Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural technology in less developed countries: Iran PDF
Preview Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural technology in less developed countries: Iran
Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1977 Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural technology in less developed countries: Iran Jaleh Shadi-Talab Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at:https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of theSociology Commons Recommended Citation Shadi-Talab, Jaleh, "Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural technology in less developed countries: Iran " (1977). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 6042. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/6042 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please [email protected]. 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University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor. Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road. Tyler's Green High Wycombe. Bucks. England HPIO 8HR 77-29,868 SHADI-TALAB, Jaleh, 1945- FACTORS AFFECTING FARMERS' ADOPTION OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; IRAN, Iowa State University, Ph.D., 1977 Sociology, general Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan48io6 Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural technology in less developed countries: Iran by Jaleh Shadi-Talab A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department: Sociology and Anthropology Major: Rural Sociology Approved : Signature was redacted for privacy. or Work Signature was redacted for privacy. Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Graduate College Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1977 il TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1 Objectives 3 Concepts 5 Overview 6 CHAPTER-11: IRAN 7 Introduction 1 The People 8 The Government and National Policy 10 Agricultural Sector 11 Summary 26 CHAPTER III: THEORETICAL CONCEPTUALIZATION 27 Introduction 27 Antecedent Determinants 27 Individual Dimensions 32 Structural Dimensions 44 Derivation of Hypothesis 65b /Individual Dimensions 65b 'Structural Dimensions 77 Summary 81 CHAPTER IV: METHODS AND PROCEDURES 83 Introduction 83 Development of Operational Measures 83 Statistical Techniques 152 Data Collection 155 Summary 163 CHAPTER V: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 165 Introduction 165 Test of Hypothesis 168 Individual Dimensions 168 Structural Dimensions 185 Discussion 193 Summary 216 CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSION 218 Introduction 218 Implication for Further Research 219 Implication for Action 224 iii PAGE CHAPTER VII: SUMMARY 239 Individual Dimensions 243 Structural Dimensions 245 Constraints to Progress Toward Full Adoption 246 Implications of the Study 246 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 248 BIBLIOGRAPHY 249 APPENDIX A 259 Definitions of Theoretical Concepts 260 APPENDIX B We were taught to take care of our GNP as this will take care of poverty. Let us reverse this and take care of poverty as this will take care of the GNP A1 Haq 1971 1 CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION The development of agricultural technologies in the so-called "developed countries" and their diffusion to agricultural populations in the less developed countries has had numerous consequences on agriculture, the economy, and the broader structure and function of the developing countries. A significant consequence has been the sense of a profound frustration with development planning and programs which have not been able to eradicate world-wide poverty (Friedmann, 1974). It is therefore not surprising that development planners have begur^ with the help of social scientists, to search for a better understanding of the peasant's values, his past experiences, as well as his environmental conditions including natural resources, ecological limitations, capital resources, laws and institutions. The process of implementing capitalistic models of develop ment in developing countries appears to have resulted not only in a greater dependency on foreign aid and technology, but also in an increased inequal ity in the distribution of income among social classes. Moreover, change agencies have encountered reluctance from peasants in the subsistence sec tor of the economy to adopt new agricultural technologies which the individual peasant has little certainty will work and be beneficial to him. There has been increasing recognition that greater assistance and resources should be devoted to improving the lot of those in the subsistence sector, who makes up the majority of underprivileged people in the world (Anker, 1973). McNamara (1973) has emphasized that there are no "viable alternatives to increasing the productivity of small-scale agriculture if 2 any significant advance is to be made in solving the problems of absolute poverty in the rural areas." This growing emphasis is being felt by national governments of less developed countries; some argue "the subsistence farming sector needs to be viewed as a separate and critical development planning environment in its own right" (Owen, 1974:30). Iran is one of the less developed countries, where, like most of the less developed countries, agricultural development is the predominant ele ment of rural development. Iran is a large country extending over 165 million hectares and is divided into 14 provinces (1972). Vast areas are semi-arid and/or desert, but the country still has a relatively large amount of cultivatable land per capita. The 1966 Census reveals that the majority of the households in the country are, in one way or another, engaged in agricultural activities. Agriculture provides employment for slightly over three million persons, or approximately 40 percent of the estimated labor force. This percent has been declining steadily since the first population census in 1956, when it was over 50 percent. The World Eank comments on these conditions: A striking feature of this trend is that it reflects not just a relatively slower rate of growth of employment in agricul ture than in other sectors, but actually a decline in the absolute number of people engaged in farming (World Bank Report on Iran, 1970:4). The structure of farming, particularly the land tenure system, has undergone a profound change during the past decade. The program of land reform was initiated in 1962 for the purposes of giving access to land ownership to the majority of peasants who were farming the lands owned by a small number of landlords. The effects of land reform for some peasants 3 may be considered as conducive to growth, while for others, theym ay serve as constraints because the peasants now have a commttment to pny for IJUUI. There is a "Rural Development Corps" similar to extension services in other countries. One of its main purposes is to introduce new agricultural technology to fanners and to provide necessary assistance to adopt it. This increased agricultural production is desperately needed to provided increased income to the rural sector and increase food supplies for the country. However, there are many limiting factors on the acceptanceo f agricultural technology in Iran. Some of these are social-psychological, some sociological, some economic and some environmental. If these impedi ments to development are to be overcome, there is a need for further information which can help planners develop and implement appropriate policies. The research reported in this dissertation will attempt to pro vide some of this information. Objectives The purpose rf this study is to determine some of the variables which are related to or are constraints on the adoption of agricultural technology by a sample of Iranian farmers. This study will attempt to provide answers to some of the following questions. 1. What attitudes do Iranian farmers have which accelerate or restrict their adoption of agricultural technology? a. Are they profit maximizing farmers? b. Are they prepared to take the risk for a possible higher level of income? 2. What knowledge do they have about the availability of inputs
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