Why Do They Want to Migrate from Rural Areas? A Psychological Perspective from Iran

While migration is a basic element of population dynamics in most societies, in Iran, rural-urban migration is a particular concern of both social scientists and policy makers. Rural-urban migration accounts for over half of the growth of most Iranian cities. On the other hand, this movement is often cited as having negative effects on rural area, including a shortage of supply of agricultural labor. It is becoming common to blame rural-urban migration among young people on factors such as education and employment opportunities. This research examines the psychological factors influencing the intentions and decisions of rural young people aiming to migrate to Khuzestan Province. This study used the extend theory of planned behaviour. A questionnaire was developed using the latent variables of attitude,subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, behavioural intention, community satisfaction, and youth personal characteristics. The face and content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts. The questionnaire’s internal reliability was investigated using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. All scales indicated a good-toexcellent reliability index (0.75–0.85). Samples of young people were identified through a multi-stage, stratified random sampling strategy from two groups (young people who are ‘well educated’ and those who were not). A total of 163 valid questionnaires were analyzed. Our results showed that adding community satisfaction as additional construct to the original theory of planned behavior could significantly increase the explanatory power of the basic model. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that attitude, perceived behaviour control, as well as community satisfaction can predict 51.3% of variances in migration intentions

Impact of Social Media on Perceptions and Use of Renewable Energy Sources

Social media plays an important role in increasing knowledge, attitudes and acceptance of renewable energy. This study used modified EPPM and extended information adoption model to investigate the effect of social media on information adoption and use of renewable energy. The statistical population of the study includes Instagram users who have followed the pages related to solar energy. The questionnaire was randomly distributed among potential respondents using an online survey platform and 173 completed questionnaires were collected. The results of structural equations modeling (SEM) of modified EPPM showed that trust in information obtained from social media regarding renewable energy affects the perceived severity and susceptibility of the consequences of using conventional energy/fuels. Also, the results of SEM of the extended information adoption model indicate that the argument quality as a central path has a positive and direct effect on the perceived usefulness information. Also, the source credibility as a peripheral path indirectly affect perceived usefulness of information via changing attitudes toward information. In addition, based on the findings, perceived usefulness has both a direct impact on information adoption, as well as has indirect effect on information adoption via trust mediation. As both studies have shown; Trust in the source of information plays a key role in improving the impact of information on people's lifestyles. Therefore, it is necessary for environmental policymakers to use trusted media to lead people to do environmental behaviors

Investigating the Adoption of Precautionary Behaviors Among Young Rural Adults in South Iran During COVID-19

COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge for public health worldwide. Reducing the incidence of the disease requires protective measures to prevent virus transmission. Understanding those factors influencing preventive behavior is the first step in preventing the spread of the disease. This study investigates factors affecting youth intention and preventive behaviors in the face of COVID-19 through the health belief model by using a cross-sectional survey collected through an online questionnaire. The sample comprises 304 rural youth in South Iran who were selected through a random sampling technique. The results reveal that perceived severity, perceived benefits, public health beliefs, perceived self-efficacy, and the cue to act positively and significantly affect preventive behaviors. The model explains 59% of variance changes in rural youth preventive behaviors during COVID-19. Cue to action is the strongest and self-efficacy was the weakest determinant of youth's preventive behavior. This study confirms that the HBM framework has appropriate predictive power and is an effective tool for investigating preventive behaviors during COVID-19. These results provide important policy implications for the development of policies that aim to avoid the further spread of COVID-19 between young citizens.Peer Reviewe

Integrated food-based multi-actor approach to combat malnutrition

Despite initial progress, overall development toward zero hunger is not promising. Combating all forms of malnutrition is a complex challenge that requires complex answers from the local to global scales. To support a common understanding and to develop a joint approach that adequately addresses these challenges, an expert panel discussion was organized during the “Nutrition for Growth Summit Tokyo” on (7–8) December 2021 entitled “Multi-sectoral systems approach to holistically tackle malnutrition” upon which this article is based. We highpoint the requirement for actual access to ideas that move beyond the abstract and mostly figurative acknowledgment of the importance of bringing all actors together to combat malnutrition. Four entry points for a food-based multi-sectoral system approach to holistically tackle the burden of malnutrition were agreed upon. These entry points are not discrete, single entities but rather require integrated approaches. While we argue for an integrated approach building on all four interlinked components, it is important to note that the degree of each component's integration is context-dependent and that the examples presented as possible implementation strategies do not apply to all countries alike.Peer Reviewe

