نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله English
نویسنده English
Abstract
Introduction
The role of nutrition in health, enhanced productivity, human learning, and its connection to economic development has been demonstrated in extensive global research. Therefore, achieving food security holds particular importance among the developmental priorities of every country. The agricultural sector bears the greatest responsibility for food production, supply, and food security. In recent years, due to the adverse effects of conventional agriculture on human health and the environment, various approaches have been adopted, one of which is the production of healthy food. However, since the production of healthy crops often faces numerous barriers, this research aims to examine the obstacles and challenges in cultivating healthy crops among orchardists in Baraftab Village, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province, and to propose solutions for the development of healthy crop cultivation in this region.
Materials and Methods
This study is applied in purpose and qualitative in research methodology. The statistical population consisted of orchardists cultivating healthy crops (oranges and tangerines) in Baraftab Village, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province (21 individuals). Using purposive sampling and continuing until theoretical saturation, 15 orchardists were selected as the sample. The content analysis method was employed using MAXQDA software to conduct the research.
Results and Discussion
The results of the content analysis revealed that, from the perspective of the orchardists, the most significant barriers to healthy crop cultivation fall into four categories: economic, technical-production, cultural-educational, and legal-institutional barriers. Economic barriers include the high cost of agricultural machinery rentals, maintenance and repair costs for tools and equipment, the lack of guaranteed pricing for healthy products, small cultivation area leading to reduced production, inaccessibility of loans and facilities for healthy crop cultivation, the high cost of necessary inputs and tools, lower marketability of healthy products due to their size, appearance, color, and shape compared to conventional products, the low income of orchardists, high energy costs, and the prevalence of subsistence farming with reduced exports. Technical-production barriers consist of low water reservoir capacity, lack of cold storage for unsold produce, non-standard water pipeline routes to reservoirs, decayed water pipes, the prevalence of diseases such as fruit cracking and fire blight, pest infestations in orchards, low organic matter content in soil, the absence of stores supplying organic and green fertilizers, traditional and manual pesticide spraying systems, challenges in transportation and marketing, the ineffectiveness of biological pest control methods, a shortage of machinery in the region, and a lack of support from the Agricultural Jahad in providing necessary equipment. Cultural-educational barriers encompass the low literacy among farmers, which hinders their understanding of extension training content, a lack of interaction between farmers and research centers, the long distance to the county Agricultural Jahad office, poor internet access, and limited farmer knowledge about healthy crop cultivation. Finally, legal-institutional barriers include the failure to obtain healthy cultivation certification, inadequate management for insuring healthy products, reduced supervision by the Agricultural Jahad compared to the initial years of healthy crop cultivation, and the low purchase prices offered by intermediaries for healthy products.
Conclusions
The research findings indicate that the cultivation of healthy crops in this region faces numerous challenges. To effectively address these barriers, a multi-faceted approach is recommended. This includes establishing associations and cooperatives to organize and support orchardists, which would be bolstered by enhancing guaranteed purchase programs and expanding insurance coverage for their products. Furthermore, providing dedicated financial credit and developing the necessary infrastructure are essential steps to facilitate the marketing and broaden the market reach for these healthy products.
کلیدواژهها English
