A Gender Sensitive Analysis Towards Organic Agriculture: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

What is it about?

This study integrates the motivating and challenging elements impacting on the implementation of organic farming practice in Iran. Analysis was based on the results of two surveys; one from organic farmers to determine motivating factors and the other from experts in organic farming to identify challenging factors. These surveys incorporated a gender perspective to enable gender comparison and analysis of the results presents a practical model to support program developers in Iranian organic agriculture. Gender comparison indicated that attitudes among farmers to organic agriculture were slightly variable according to gender; while experts’ attitudes to organic agriculture remained constant and were not influenced by gender. The practical model ranked motivating factors as husbandry, financial, healthquality of life, general and personal; and challenging factors as financial, legal, educational, and technical. Finally, several suggestions are made according to these findings.

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Why is it important?

In summary: the slight difference between male and female organic farmers’ attitudes suggests that they do not need different programs to develop the various motivational aspects of organic farming. Moreover, incentive policies aimed to develop and extend organic agriculture, regardless of gender, should focus on highlighting the financial aspect of organic agriculture. This emphasis is an obligation of extension and educational systems that was highlighted by organic experts as the most important challenge.