Investigating the Adoption of Precautionary Behaviors Among Young Rural Adults in South Iran During COVID-19

COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge for public health worldwide. Reducing the incidence of the disease requires protective measures to prevent virus transmission. Understanding those factors influencing preventive behavior is the first step in preventing the spread of the disease. This study investigates factors affecting youth intention and preventive behaviors in the face of COVID-19 through the health belief model by using a cross-sectional survey collected through an online questionnaire. The sample comprises 304 rural youth in South Iran who were selected through a random sampling technique. The results reveal that perceived severity, perceived benefits, public health beliefs, perceived self-efficacy, and the cue to act positively and significantly affect preventive behaviors. The model explains 59% of variance changes in rural youth preventive behaviors during COVID-19. Cue to action is the strongest and self-efficacy was the weakest determinant of youth's preventive behavior. This study confirms that the HBM framework has appropriate predictive power and is an effective tool for investigating preventive behaviors during COVID-19. These results provide important policy implications for the development of policies that aim to avoid the further spread of COVID-19 between young citizens

Why Have Economic Incentives Failed to Convince Farmers to Adopt Drip Irrigation in Southwestern Iran?

Sustainable water usage is an important global concern and an urgent priority, especially in dryland regions such as Iran. The Iranian government is actively addressing the challenge of water scarcity by encouraging farmers to adopt new water application technology. Its main element to decrease water consumption is to encourage new irrigation systems, in particular drip irrigation. However, despite the benefits of drip irrigation technologies and the availability of generous government subsidies, adoption rates of the improved irrigation technology remain critically low among Iranian farmers. Therefore, this study seeks to determine what is limiting the uptake of improved irrigation technology in Iran. While it is well known that acceptance of new technology ultimately depends on multiple and interrelated factors, we examine those factors affecting farmers’ adoption from three theoretical perspectives in the adoption literature: farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, social capital, and technology characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in Behbahan district in Khuzestan province in southwest Iran. The sample comprises 174 farmers who adopted drip irrigation in that region and 100 non-adopters who were located in the same region. Discriminant analysis reveals that a socio-economic approach is the strongest model to predict adoption of drip irrigation technology in the study area, followed by models of technical characteristics, and social capital. These results can help agricultural extension agents and policy-makers design appropriate and effective strategies that facilitate the adoption of drip irrigation at an increasing rate

Personal and Professional Mitigation Behavioral Intentions of Agricultural Experts to Address Climate Change

Mitigation activities, whether at the personal level relating to lifestyle or on the professional level, especially in the agriculture sector, are widely encouraged by scientists and policymakers. This research empirically analyses the association between agricultural experts’ perceptions about climate change and their intention to implement climate change mitigation. Based on survey data, individuals’ reported intention to implement personal and professional mitigation behavior is explained using a conceptual model. The structural equation modeling results suggest that the new ecological paradigm (NEP), institutional trust, and risk salience indirectly influence climate change mitigation intentions. The findings indicate that risk perception, personal efficacy, responsibility, belief in climate change occurring, and low psychological distance trigger a significantly greater intention to support personal and professional mitigation behaviors. However, the research framework is much stronger at predicting the intention to mitigate climate change in professional affairs compared to personal activities. The findings suggest that hypothetical distance factors only have a moderating effect on the relationship between higher climate change environmental values, institutional trust, risk salience, and mitigation intention. This paper analytically explores the regulating role of risk perception, hypothetical distance, personal efficacy, and responsibility between institutional trust, risk salience, and the NEP as independent concepts and intention to personal and professional mitigation behaviors as dependent variables. The findings of the study have important implications for encouraging personal and professional mitigation behaviors

