International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development
Volume:12 Issue: 4, Dec 2022

The purpose of this study was to design a model for student empowerment to reduce academic burnout in the agricultural higher education system in Iran. The statistical population was composed of 10 higher education experts in the qualitative phase. In the quantitative phase, 200 students were selected by the Krejci-Morgan table. The sampling method was purposive in the qualitative phase and random in the quantitative phase. The experts (participants) mentioned seven indices as the main factors for model evaluation. Furthermore, the relative coefficient value of each index was determined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Model fitting results showed that RMSEA was equal to 0.096, and as this value was less than 0.1, it indicated that the mean squared error of the model was applicable and the initial model was acceptable. Likewise, FIGFI, CFI, and NFI were more than 0.9, indicating that the measurement model of the indices was propitious. The model evaluation and the assessment of the difference between the means of indices illustrated that empowering students would have a significant impact on reducing academic burnout in the agricultural higher education system in Iran. The significance level was estimated at less than 0.01. The impact was B=0.46 for future orientation, B=0.51 for the level of access to information, B=0.52 for emotional exhaustion, and B=0.57 for depersonalization.

Small-scale farmers face several obstacles to achieving small-scale integrated commercial agriculture. This study, in a descriptive-analytical method, investigates the barriers to small-scale integrated commercial agriculture. The statistical population involved all paddy farmers in Gilan province (N = 180106), that the sample size (n=422) was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table in stratified random sampling method. The research tool was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a panel of experts, and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.89). Data analysis was performed by SPSS software and path analysis by Smart PLS software. The results of path analysis showed that the extension barriers have a direct effect on small-scale agriculture (β= 0.441) and integrated commercial agriculture (β= 0.401) and indirect effect on small scale integrated commercial agriculture (β = 0.541) and indirect (β = 0.91). According to the t value, the research hypothesis about extension barriers can be concluded that the effectiveness between independent and dependent variables is significant. Based on the results, the use of informed extension agents, reducing the non-extensional tasks of extension agents, and helping local organizations to reduce intermediaries are essential factors in removing obstacles to this type of agricultural system.

The viability and efficiency of crop insurance policies depend on farmers’ demand and willingness for crop insurance. The present study analyzes the insurance demand of 441 date farmers in the Saravan region. Data showed that 68.87 percent of the farmers did not agree with insurance. The results of the ordinal logit model at five different levels indicated that awareness of insurance benefits, insurance record, previous-year yield, and educational level, the standard deviation of income, orchard area, and satisfaction with insurance services were the main variables influencing the demand for insurance. The coefficient of variation of the likelihood of insurance adoption was estimated at all five levels. A 1percent increase in satisfaction with insurance services increases the likelihood of a person’s shift from the ‘strongly disagree’ category to the ‘disagree’ category by 6.3 percent. Older date farmers abstain from insurance adoption, which needs reflection given the religious view in the region on interest rates on the one hand and the resistance of older people against modern risk management methods on the other.

The objective of this study was to estimate the recreational value of Chitgar forest park and the willingness to pay (WTP) of visitors to this park using the contingent valuation method (CVM). The questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cochran formula was applied to determine the required sample size for the survey. The random sampling method was used to survey. The double-bounded dichotomous choice approach was used to design the questionnaire. A logit regression model was used to estimate the relationship between WTP and explanatory variables. The results of the logit model showed that WTP had a significant negative relationship with the explanatory variables such as the respondent's age, household size, education level, and membership in non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In addition, results indicated that WTP had a positive relation with respondents' gender, marital status, and monthly household revenue as the explanatory variables. Results showed that the maximum expected WTP of visitors was 79630 IRRials. Furthermore, results showed that the total annual economic value of the recreation in Chitgar forest park was 38.9 billion IRRials. The results of this study can help decision-makers to enhance the quality of Chitgar forest park, develop tourism, increase the number of visitors, and generate revenue for the park.

The present study aimed to provide a systematic model for the management of an information system for rural entrepreneurship training in Ilam province, Iran. The research used a descriptive methodology performed by the Delphi technique. The sample was taken by the purposive technique in which 15 experts including faculty members, executives, and experts were selected to participate in three Delphi rounds. At the end of round 3, the final model was confirmed by the panel to be composed of seven components (data collection, data storage, data quality control, data analysis, data dissemination, documentation, and data sharing and application) and 22 sub-components. The results showed that to use an information management system for entrepreneurship training, it is first necessary to specify the required data on rural areas (about economic, social, cultural, infrastructural, and ecological aspects) before their collection. For the sake of storage, the data should be inputted in a system specifically designed for the management of the entrepreneurship training information system. Based on the results, quality control, data analysis, dissemination, documentation, and sharing should be performed by the Governor’s Office of Economic Coordination.

The agricultural knowledge and information system (AKIS) is a necessary factor for social, economic, and agricultural development and decision-making in peasant smallholdings. Given the challenges in smallholders’ access, the present study aimed to design an efficient model for AKIS for peasant smallholdings in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran. The research adopted a descriptive methodology in which data were collected with a questionnaire whose validity was estimated by AVE and its reliability was determined by the CR method. The statistical population was composed of all experts and executives in the fields of agricultural research, education, and extension and the subject experts in the studied province (N=497). The sample size was determined to be 217 using Cochran’s formula. The data were analyzed by SEM and using PLS and SPSS software packages. The results as to the factor loadings of the subcomponents derived from structural equation modeling show that “increasing information sources”, “farm visits”, “strengthening service centers”, “less consistency of research findings”, and “the existence of agricultural service centers” had the highest factor loadings, so they have a significant effect on the knowledge and information system model for peasant smallholdings.

Despite the fact that Mazandaran province is one of the important hubs of flower and plant production in Iran, has a high potential for flower and plant production and is adjacent to most consumer countries in the world (e.g., Russia), it does not play a significant role in the field of export. So, this research aimed to design an export development model for the industry of ornamental plants and flowers in Mazandaran province using a qualitative approach. Data required were collected with in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviewees included 16 experts and activists of the export of ornamental plants and flowers in Mazandaran province who were selected by the snowball method based on the theoretical saturation index. The data were analyzed and the conclusions were drawn by the grounded theory approach which provides a limited theory. The data analysis was performed in three stages: open, axial, and selective coding. The paradigmatic model derived from the findings of the research includes causal conditions, strategies and consequences, intervening conditions, and contextual conditions. The analysis of the data showed that the model for the development of the export of ornamental plants and flowers from Mazandaran province is composed of 19 factors including export hydrocephalus, technology, and experience and commitment as causal conditions, management capabilities, export terminal, targeted modeling (leading countries benchmark), networking, processing, competitive strategies, export marketing and branding, and hard and soft infrastructures as strategies, business diplomacy and sustainable economic growth as consequences of implementation of strategies, business environment and formalization-centralization of export structure as contextual conditions, and finally global red ocean and global evolution as intervening conditions. How they relate to each other is presented in the final model.