Mediating Role of Rural Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in the Relationship between Pluriactive Rice Farmers’ Motives and Pluriactivity Consequences

The present research aimed to investigate the mediating role of the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem in linking the pluriactive rice farmerschr('39') motives to pluriactivity consequences in the Haraz Watershed in a descriptive-correlational study conducted through a survey technique. A sample of 182 pluriactive rice farmers in the Haraz Watershed participated in the study. The results of descriptive statistics showed that in both pull and push motive variables, the means were higher than the medium level. However, concerning the variables of rural entrepreneurship ecosystem and pluriactivity consequences, the means were lower than the medium level. In path analysis, the direct effects of the independent variables showed that the pull motive and rural entrepreneurial ecosystem had a significant and positive effect on the consequences of pluriactivity, while these consequences were not affected by the push variable significantly. The indirect effects of the independent variables revealed that the push motive had a significant and positive effect on the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem. However, the pull motive had no significant impact on the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem. The study has practical implications for institutions related to rural development, in general, and institutions related to rural business development, in particular. The latter institutions, especially educational and extensional centers in public and private sectors that are involved in rural regions, could encourage rice farmers to establish and develop their business based on their motives.