Sustainability indicators of Iran's developmental plans : application of the sustainability compass theory

The main purpose of this study was to analyze Iran's developmental plans in order to examine and compare their direction and conformity with the sustainable development theory via the compass of sustainability. The approach involves a content analysis used in line with qualitative research methodologies. The results indicated that, in the first developmental plans, there was no direct reference to sustainable development. In the second to fifth plans, the main focus was on the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of development; which were common elements seen in the policies of all the plans. An analysis of the fourth plan revealed that expressions related to sustainable development appeared more frequently, indicating a stronger emphasis on sustainable development by decision-makers

Factor Affecting the Sustainable Management of Agricultural Water

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting the sustainable management of agricultural water in Hamedan. The study population included all wheat farmers possessing irrigated farms in Hamedan city (N=1800). Of these farmers a sample of 317 people has been selected by using randomized multi-stage sampling method. The data were collected through a questionnaire's tool with help of the interview technique. Accuracy of the questions in the questionnaire was face validated by a panel of specialists. To test the reliability of the questionnaires, the questionnaires were first given to 30 farmers and Cronbach's Alpha was calculated (Alpha=0.92) then the questionnaire was finalized. Data analyzing methods such as Multiple Regression and the coefficient of variation (CV= standard deviation /mean) were used in this study. To determine the level of sustainability of the farms Bossel method proposed for classification and grading the fields was used. The results showed that variables agronomic factors, policy factors and institutional factors were able to explain 34 percent of the dependent variable's changes (sustainable management of agricultural water). According to the results, 95.3 percent of the farmers were categorized into unsustainable group, 4.1 percent into semi-sustainable and only 0.6 percent in sustainable group

Efficiency of Saffron Farmers in Shahyk Region of Ghaen City, Iran (Application of Data Envelopment Analysis Using the Efficient and Inefficient Frontiers)

Addressing the special conditions of saffron growing areas, and planning the optimum use of its production factors need specific attention and determination of the efficiency of saffron farms seems to be necessary. Thus, the current study attempts to measure the efficiency of saffron fields by using bounded data envelopment analysis to give an overall assessment of the performance of the farms. The necessary data was collected by interviewing and filling 36 questionnaires by the saffron farmers of the city of Ghaen, Iran and the data were analyzed by GAMS software. The results showed that average optimistic output and input oriented efficiency is 1.259 and 0.849, respectively. Also, 13.8% of the farms are located on the inefficiency frontiers. 47 percent of the farms are surrounded by efficient and inefficient frontier that reflects the overuse of inputs and potential to produce more and reduce the use of inputs. According to the results, it may be suggested that the efficient farms should be considered as a pattern and we should present training of need assessment in inefficient farms in order to enhance farmers’ efficiency with appropriate and scientific planning

Explaining Sustainability of Agricultural Exploitation System: the case of Family Farming Operating in Central District of Boyerahmad County

تحقیقات مختلف تأثیر مثبت استقرار صنایع در روستاها را بر بهبود وضعیت اقتصادی و اجتماعی نشان داده و آن را موجب توسعه مناطق روستایی و توسعه ملی عنوان می‌کنند. هدف از مطالعه حاضر بررسی تأثیر صنایع تبدیلی کشاورزی بر وضعیت زندگی روستاهای شهرستان بهار بود. تحقیق حاضر از نوع تحقیقات توصیفی و پیمایشی است. جامعه آماری، خانوارهای ساکن در روستاهای شهرستان بهار از استان همدان بود. جهت بررسی اثرات استقرار صنایع تبدیلی کشاورزی تعداد 10 روستا (پنج روستا دارای صنایع تبدیلی و پنج روستا فاقد صنایع تبدیلی) به عنوان جامعه نمونه انتخاب شدند. روش نمونه‌گیری طبقه ای چند مرحله ای با در نظر گرفتن نسبت خانوار در هر روستا بود و تعداد نمونه‌ها توسط فرمول کوکران بدست آمد (3249N= و 353n=). روایی و پایایی پرسشنامه نیز به ترتیب توسط اساتید گروه ترویج و آموزش کشاورزی و با محاسبه آلفای کرونباخ (آلفا = 899/0) تایید شد. نتایج بدست آمده حاکیست استقرار صنایع تبدیلی کشاورزی در روستاها تاثیر مثبت بر وضعیت امکانات رفاهی داشته است؛ همچنین یافته‌های تحقیق نشان داد که صنایع تبدیلی کشاورزی منجر به تفاوت معنی‌دار کیفیت زندگی در بین دو گروه روستاها شده است، به طوری که سطح کیفیت زندگی در روستاهای دارای صنایع تبدیلی بالاتر بود. نتایج تحقیق نشان داد استقرار صنایع تبدیلی در روستا منجر به رونق بخش کشاورزی و تولید محصولات مشابه صنایع تبدیلی توسط اهالی روستا  شده و همین امر، باعث بهبود وضعیت درآمد آن‌ها شده است

