Presenting a Framework for Assessing Agricultural Enterprises' Sustainability in Rural Areas (Case Study: Kurdistan Province, Iran)

International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development

مقاله 10، دوره 11، شماره 1، خرداد 2021، صفحه 161-175   

نوع مقاله: Research Article

نویسندگان

Snour Ahmadi^{* 1}؛ Hossein Kouhestani²؛ Hossein Yadavar³؛ Hossein Shabanali Fami⁴؛ Azad Ahmadi⁵

¹Ph.D. in Agricultural Development, University of Tabriz, Iran

²Associate Professor in Agricultural Extension & Development, Department of Agricultural Extension & Development, University of Tabriz, Iran

³Assistant Professor in Agricultural Extension & Development, Department of Agricultural Extension & Development, University of Tabriz, Iran

⁴Professor in Agricultural Extension & Development, Department of Agricultural Development & Management, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

⁵Lecturer in Payam-e-Nour University, Department of Economy, Iran

چکیده

Nowadays, the concept of sustainability assessment in agricultural entrepreneurship is one of the most prominent research subjects among researchers and policymakers. Although there are numerous sustainability assessment frameworks for agricultural enterprises, the selection of sufficient indicators is still a matter of debate. This study aimed to fill this gap with an emphasis on applicability by adopting a descriptive-analytical survey using the Delphi method. To this end, a conceptual framework for the identification of components, criteria, and indicators of sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship was first developed. Then, a set of indices capable of signifying the status of sustainability in agricultural entrepreneurship activities in rural areas of the Kurdistan Province, Iran, were extracted using the opinions of a panel of experts, consisting of 30 local entrepreneurs, university instructors, and experts on agriculture. Data collected from the panel was analyzed by fuzzy TOPSIS, as a multi-criteria decision-making method. The results revealed the indicators of the sustainability assessment framework for agricultural enterprises in the study area. The ultimate objective of this study was to discuss and test the proposed framework to broaden its applicability to similar regions.

کلیدواژه‌ها

agricultural sustainability؛ agricultural entrepreneurship؛ sustainability assessment؛ rural development؛ Kurdistan

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