change in recent years has led to frequent droughts and increased vulnerability in agricultural production. In Hamedan province, heat and dryness resulting from climate change and greenhouse gas emissions have increased the evaporation of water and the water requirements of crops, leading to instability and vulnerability in agricultural production. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of variables such as carbon dioxide emissions, temperature, average precipitation, water consumption, technological changes, and other important variables on wheat production as one of the main strategic products in Hamedan province. This will help estimate and analyze the relationship between the variables affecting and affected by climate change and the level of wheat production.

To this end, an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) econometric model was developed and estimated using time series data from 1977 to 2017 to examine the short- and long-term effects of climatic and technical variables on changes in wheat production in Hamedan province.

The results showed that although increasing carbon dioxide emissions reduce wheat production in Hamedan province, this reduction was not significant during the period under study. The estimation results also indicated that the climate variable of changes in precipitation had a significant effect on wheat production in Hamedan province, but changes in temperature and technological variables did not have a significant effect on wheat production.

It can be inferred from these results that the negative effect of greenhouse gas emissions on wheat production in Hamedan province has begun, but this negative effect is not yet significant. The error correction model results also showed that any negative shock to wheat production in the short term is managed through adjusting the level of cultivation, fertilizer, and, most importantly, agricultural credits, and that changes in water and agricultural credits exacerbate negative shocks and reduce the responsiveness of wheat production to these shocks.

The Covid-19 virus pandemic has affected the entire world and all economic sectors. The agricultural sector has been affected by this crisis from various dimensions, too. The broiler industry is the largest industry in Kurdistan province, which has been affected by this pandemic in various ways, such as supply chain of inputs, changes in supply and demand structures. The broiler industry of Kurdistan province has directly and indirectly created employment for about 14,000 people. Kurdistan province has more than 750 active broiler farms, which use about 15 million broiler chicken pieces in each period and 60 million pieces per year. Kurdistan province produces about 4% of the country's chicken meat. This study aims to investigate and estimate the implications of the Corona pandemic on production, performance and economic efficiency of broiler farms in Sanandaj township, Kurdistan province, Iran.

Production and performance criteria were extracted from summarizing and comparing data in Excel software. To estimate the efficiency criteria by data envelopment analysis model, DEAP software was used; and in order to evaluate the difference between the means, the matched-pairs t-test was conducted in SPSS software. Necessary data were obtained through a simple random sampling method. The collected data were related to two breeding periods in autumn 2019 before the pandemic, and autumn 2020 after the pandemic. All production, performance and efficiency measures calculated and compared in pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods.

The results showed that the total number of day-old chicks in pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods was not significantly different. Total production of small and medium farms decreased slightly in the post-pandemic period; whilst total production in large farms, due to the increase in weight of chickens, not only did not decrease but also increased significantly. The grain-to-chicken conversion ratio increased on all farms, so that more grain was used to produce one kilogram of chicken, in the post-pandemic period. The reason for this could probably be the irregularity in the sales process and the increase in the number of storage days. The age of slaughter increased in all farms in the post-pandemic period, significantly. Due to the increase in slaughter age, the average weight of chickens at slaughter also increased significantly. Furthermore, the percentage of losses in all farms showed a significant increase. Regarding efficiency, no significant difference was found in the average technical efficiency of broiler farms before and after the corona outbreak. Nevertheless, the difference between the average allocation and economic efficiency of the farms in the  pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods were significant; In all three capacity groups, there was a significant decrease in both allocation efficiency and economic efficiency in the post-pandemic period.

Agriculture is one of the responsible sectors for adequate food production and contribution to food security. However, due to the rapid population growth and increasing demand for food, this responsibility is becoming more and more challenging. The consequence of this challenge is the excessive exploitation of natural resources and destruction of the environment. This study aimed to investigate the cost structure, economies of scale, and inputs elasticities for the major farm crops of the Qorveh-Dehgolan Plain, in Kurdistan Province, through a translog cost function. The needed data were collected through a multi-stage cluster sampling survey in the 2017-2018 cropping year. The results showed that the average share of water input in the total production cost of the studied products was 12%. Results also showed that all ordinary own-price elasticities of demand for inputs were negative and smaller than one. However, the results of Allen-Uzawa's own price elasticities showed that demands for inputs could be elastic. Ordinary and Allen-Uzawa own price elasticity of water input were -0.76 and -6.7, respectively. The results also showed that wheat, tomato, barley, and alfalfa farms in the area under study were facing economies of scale, on average, while potato, cucumbers, and sugar-beet farms were facing diseconomies of scale.