Identifying factors affecting optimal management of agricultural water

The main aim of this study was to explore the factors affecting optimal management of agricultural water in Hamadan’s area. The statistical population of the study included all Hamadan’s farmers. A number of 148 farmers were selected randomly through a proportional sampling method in two phases. Both questionnaire and interview techniques were used in order to collect data. The empirical and face validity of the questionnaire was verified by a panel of experts consisting of faculty members and natural resource specialists. The questionnaires’ reliability was tested by Cronbach’s Alpha technique and it was 91% (α = 0.91). In addition to quantitative methodology such as descriptive statistics and factor analysis a qualitative methodology was employed for dynamic simulation among variables through Vensim software. In this study, the factor analysis technique was used through the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett tests. From the results, four key elements were identified as factors affecting the optimal management of agricultural water in Hamedan area. These factors were institutional and legal factors, technical and knowledge factors, economic factors and social factors

Developing and Analyzing the Agricultural Water Poverty Index in West Iran

Currently 60 percent of Iran’s land is located in water-stressed regions, where Hamedan is known as a semi-arid province and is also a province with a high population concentration with a dominant agricultural economy. For analyzing human-related crises we need multidimensional measures and AWPI has a socio-economical dimension and multidimensional criteria for assessing status. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate the water resources status in the agriculture sector of Hamedan province using AWPI as a typical area in western Iran. The present applied study was conducted to evaluate the status of water poverty in the agriculture sector of Hamedan province using the Agricultural Water Poverty Index (AWPI). This index includes five components: resources, access, use, capacity, and environment. The indicators explaining each of the five components of AWPI were collected from different literature and the data were collected using databases, statistics, and the national census of 2016. A total of five principal components and 55 indicators were developed and were used to evaluate the status of water resources. The value of the composite AWPI was developed by the weighted mean of the five principal components. The data were analyzed using SPSS and GIS software. The components, criteria, and sub-criteria of AWPI were weighted using the principal components analysis. The mean AWPI for Hamedan province was 40.55, which indicates that the province is placed in the middle to high water poverty status and this poverty is mostly due to the components of resources, capacity, access, and use

Developing and Analyzing the Agricultural Water Poverty Index in West Iran

Currently 60 percent of Iran’s land is located in water-stressed regions, where Hamedan is known as a semi-arid province and is also a province with a high population concentration with a dominant agricultural economy. For analyzing human-related crises we need multidimensional measures and AWPI has a socio-economical dimension and multidimensional criteria for assessing status. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate the water resources status in the agriculture sector of Hamedan province using AWPI as a typical area in western Iran. The present applied study was conducted to evaluate the status of water poverty in the agriculture sector of Hamedan province using the Agricultural Water Poverty Index (AWPI). This index includes five components: resources, access, use, capacity, and environment. The indicators explaining each of the five components of AWPI were collected from different literature and the data were collected using databases, statistics, and the national census of 2016. A total of five principal components and 55 indicators were developed and were used to evaluate the status of water resources. The value of the composite AWPI was developed by the weighted mean of the five principal components. The data were analyzed using SPSS and GIS software. The components, criteria, and sub-criteria of AWPI were weighted using the principal components analysis. The mean AWPI for Hamedan province was 40.55, which indicates that the province is placed in the middle to high water poverty status and this poverty is mostly due to the components of resources, capacity, access, and use

Factor Affecting the Sustainable Management of Agricultural Water

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting the sustainable management of agricultural water in Hamedan. The study population included all wheat farmers possessing irrigated farms in Hamedan city (N=1800). Of these farmers a sample of 317 people has been selected by using randomized multi-stage sampling method. The data were collected through a questionnaire's tool with help of the interview technique. Accuracy of the questions in the questionnaire was face validated by a panel of specialists. To test the reliability of the questionnaires, the questionnaires were first given to 30 farmers and Cronbach's Alpha was calculated (Alpha=0.92) then the questionnaire was finalized. Data analyzing methods such as Multiple Regression and the coefficient of variation (CV= standard deviation /mean) were used in this study. To determine the level of sustainability of the farms Bossel method proposed for classification and grading the fields was used. The results showed that variables agronomic factors, policy factors and institutional factors were able to explain 34 percent of the dependent variable's changes (sustainable management of agricultural water). According to the results, 95.3 percent of the farmers were categorized into unsustainable group, 4.1 percent into semi-sustainable and only 0.6 percent in sustainable group

Environmental impact assessment and efficiency of cotton : the case of Northeast Iran

peer reviewedCotton is one of the important crops that play an important role in creating a livelihood for rural people in many parts of Iran. Cotton production necessitates a large amount of resources (e.g., fossil energy and agrochemicals, all of which have the potential to damage the environment in various ways). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the environmental effects of cotton production in the South Khorasan Province of Iran. For this purpose, life cycle assessment (LCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques have been applied to investigate the environmental impacts of cotton production. LCA is a practical method to evaluate the environment on the product flow, in which all aspects of the product life cycle are examined by a comprehensive approach. Furthermore, combining the LCA method with other managerial strategies such as DEA could allow researchers to provide decision-makers with more practical and interpretable data. The findings of the efficiency test showed that the average technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency were 0.81, 0.92, and 0.87, respectively. Respiratory inorganics (i.e., respiratory effects resulting from winter smog caused by emissions of dust, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides to air) posed the greatest environmental burden in cotton production, followed by non-renewable energy, carcinogens, and global warming. In addition, the highest effects were on human health, and then, on resources and climate change. Energy, on-system pollution, and waste played a crucial role in the environmental impacts of cotton processing. This study suggests improving farmers' knowledge toward the optimum application of chemical fertilizers, or their substitution with green fertilizers, which reduces the environmental effect of growing cotton in the area