CO - OPERATION AND AGRICULTURE (TAAVON)
Year:2018 | Volume:7 | Issue:27 |Papers Count:9

Solving problems such as the system of small land ownership, land scatteredness, lack of optimal utilization of production resources and low yield is not feasible without reforming the system of operation and its institutionalization. Accordingly, in this research, operation systems in tea growing areas of Iran (peasant, common cooperative, and commercial) were investigated. The results of analyzing the data variance and comparing the averages and the Tukey tests of nine independent variables including age, education level, ownership, tea cultivated area, tea growing income, production cost, tea field topography, irrigation, and records of tea growing activity with tea production yields (as the dependent variable) in different operation systems as well as prioritization of these systems using five indexes including yield, employment generation, fertilizer consumption, machinery utilization, and satisfaction of tea growing activity based on screening approach showed that among the three systems identified in the tea growing areas, the common cooperative system had the highest yields and could be known as the most suitable operation system in tea growing areas of the country.

The main purpose of this research was to examine the role of cooperatives functions in strengthening entrepreneurial characteristics and opportunity identification competencies of rural women in Kermanshah province. This study was conducted in a survey method using the views of 131 rural women members of rural cooperatives. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire that its validity was confirmed by a panel of experts in the field of entrepreneurship and cooperative and Cranach’ s alpha method was used to calculate the reliability of the instrument that the values obtained showed the relevance of questions and items for different sectors of the questionnaire. Based on correlation coefficients, a positive and significant correlation was found between all aspects of cooperative functions with strengthening entrepreneurial characteristics and opportunity identification competencies of rural women as two dependent variables. Regression analysis also showed that the three functions of cooperatives like market supply and development, strengthening personal motivations and capabilities, and providing capital and production infrastructure can explain 58. 2% of changes of strengthening entrepreneurial characteristics as dependent variable. Also 42. 7% of changes in rural women’ s opportunity identification competencies explained by three functions like market supply and development, providing capital and production infrastructure, and education and information related functions.

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges of cooperative development and rural organizations. The statistical population of this study consisted of 170 managers and cooperative members and experts in the rural areas of Boyer-Ahmad County who were selected by simple random sampling method. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts in the field of rural cooperatives. To determine the reliability of the research tool, a pretest study and review of the views of 27 information keys in the field were considered. The calculated Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0. 78. Factor analysis and SPSS software were used to analyze the data. In this research, 14 factors were extracted using factor analysis. These factors, according to their importance consisted of infrastructural, social capital, economic, information, selling, marketing, technical, knowledge, supportive, environmental, legal, social, managerial and individual factors, respectively, which explained 77. 67% of the total variances. Each of these factors should be considered in addressing the challenges of rural cooperatives.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of rural development cooperatives in Golestan Province using SWOT analysis. Statistical population was all of board director’ s members of 25 active cooperatives in Golestan province that 124 of them selected as the sample of the study using census method. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire that its face validity was confirmed by experts. Its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and was 0. 83, 0. 943, 0. 702 and 0. 911, respectively. The results showed that based on the final coefficients, increased participation and cooperation among members of cooperatives through public assemblies (0. 389), optimal use of existing facilities at the village level for employment (0. 379) and providing favorable conditions for paying out credit facilities (0. 376), were the most important strengths. Low capital of cooperatives (0. 242), their inability to supply the security of loan (0. 236) and lack of physical and infrastructure facilities of the cooperative for playing a proper role (0. 234), are the most important weaknesses. Exemption of cooperatives from the tax (0. 393), the possibility of their investing and participating in agricultural, developmental and educational activities (0. 376) and the possibility of using experts and graduates of the university to implement cooperative projects (0. 365), were the most important opportunity. Problems with access to loans at the right price (0. 286), weak support of banks and cooperative unions (0. 280) and problems with timely access to financial resources (0. 274), were the most important threat.

The present study examined the Water User Associations effects on the socio-economic status of farmers in Northern Khorasan Province. The statistical population was composed of 20721 people, out of which 102 villages being members of WUAs were sampled by multi-stage random sampling and 92 villages who were not members were selected according to Cochran's formula. The questionnaires validity was confirmed by a panel of experts, and its reliability was estimated to be economic variables 0. 76 and for social variables, 0. 84 by Cronbach's alpha. Results of t-test and Mann-Whitney-u test found that villages who were members of WUAs had better performance than those who were not members of these cooperatives in terms of "using advanced irrigation systems", "water use", "power savings", "the amount of investment to establish a pressurized irrigation system" and "relations with promoters and agricultural experts". Also, the average variables of cost of water supply, water disputes (dispute over water) and the desire to migrate in villages with Water User Associations are significantly less than those without cooperatives. In order to provide more satisfaction to the exploiters, it is proposed that water distribution be done without any discrimination according to the needs of the farm.

The aim of this study was identifying the factors affecting the participation of members of cooperative company in biological restoration and natural resources management projects in Lapooei village using survey method. Six hundreds households selected between 1574 active members of cooperative society as the statistical population. The sample size calculated 234 using Krejcie and Morgan table and sampled in completely randomized manner. Data collected using researcher-made questionnaire, which it's validity and stability confirmed respectively by panel of experts and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient (value greater than 0. 9). Data analysis done by SPSS and AMOS software. The results showed that the age variable had the most direct and positive effect on participation rate and job and marital status had a significant negative correlation with participation rate. Satisfaction with the implementation of previous plans, informing and advertising of the goals of the plans, and the role of people in the plans had a positive and significant effect on the level of participation. The most effective item was informing and raising awareness of people in different ways and then the objectives of the plans. All studied items had a significant positive correlation with participation rate. Ultimately, the development of the role and participation of people living in villages and have direct relation to the resources evaluated as a strong factor affecting biological restoration projects. In conclusion, raising people information about the goals and impacts of biological restoration projects has led to improvement of their participation in management and restoration plans of natural resources.

The history of local institutions in Iranian system of law is long in terms of having rules and regulations. However, achieving the desired goal has always faced various historical, political, cultural, economic and social barriers and obstacles. In the meantime, legal qualification (duties and authorities) barriers facing Islamic councils can be separately studied from the standpoint of different laws. The inherent contradiction of the principles of the Constitution in this regard, lack of having sufficient duties and authorities of councils and lack of separation of national and local affairs in ordinary law are among the most significant qualification obstacles facing urban and rural Islamic councils in Islamic Republic of Iran. In this respect, it seems necessary for the Guardian Council to provide a different interpretation of the Constitution befitting the status and dignity of Islamic councils and to employ the current capacities of councils as well as Legislature to have its efforts in enactment of appropriate laws.