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The main objectives of this study were to explain the factors influencing the adoption and development of durum wheat cultivation in five provinces of Fars, Khuzestan, Kerman, Ilam and Tehran and to identify the challenges of cultivation of this product in Alborz province by studying the viewpoints of the main owners of pasta flour industry in the country about the quantity and quality of durum wheat produced domestically. Questionnaire was used to collect data in this study. The statistical population of this research included all wheat farmers in Alborz, Tehran, Kerman, Fars, Ilam and Khuzestan provinces. According to the Krejcie and Morgan sampling table, respondents were selected as the sample size using stratified random sampling method with proportional allocation. The Alpha Cronbach coefficient was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. The dependent variable of the first part of this study was the adoption of durum wheat cultivation which was investigated as a two-dimensional variable (adoption and non-adoption). Independent variables of this section of the study included individual, professional, and economic characteristics, social characteristics (including the degree of modernity, social communication, and degree of influence of subjective norms), and wheat farmers' perceptions toward durum wheat technology characteristics (including comparative advantage, cultivation complexity, and adaptation to the conditions). Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation, and inferential statistics including mean comparison test and logistic regression to determine predictors of durum wheat acceptance. The results of this study showed that there was a significant difference between the age, bread wheat grain yield, land ownership, and social communication of adopters and non-adopters of durum wheat cultivation. Also, there was a significant difference between adopters and non-adopters` perception regarding the comparative advantage of durum wheat cultivation over bread wheat and the compatibility of durum wheat cultivation with the region conditions at 0.05% level. The results of logistic regression showed that the variables including education level (by changing to bachelor and master levels), type of perception toward durum wheat cultivation adaptation to regional conditions, degree of modernity, respondent's social communication, and type of perceived comparative advantage explained 66.3% of the variance of the dependent variable (probability of acceptance of durum wheat cultivation) positively and directly. Challenges associated with government support and guaranteed purchases of this product are the most significant challenges faced by both adopters and non-adopters groups, inhibiting the adoption and development of durum wheat cultivation. In addition to these challenges, weak performance of extension and educational institutions has also been of great importance to adoption of durum wheat cultivation from non-adopters perception. Having no information about durum wheat and its cultivation has been mentioned as the most important reason for not cultivating this product. Finally, the results of this study are expected to be useful in developing strategies for extension and development of durum wheat cultivation. In addition, this research can be useful for breeders to breed varieties appropriate to the wheat farmers` conditions and needs. Keywords: adoption rate, durum wheat, challenges, adopters, non-adopters.
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