Over recent years, unconventional extraction of irrigation water for producing agricultural products has decreased the level of groundwater in Dehgolan Plain of Kurdistan province in Iran, putting this vital resource at serious risk. This study aimed at investigating the effects of restrictive water supply policy on cropping patterns, farmers' incomes and the amount of water extraction from groundwater aquifer of Dehgolan Plain. For this purpose, a positive mathematical programming (PMP) model along with a maximum entropy (ME) model was developed and estimated. The required data was obtained in a two-stage cluster sampling method through completing 96 questionnaires from farmers in the villages of the region for the 2015-2016 farming year. The results showed that the irrigation water reduction policies had a great impact on the cultivation pattern and led farmers to products with more economic efficiency in water use. Furthermore, as a result of this policy, the gross margins in the first to third scenarios will decrease by 4.94, 9.96 and 14.94 percent, respectively, and the economic return on irrigation water will increase by 5.65, 12.64 and 21.63 percent, respectively. In conclusion, according to the results of this study, the strategy of restricting water supply along with the changes in cultivation pattern might effectively reduce water extraction and contribute to maintain and sustain the groundwater resources of the Dehgolan Plain.

Considering the importance of groundwater resources, this study aims to estimate and compare the amount of demand for irrigation water and sustainability of ground water resource, in Bahar-Hamadan plain, under alternative policies and models of exploitation. For this purpose, the water demand function driven from a crop cost function, developed and estimated. The needed data collected from a survey through multi-stage classified sampling method. Results showed that in current condition or government intervention and legal control, the amount of water extracting equals 15855 m3 per hectare. This level of extracting is high and non-sustainable. In contrast, the amount of water extraction for perfect participation by water users in exploitation model, estimated to be equal 9182 m3 per hectare; which could be considered as the best alternative model for decreasing water use and reaching the sustainable allocation of water.

Sustainability and water resources management is an important issue. Therefore, appropriate organization management of demand and regulating consumption patterns may build sustainable solutions for moderated in water resources dissipation. By having a proper planning respect to the utilization pattern of land (i.e. the optimal cropping pattern) we may manage the demand for water. The current study attempted to design cropping pattern, for the purpose of increasing the productivity of water resources in agricultural sector of Dehgolan County and apply respect to virtual water. The necessary data collected from 110 farms through simple random sampling and to find the cost of cultivation the statistical year book of agricultural organization used. The optimal cropping patterns were determined in three different scenarios such as increasing agricultural strategic crops price policy, with existence of strategic crops and use of total area under cultivation for the sample farms including Less than 10 hectares, between 10 to 20 hectares and more than 20 hectares. The result showed that, Wheat, potato, cucumber and alfalfa crops are main products in the cropping pattern for three groups of fields and according to the results of three concerns scenarios, the application of increasing price policy strategy had positive impact on the farmer's income and use of this policy along the policy use of available total land was more effective in the sustainability of water resources.

This study aims to determine the most effective estimate of hedonic model for pricing agricultural land in Sanandaj Central Township. The necessary data obtained through completing 124 questionnaires and applying a classified random sampling method. The results showed that the estimation made by spatial econometric method in terms of R square and percentage of significant coefficients was more accurate. Furthermore، the effect of spatial dependent variable on land price was positive and significant. Finally، it is recommended to utilize spatial econometric model for hedonic valuation of agricultural land.

Farm crops have a crucial role in the agriculture of Kurdistan province. Consequently, studying economic aspects of these crops is of special importance. This study aimed to determine economic potentials of Kurdistan province in farm crops (irrigated wheat, dry land wheat, irrigated barley, dry land barley, corn, beans, irrigated pea, dry land pea, potatos and tomatos) production and trade. For this purpose, the Social Cost Benefit (SCB) criterion was applied. Findings for 2001-2 and 2002-3 farming year indicated that irrigated wheat, irrigated barley, corn, irrigated pea, potatos, and tomatos had comparative advantages in both years by SCB criteria. Dry land pea had comparative advantages only in 2002-3 farming year. According to the comparative advantages ranking by SCB, potato is most profitable crop in the international trading point of views for Kurdistan province. After potatos, tomatos, corn, irrigated wheat and irrigated barley were also found important.

This study attempted to investigate the marketing problems of strawberry as a major horticulture crop in the Kurdistan province during last two decades. During three time period 1996, 1999 and 2006 and based on the systematic sampling method 112, 243 and 80 sample were collected.The results showed that retailer market margin for the concern studies for the years 1996, 1999 and 2006 were Iran's Rls. 480, 562.8 and 1940 (for the first class type) and 2270 (for the second class type) respectively. The marketing cost percentages for the same period calculated and were equal to 53.5 per cent, 43.5 per cent and 37.2 per cent (I case of first class type) and 50.41 per cent (in the case of second class type). The wholesaler market margin were Rls. 440, 998.25 and (1000 and 1410) in that order, and total market margins were Rls, 920, 1561 and (2940 and 3220) in that order. The waste function estimated and results showed that the variables such as time distance of first harvesting, box weight, Distance from wholesaler market and total time remaining in the retailer shop had direct and significant effect on wastage amount. Total wasted strawberry for the year 1996 and 1999 estimated about 16.89 and 19 percent of total production.The change of current packing for both periods studied and result showed that, it is economically impressionable and in the case of acceptance by the farmers, it may increase their profits about Rls, 2104062000 and Rls, 810062000 respectively.