Although agriculture has a major role in economy, in general,and employment opportunities for unemployed population,in particular, limited ability of individuals to recognize entrepreneurialopportunities in agriculture has reduced the share ofagriculture in employment. Therefore, the enhancement of opportunityrecognition skills among individuals in the agriculturesector is believed to solve unemployment challenges. Socialcapital is a rich source of information that permits the individualsto identify different combinations of the means-ends in thecreation of new products or services for a particular market.Thus, this study sought to explore the role of social capitalcomponents in agricultural entrepreneurial opportunity recognitionin Kermanshah province. The statistical population of this studyconsisted of all agricultural entrepreneurs in Kermanshahprovince (N=136), 102 of them were selected as the sample ofthe study based on Krejcie and Morgan’s sampling table andthe use of a proportional stratified sampling method. The maininstrument in this study was a questionnaire whose validity wasconfirmed by a panel of experts; its average variance wasextracted, and its discriminant validity and reliability coefficientwas established by using a Cronbach's alpha as well as thecomposite reliability index. Data were analyzed by SPSSV23and Smart PLS3 softwares. The result of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that the social capital components(strong ties and weak ties) were the main predictors of opportunityrecognition among agricultural entrepreneurs in Kermanshahprovince. Findings of this study carry important implicationsfor agricultural policy makers and educators aiming to fostergreater inclusion and cohesion, and to increase transparencyand accountability, in order to develop the recognition and exploitationof entrepreneurial opportunities in the process ofpromoting agricultural entrepreneurship. Manuscript profile

Climate change is one of the most important challenges of the current century, affecting agriculture more than other ones, an entrepreneur farmer perceives environmental challenges and changes as an opportunity. In this regard, this study aims to analyze the effects of climate change dimensions on Entrepreneurial Opportunities Recognition(EOR) intheagricultural sector of Kermanshah Province, Iran. The statistical population of the study included all entrepreneurs of the agricultural sector in Kermanshah Province, with 102 of them being selected through a simple randomization method. A researcher-made questionnaire was used as the main tool of data collection whose validity and reliability were confirmed by a panel of experts and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Kuder and Richardson formulas. The findings indicated that respondents had correctly and successfully identified existing entrepreneurial opportunities in the agricultural sector since they examined the proportion and desirability of these opportunities at a high level of possibility. Results also showed that more than half of the respondents perceived climate changes at a high level and took them into account for initiating their business. According to the results of regression analysis, climate changes dimensions (drought, dust, and temperature rise) account for 41% of variance changes in EOR in the agricultural sector of Kermanshah Province. Our findings have implications to help policymakers, planners, and managers in improving entrepreneurial opportunities and recognizing farmers’ capability. Manuscript profile