Abstract
Introduction
Rural areas are among the main pillars of agricultural production, food security, and sustainable development. One of the most effective ways to strengthen rural economies is the establishment and expansion of small-scale processing enterprises that add value to local agricultural and horticultural products. These businesses reduce post‑harvest losses, create rural employment, empower women, and increase household incomes by utilizing local resources. Despite the high agricultural potential of rural regions in Iran, many such enterprises remain traditional, informal, and low‑yielding. Beyza County in Fars Province is one such area, where suitable climatic, agricultural, and human capital conditions have not yet translated into dynamic rural industries. This study aims to identify, categorize, and analyze the barriers to the development of micro-scale agricultural and horticultural processing businesses in Beyza County, using a multi‑dimensional analytical approach centered on local actors’ perspectives.

Materials and Methods
This applied research employed a descriptive–analytical survey method. The statistical population consisted of all rural households engaged in small-scale agricultural and horticultural processing in Beyza County (183 units). Due to the limited population size, a census approach was adopted. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed based on a theoretical framework encompassing eight major dimensions of development barriers: technical–production, marketing and sales, financial and support-related, infrastructural and logistical, knowledge and training, institutional and administrative, socio-cultural, and environmental. The instrument included 119 Likert-scale items. Content validity was confirmed through expert judgment, and reliability was validated using Cronbach’s alpha at an acceptable level. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS through descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA was used to explore the internal structure of barriers, and CFA assessed the measurement model, construct validity, and goodness of fit.

Results and Discussion
The descriptive results indicated that 61.75% of operators were female, while 38.25% were male. The average age was 43.57 years with a mean work experience of 9.13 years. Approximately half of the respondents (51.91%) considered processing as their main occupation. The most common processing activities were raisin production and packaging (18.58%), traditional food preparation (18.03%), mushroom processing (17.49%), olive processing (15.30%), and agricultural product packaging (13.66%). Among the barrier dimensions, the Technical–Production factor had the highest mean score (3.73), followed by Financial–Support (3.60) and Infrastructure–Logistics (3.50). The Knowledge and Training dimension showed the lowest mean (3.27). Nevertheless, the mean scores across all dimensions were above 3, reflecting the existence of moderate to high levels of barriers in all areas. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed that each dimension comprised multiple sub-factors, accounting for between 66.39% and 76.41% of the total variance. For example, within the technical-production dimension, limited equipment access, inadequate technological skills, and low product standardization emerged as key constraints. In the financial–support dimension, participants highlighted high production costs, restricted access to low-interest loans, and limited supportive interventions. Infrastructural–logistical barriers were linked to insufficient cold-chain and storage facilities, poor rural transportation networks, and lack of packaging and distribution centers. Institutional–administrative barriers were mainly associated with bureaucratic complexity, unstable regulations, and uncertainty in raw material supply. Confirmatory factor analysis verified the eight-dimensional measurement model, with acceptable model fit indices (χ²/df < 3, RMSEA < 0.08, GFI > 0.9), confirming construct validity, reliability, and discriminant convergence. The findings reveal that these barriers are systemic and intertwined, reflecting weaknesses at individual, institutional, and structural levels that together form an incomplete rural entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Conclusions
The results suggest that small-scale agricultural and horticultural processing enterprises in Beyza County face multi-layered, interrelated, and persistent challenges that limit their development potential. Overcoming these barriers requires coherent and integrated policy actions rather than isolated or short-term programs. At the macro level, policies should focus on clarifying regulations, simplifying administrative procedures, providing targeted financial support, and designing fiscal incentives for small-scale processors. At the meso level, local and regional authorities should establish shared rural processing centers, improve basic physical and service infrastructures, and develop market access platforms for rural producers. At the micro level, it is essential to enhance farmers’ and entrepreneurs’ technical and managerial skills, provide continuous consultancy and innovation support, strengthen local social networks, and particularly empower women’s participation in rural business activities. Incorporating green technologies, waste management, and eco-friendly production practices can further contribute to both economic and environmental sustainability. The study concludes that the long-term success of small-scale processing enterprises depends on strengthening the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem, promoting synergistic cooperation among public, private, and community actors, and grounding development policies on an evidence-based understanding of real local constraints.