Analysis of Agricultural Sustainability and its Effective Factors in Rural Areas

Subject Areas : Regional Planning

saeed reza akbarian ronizi ¹

1 - دانشیار بخش جغرافیا، دانشگاه شیراز، شیراز، ایران

Received: 2018-01-29 Accepted : 2018-08-22 Published : 2018-09-23

Keywords: Village, Agricultural Development, Sustainable Agriculture, Roniz district,

Abstract :

According to the importance and role of agriculture in development of societies, along with environmental concerns and global challenges, including food security and population growth, extensive measures for agricultural sustainability are essential. The emphasis on sustainable agriculture, which is considered as one of the aspects of sustainable development, is to meet the human nutritional needs and improve the natural environment, and economic and social sustainability. In the process of sustainable agriculture, recognition of the existing situation of agricultural sustainability is essential so that effective factors in agricultural sustainability and unsustainability in rural areas can be identified, knowing the existing situation, and thereby effective steps could be taken towards strengthening the effective components of sustainability and also reducing the factors that affect agricultural unsustainability. Accordingly, this research has been assessing the agricultural sustainability in villages of roniz district. In this research, the statistic society includes the farmers residing in the villages of district that according to the latest published statistics, amount to 828 beneficiary farmers who are active in rural areas of this district. In total, 110 beneficiaries were selected as the statistical sample and according to the specialty of the subject, they were selected by snowball sampling method to complete the questionnaire. The results of the study showed that the agricultural sustainability status in the study area is undesirable and below the average level. Finally, the results of regression analysis showed that familiarity with sustainable agriculture and participation in promotion classes had the most and least effect on agricultural sustainability, respectively.

References:

1. Asadi, A., & Varmazyari, H.(2010): Assessing Sustainability of Agricultural Systems, Journal of Rahbordyas, 21, 261-288. (in Persian).


2. Badri, S.A., Eftekhari, A.R., Salmani, M., & Behmand,D. (2011):The Role of Family Farming System on Sustainable Rural Development (Case Study: Ghir & Karzin County - Fars Province), Journal of Human Geography Research Quarterly, 43(2), 33-48. (in Persian).


3. Bani asadi,M., & Zare Mehrjerdi, M.R.(2010): Studying the Effects of Optimal Cultivation Pattern on Rural Poverty: Case study of Orzoo’iyeh District in Baft (Kerman – Iran), Journal of Agricultural Economics, 4(2),183-209. (in Persian).


4. Boshagh, M.R. Taghdisi, A., & Toosi,R. (2012): Analysis and evaluation the sustainability of agricultural system (Case study: rural areas of central district of Minoudasht County), Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 1(2),113-130. (in Persian).


5. Boshagh, M.R., Taghvaie. M., & Taghdisi, A. (2013): Sustainable agricultural mental indicators analysis in Iran Rural regions (Case study: Rural regions of Azna Township), Journal of Urban Regional Studies and Research, 5(20), 89-104. (in Persian).


6. Bosshaq, M. R., Afzalinia, F., & Hedayat, N. (2013). The role of effective factors in sustainable agricultural system-A case study of Minudashat in Iran. International Journal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences, 5(6), 662.


7. Bouzarjomehri, KH. khosrobeygi, R., & Taghilo, A.A.(2012): Considering the Role of People’s Cooperation in Sustainable Agriculture in Rural Areas (Case Study: upper Ijrood Villages, Ijrood County, Zanjan Province), Journal of Rural Research, 3(11), 163-191. (in Persian).


8. Davoodi, H., & Maghsoudi, T. (2012): Analysis of Potato Growers’ Knowledge about Sustainable Agriculture in Shushtar Township. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 42(2), 265-274. (in Persian).


9. DeLonge, M. S., Miles, A., & Carlisle, L. (2016). Investing in the transition to sustainable agriculture. Environmental Science & Policy, 55, 266-273.


10. Ghanbari, Y., & Barqi, H. (2009): Stable Development in Agriculture Sector: the Main Challenges, Journal of Rahbordyas,16, 218-234. (in Persian).


11. Hayatti, D., & Karami, E. (1999): Effective structure on knowledge of agricultural sustainability and sustainable cropping systems, (a case of study: wheat farmers of Fars Province)", Journal of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, 3(2). 21-33. (in Persian).


12. Jamshidi, A.R., Nouri Zamanabadi, S.H., Jamini, D., Bahari, E., & Moradi, N(2015): Investigation and assessment of factors that influence sustainable Agriculture(case study of rice farmers in Shirvan Cherdavel Town, Ilam province), Journal of Geographical Research,30(3),223-240. (in Persian).


13. Lichtfouse, E., Navarrete, M., Debaeke, P., Souche`re, V., Alberola, C., (2009): Sustainable Agriculture. Springer – EDPS, ISBN 978-90- 481-2665-1, p. 919.