Shaping farmers’ beliefs, risk perception and adaptation response through Construct Level Theory in the southwest Iran

Due to the severe effects of climate change on the agricultural sector, urgent action is required on the part of farmers and is, indeed, critical to reducing climate change impacts. However, reports globally revealed farmers' engagement in climate change adaptation is still insufficient, ambivalent, and inconsistent and farmers do not consider adaptation to be urgent. Researchers have argued that this issue is rooted in psychological biases beside other factors. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate how psychological distance determines climate change beliefs, risk perception and adaptation strategies among Iranian farmers. A cross-sectional paper-based survey was conducted in the Dasht-e Azadegan county of Khuzestan province in southwest Iran. The study sample consisted of 250 farmers selected through a multi-stage random sampling process. An expert panel review and a pilot study were conducted to confirm convergent validity and reliability of the scales. The results confirm that all four dimensions of psychological distance influence water management adaptation strategies and non-farm activities. Moreover, all psychological dimensions, except the temporal dimension, affect adaptation in farming management. Thus, making climate change more proximal to decision makers could be a strategic way of encouraging individuals to take adaptive actions. This study emphasizes that concepts of psychological distance can be applied to help organizations (e.g., agriculture extension services) to understand farmers' risk perceptions and responses to climate change impacts and improve risk communication to better engage farmers in climate action

Comparison of different modern irrigation system adopters through socio-economic, innovation characteristics and social capital values

Diffusion of modern irrigation systems is one of the most important objectives of Iranian water policies targeting the sustainable use of water resources to resolve the water crisis. Despite considerable policy support, high subsidization, and a range of benefits, farmers have only minimally adopted modern irrigation systems in most parts of Iran. Therefore, the water crisis persists in almost all parts of the country. Thus, decision makers must recognize why diffusion of these systems has not been successful among farmers despite strong financial and political support. The aim of the current study was to investigate differences between adoption groups of modern irrigation systems and more critically whether the aspects affecting approval were altered by ongoing diffusion prejudiced by policy support. In other words, we explored the postponement of adoption among the early and the later adopters of modern irrigation systems and aimed to identify reasons behind different adoption behaviors. To achieve these aims, we developed a research framework of adoption that integrates multiple theories. In addition to the already established measures (human and physical capital), the current study integrated social capital and technology characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Behbahan district in Khuzestan province southwest Iran. A total of 274 farmers were interviewed, of which 100 farmers had not and 174 farmers had adopted modern irrigation systems. A multinomial logit model was applied by using STATA14 to identify the most effective factors for farmers’ adoption decisions. We distinguished four groups; three consisted of adopters (early, middle, and late adopters) and a fourth group of non-adopters who did not accept modern irrigation technologies. The study found that farmers’ delayed adoption of drip irrigation technologies was due to the complexity of the application process and the availability of family and work social capital. Additionally, the study suggested that improved trust in institutions could increase the likelihood of earlier adoption of these technologies. The results also revealed divergent perspectives among pioneer (early adopters), follower (middle adopter), and laggard (late adopter) farmers regarding the adoption of drip irrigation technologies

Integrated food-based multi-actor approach to combat malnutrition

Despite initial progress, overall development toward zero hunger is not promising. Combating all forms of malnutrition is a complex challenge that requires complex answers from the local to global scales. To support a common understanding and to develop a joint approach that adequately addresses these challenges, an expert panel discussion was organized during the “Nutrition for Growth Summit Tokyo” on (7–8) December 2021 entitled “Multi-sectoral systems approach to holistically tackle malnutrition” upon which this article is based. We highpoint the requirement for actual access to ideas that move beyond the abstract and mostly figurative acknowledgment of the importance of bringing all actors together to combat malnutrition. Four entry points for a food-based multi-sectoral system approach to holistically tackle the burden of malnutrition were agreed upon. These entry points are not discrete, single entities but rather require integrated approaches. While we argue for an integrated approach building on all four interlinked components, it is important to note that the degree of each component's integration is context-dependent and that the examples presented as possible implementation strategies do not apply to all countries alike