Tropentag, September 19 - 21, 2016 in Vienna, Austria "Solidarity in a competing world - fair use of resources"

Factors Affecting the Adoption and Rejection of Organic Crops in the Khuzestan, Iran

Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Dept. of Agricultural Extension and Education, Iran

Abstract

Although application of chemical inputs could affect the increase of agricultural crop yields positively, irregular usage of such inputs causes serious problems for human and environment. As such, persuasion of farmers as the key producers to organic farming in order to optimum usage of external inputs is of great importance. An organic crop is defined by the matter produced with least chemical input (fertiliser) in order to have no risk for consumers. In line with this, a study was done to investigate the factors affecting adoption and/or rejection of cultivating organic crops and to assign the best fitted model of adoption among vegetable growers in Khuzestan Province. The study was based on a survey using a non-proportional stratified random sampling in which 170 organic crop adopters as well as 170 non-adopters were selected. The needed data was gathered through a questionnaire. The results revealed that there was a significant difference between both groups in terms of using information channels and the number of visiting change agents. In addition, the adopters of organic crops had more favourite attitude towards environmental protection and low usage of chemical inputs. They, also, demonstrated more awareness of the disadvantages of conventional agriculture. The findings showed that the multiplicity model was the best fitted model which could well discriminate between adopters and non-adopters. The study recommends policy makers to apply the multi-dimensional (or multiplicity) model and to pay more attention to the quality of education and ratify the legal laws to support of organic crop producers

Keywords: Adoption, diffusion model, farm structure model, multiplicity model, organic crops

Contact Address: Masoud Yazdanpanah, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University (Khouzestan), Dept. of Agricultural Extension and Education, Ahwaz, Iran, e-mail: masoudyazdangmail.com