14. Lugandu, S. (2013): Factors influencing the adoption of conservation agriculture by smallholder farmers in Karatu and Kongwa districts of Tanzania. In REPOA’s18thannual research workshop held at the Kunduchi Beach Hotel, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.


15. Mohamed, E. S., Saleh, A. M., & Belal, A. A. (2014): Sustainability indicators for agricultural land use based on GIS spatial modeling in North of Sinai-Egypt. The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Science, 17(1), 1-15.


16. Mokhtari Hesar, A., SHabanali Fami, H., Asadi,A., & Zareei, Dastgerdi, Z. (2010): An Analysis and Measurement of Rural Areas' Level of Access to Agricultural Services and Determination of Central Villages for the Delivery of Agricultural Services in Iran: A Case Study of Markazi District of Mianeh County , Journal of Village and Development,  13(3),85-104. (in Persian).


17. Motie Langeroudi, S. H., & Shamsaii, E. (2007): Rural development based on agricultural Continuity and sustainability, Journal of Geographic Research, 22(2), 85-104. (in Persian).


18. Movahedi, R., Amiribavandpour, N., & Naderi Mahdeei, K. (2016): Factors Affecting the Agricultural Sustainability of Wheat Farms in Kermanshah County, Journal of Geography and Sustainability of Environment, 6(18), 97-111. (in Persian).


19. Nouri , H., Hashemi, S., & Mahmoodi, S. (2016): Effects of Social Capital on Sustainable Agricultural Development in Villages of Abadeh Tashk, Journal of Space Economy & Rural Development, 5(3),37-55. (in Persian).


20. Pourzand, F., & Bakhshodeh, M.(2012): Evaluating agricultural sustainability of Fars province with compromise programming approach, Journal of Agricultural Economics Research, 4(13), 1-26. (in Persian).


21. Quintero-Angel, M., & González-Acevedo, A. (2018): Tendencies and challenges for the assessment of agricultural sustainability. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 254, 273-281.


22. Rahman, M. Z., Mikuni, H., & Rahman, M. M. (1999): Towards sustainable farming development: The attitude of farmers in a selected area of Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Journal of sustainable agriculture, 14(4), 19-33.


23. Salehi, S., & Pazukinejad, Z. (2016): Analysis of socio-cultural elements influencing villagers’ orientation towards sustainable farming (Case study: Villages of Babolsar County). Journal of Research & Rural Planning, 5(1), 67-81. (in Persian).


24. Savari, M., Shiri, N.,& shabanali fami, H. (2016): Analysis Factors Affecting the Practice of Agriculture Conservation operation By Farmer Exploitation (Case study: Divandarreh County),journal of Regional Planning, 5(2), 177-190. (in Persian).


25. Seydaei, S.E., Ghanbari, Y., Jamini, D., & Boshagh, M.R. (2013): Measuring the Agricultural Sustainability in Rural Areas- A Case Study: Rural Areas of Central District of Ravansar Township, Journal of Geography and Sustainability of Environment, 3(6),87-106. (in Persian).


26. Shahrokhi Sardoo, S., Mirzaie, Sh., Mahmoudiboram, M., & Hassanpour, B. (2016): Measuring the degree of agricultural development (cultivation sub-sector) in rural areas (Case study: Dashtroom Dehestan in Boyer-Ahmad County). Journal of Research & Rural Planning, 4(4), 77-94. (in Persian).


27. Sharma, L. K., Sharma, A., Chandargi, D. M., & Khurana, G. S. (2002): Farmers' characteristics and adoption of kharif maize technology. Indian Journal of Extension Education (India).


28. Silva, J. L., Man, N., Shaffril, H. A., & Samah, B. A. (2011): Acceptance of sustainable agricultural practices: the case of crop farmers. American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science. 6 (2): 227-230.


29. Taghdisi  ,A., & Boshagh, M.R. (2012): Analysis and evaluation of agriculture Sustainability in rural regions and study of farmers role Case study: village regions of Azna township, Journal of Geography, 10(33),129-147. (in Persian).


30. Tatlıdil, F. F., Boz, İ., & Tatlidil, H. (2009): Farmers’ perception of sustainable agriculture and its determinants: a case study in Kahramanmaras province of Turkey. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 11(6), 1091-1106.


31. Umesha,S., Manukumar, H.,& Chandrasekhar,B. (2018): Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, Biotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture, Chapter 3, 67-92. 


32. Vadivelu, A, Kiran, B.R. )2013(: Problems and Prospects of Agricultural Marketing in  India: an Overview, International Journal of Agricultural and Food Science, Volume 3, No 3, 108-118.


33. Zhen, L., Routray, J. K., Zoebisch, M. A., Chen, G., Xie, G., & Cheng, S. (2005): Three dimensions of sustainability of farming practices in the North China Plain: a case study from Ningjin County of Shandong Province, PR China. Agriculture, ecosystems & environment, 105(3), 507-522.


34. Zulfiqar, F., & Thapa, G. B. (2017): Agricultural sustainability assessment at provincial level in Pakistan. Land Use Policy, 68, 492-502.