سنجش سطح پايداري نظام كشت گندم در استان فارس و تعيين عوامل موثر بر آن

Measuring Sustainability Level of Wheat Cropping System in Fars Province and Determining Affecting Factors

Sustainability of wheat farming systems depends on ecological, economic and social factors. Identifying these factors can be most effective to formulate sustainable agricultural policies and strategies. The main purpose of this research project was to measure the sustainability level of wheat cultivation system in Fars Province and analyzing affecting factors. Based on this purpose literature review and expert interview were carried out to formulate indicators of measuring sustainability based on different diminutions of sustainable development, i.e. Social, economic and ecological. Statistical population of this research contains all wheat growers of Fars province. Samples were selected using random sampling method and questionnaire was used for data gathering. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by selected experts and researchers of agricultural development, and Coronbach Alpha coefficient (0.77 to 0.94) was used to confirm its reliability. Composite index of sustainability and its dimensions, after making indicators scale free by means division, was calculated by principal component method. The results of research showed that, 68.4% of the farmers were classified in unsustainable and very unsustainable category based on total composite index of sustainability. But considering economical dimension 99.44% of farmers are in the unsustainable and very unsustainable category and from the viewpoint of ecological demission, 56.41% of them were categorized as intermediately sustainable. According to the result of stepwise regression analysis, 5 variables of technical knowledge, mechanization, access to support and educational extension services and land fragmentation explained 61% of variation of dependent variable.