Investigation of Farmers’ Attitude towards Establishing Farm Corporations: A Case Study of Miandarband Subdistict of Kermanshah County, Iran

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Abstract

 Farmers’ attitude towards
rural development projects in general and establishing farm corporations in
particular is vital in rural development interventions. Therefore, the purpose
of this qualitative study was to assess farmers’ attitudes toward establishing
farm corporation in Tekie and Sarabla village in Kermanshah county. Data was
gathered using focus group and deep interviews. Directed content analysis was
used to analyze qualitative data. Five categories emerged: 1) farmers’ lack of knowledge
on corporation objectives, 2) poor social relations between farmer shareholders
and corporate managers, 3) lack of farmers’ participation, 4) poor social
infrastructure, and 5) poor government policies. Moreover, two new categories
emerged using directed content analysis: 1) bad past experience with former
corporate managers, and 2) farmers’ lack of satisfaction with government
organization in the past. A new conceptual framework was developed as old
concepts fit with new concepts. In order to cross check the findings, experts
commented on the findings and the following concepts were introduced by the experts:
1) vague ownership after the death of head of household, 2) gradual diminishing
of farmers’ indigenous knowledge in farm management, 3) diminishing social
values among rural population, and 4) farmers’ migration to urban areas. The
result of this study has implications for Office of Farming Systems in that any
rural intervention in general and establishing farm corporations in particular
should consider farmer’s attitude as a human factor if rural development
interventions are to be successful.    

Keywords

Village and Development
Volume 18, Issue 3
December 2015
Pages 65-83

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