Maryam Mahmoudi; Mohammad Chizari; khalil kalantari; Abdolreza Roknadin Eftekhari
Abstract
Introduction
As one of the multifunctional agricultural strategies, agritourism refers to farming-related activities carried out on a working farm or other agricultural settings for recreational, tourism, and educational purposes (Arroyo et al., 2013). Despite the suitable conditions in the coastal ...
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Introduction
As one of the multifunctional agricultural strategies, agritourism refers to farming-related activities carried out on a working farm or other agricultural settings for recreational, tourism, and educational purposes (Arroyo et al., 2013). Despite the suitable conditions in the coastal provinces of the Caspian Sea, agritourism activities have not yet developed much in those areas. In this respect, the present study intended to investigate and identify the factors influencing the provision and development of tourism services by gardeners in the coastal provinces of the Caspian Sea, namely Golestan, Gilan, and Mazandaran.
Materials and Methods
The statistical population of this research included all multifunctional and monofunctional gardeners in Golestan, Gilan, and Mazandaran provinces. Using Cochran’s formula, the study calculated the sample size of monofunctional gardeners to be equal to 280 people (N=12004). A stratified random sampling method was to select the samples. Moreover, the research employed the estimation method since there was no valid data on the population size of gardeners providing agricultural tourism services (or multifunctional gardeners). For this purpose, the managers, officials, farmers, and village residents were interviewed, through which the statistical population of multifunctional gardeners was estimated to be 240 individuals. Using the Morgan sampling table, the study calculated the sample size to be 148 participants selected through convenience sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Cronbach’s alpha method was employed to calculate the reliability of the questionnaire. Considering the results of completing 30 pre-test questionnaires in Roknkola village located in Ghaemshahr city, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated to be higher than 0.7 for all sections of the questionnaire. Finally, the descriptive and inferential statistics (logistic regression test), done by SPSS software, were used to analyze the data.
Results and Discussion
This study showed that the relatively positive attitude of multifunctional gardeners providing agritourism services in their gardens towards agritourism whereas the monofunctional gardeners had a neutral perspective. The levels of knowledge and skills of monofunctional and multifunctional gardeners concerning agritourism development were moderate and high, respectively. According to the results, participation in entrepreneurship training courses, the level of knowledge and skills in agritourism development, entrepreneurial skills and spirit, and gardeners’ attitude towards agritourism explained 66.7 percent of the dependent variable (provision of agritourism).
Conclusion
According the research results, the two variables of age and income level did not significantly affect the prediction of the variable of acceptance and implementation of tourism businesses. In contrast, the farmers’ entrepreneurial knowledge and skills were found to be one of the variables influencing the acceptance and implementation of multifunctional agriculture and diversification of agricultural activities, including the provision of agritourism services. Hence, it is recommended that the entrepreneurial skills of farmers be strengthened as a creative and innovative response to environmental changes, including agricultural multifunctionality. Other recommendations are: Organizing appropriate training courses to strengthen farmers’ skills and entrepreneurial spirit using a balanced combination of human and technical communication skills; providing entrepreneurship education in school, vocational schools, and agricultural colleges in order to introduce and strengthen the concept and spirit of entrepreneurship; training the entrepreneurial workforce in cooperation with Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agricultural Jihad, and non-governmental organizations; establishing a system of incentives (esp. financial incentives) or subsidies for the farmers who have a specific business management plan; and providing financial and monetary funding for the projects with a prerequisite for entrepreneurship education.
Morteza Bazrafshan; Sahar Samani
Abstract
There is a need for supplementary income for farmers and employment creation to help alleviate poverty. Agritourism has been identified as an opportunity for growth and development as it has the potential to meet those needs. In this article, according to the literature review and opinion polls of experts ...
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There is a need for supplementary income for farmers and employment creation to help alleviate poverty. Agritourism has been identified as an opportunity for growth and development as it has the potential to meet those needs. In this article, according to the literature review and opinion polls of experts (officials, experts, and experts in agriculture and tourism), the factors affecting the development of agritourism were identified and investigated. In the initial summary, 134 indices were extracted and reduced to 34 indices during the three stages of expert opinion polling. 260 experts answered the questions in this questionnaire. According to statistical analysis using SPSS and LISREL software, research questions were analyzed and the final model of this research consists of 1. Intellectual infrastructure, 2. Physical infrastructure, 3. Institutional factors, 4. Promotion and development factors, and 5. Competitiveness factors.
Mohammad Najjarzadeh
Abstract
Agritourism has become increasingly important in recent years and differentcountries have put a lot of efforts to promote it. Experts believe that agritourismcan play an important and constructive role in sustainable agricultural andrural development as a new strategy. Accordingly, the present study ...
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Agritourism has become increasingly important in recent years and differentcountries have put a lot of efforts to promote it. Experts believe that agritourismcan play an important and constructive role in sustainable agricultural andrural development as a new strategy. Accordingly, the present study analyzes thechallenges and issues facing agritourism development in the rural areas ofShahrud city using a qualitative research design and purposive sampling. Datawere collected via holding interviews and meetings with three groups ofstakeholders (farmers, tourists and managers) based on the modified NominalGroup Technique (NGT) in the summer of 2015. The central question raised atthe meeting was: What are the challenges and issues of agritourism developmentin the rural areas of Shahrud city? According to the results, the stakeholderscategorized the challenges and issues facing agritourism development inShahrud into six groups: distance from major population resources,comprehensive national and regional policies, awareness and training,marketing, customs, and laws
