A Framework for Assessing the Sustainability in Agricultural Enterprises in Rural Areas (the Case Study of Kurdistan Province in Iran)

Nowadays, the sustainability evaluation concept of agricultural entrepreneurship has become as one of the most prominent subjects among the researchers and policymakers. Despite the existence of numerous frameworks for assessment, there is no common agreement on selecting sufficient indicators for assessing the sustainability of agricultural enterprises. This goal was pursued with an emphasis on applicability by adopting a descriptive-analytical approach based on a survey with the Delphi technique. For this purpose, first, a conceptual framework for the identification of components, criteria, and indicators of sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship was determined, and then the set of indices that could signify the status of sustainability in agrarian entrepreneurship activities in rural areas of Kurdistan province in Iran were extracted with the help of a panel of experts consisting of 30 entrepreneurs, university instructors, and experts on agriculture in Kurdistan. The data collected from the panel was analyzed by multi-criteria decision-making method, namely Fuzzy Topsis. The results suggested a framework of indicators for the assessment of the sustainability of agricultural enterprises in the study area. The ultimate objective of this study was to discuss and test a suggested framework to improve for broader use in similar regions.