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1977
Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural
technology in less developed countries: Iran
Jaleh Shadi-Talab
Iowa State University
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Shadi-Talab, Jaleh, "Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural technology in less developed countries: Iran " (1977).
Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 6042.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/6042
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SHADI-TALAB, Jaleh, 1945-
FACTORS AFFECTING FARMERS' ADOPTION OF
AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY IN LESS DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES; IRAN,
Iowa State University, Ph.D., 1977
Sociology, general
Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan48io6
Factors affecting farmers' adoption of agricultural
technology in less developed countries: Iran
by
Jaleh Shadi-Talab
A Dissertation Submitted to the
Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Major: Rural Sociology
Approved :
Signature was redacted for privacy.
or Work
Signature was redacted for privacy.
Signature was redacted for privacy.
For the Graduate College
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
1977
il
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1
Objectives 3
Concepts 5
Overview 6
CHAPTER-11: IRAN 7
Introduction 1
The People 8
The Government and National Policy 10
Agricultural Sector 11
Summary 26
CHAPTER III: THEORETICAL CONCEPTUALIZATION 27
Introduction 27
Antecedent Determinants 27
Individual Dimensions 32
Structural Dimensions 44
Derivation of Hypothesis 65b
/Individual Dimensions 65b
'Structural Dimensions 77
Summary 81
CHAPTER IV: METHODS AND PROCEDURES 83
Introduction 83
Development of Operational Measures 83
Statistical Techniques 152
Data Collection 155
Summary 163
CHAPTER V: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 165
Introduction 165
Test of Hypothesis 168
Individual Dimensions 168
Structural Dimensions 185
Discussion 193
Summary 216
CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSION 218
Introduction 218
Implication for Further Research 219
Implication for Action 224
iii
PAGE
CHAPTER VII: SUMMARY 239
Individual Dimensions 243
Structural Dimensions 245
Constraints to Progress Toward Full Adoption 246
Implications of the Study 246
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 248
BIBLIOGRAPHY 249
APPENDIX A 259
Definitions of Theoretical Concepts 260
APPENDIX B
We were taught to take care of our
GNP as this will take care of poverty.
Let us reverse this and take care of
poverty as this will take care of the
GNP
A1 Haq 1971
1
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
The development of agricultural technologies in the so-called
"developed countries" and their diffusion to agricultural populations in
the less developed countries has had numerous consequences on agriculture,
the economy, and the broader structure and function of the developing
countries. A significant consequence has been the sense of a profound
frustration with development planning and programs which have not been
able to eradicate world-wide poverty (Friedmann, 1974). It is therefore
not surprising that development planners have begur^ with the help of social
scientists, to search for a better understanding of the peasant's values,
his past experiences, as well as his environmental conditions including
natural resources, ecological limitations, capital resources, laws and
institutions. The process of implementing capitalistic models of develop
ment in developing countries appears to have resulted not only in a greater
dependency on foreign aid and technology, but also in an increased inequal
ity in the distribution of income among social classes. Moreover, change
agencies have encountered reluctance from peasants in the subsistence sec
tor of the economy to adopt new agricultural technologies which the
individual peasant has little certainty will work and be beneficial to him.
There has been increasing recognition that greater assistance and
resources should be devoted to improving the lot of those in the subsistence
sector, who makes up the majority of underprivileged people in the world
(Anker, 1973). McNamara (1973) has emphasized that there are no "viable
alternatives to increasing the productivity of small-scale agriculture if
2
any significant advance is to be made in solving the problems of absolute
poverty in the rural areas."
This growing emphasis is being felt by national governments of less
developed countries; some argue "the subsistence farming sector needs to
be viewed as a separate and critical development planning environment in
its own right" (Owen, 1974:30).
Iran is one of the less developed countries, where, like most of the
less developed countries, agricultural development is the predominant ele
ment of rural development.
Iran is a large country extending over 165 million hectares and is
divided into 14 provinces (1972). Vast areas are semi-arid and/or desert,
but the country still has a relatively large amount of cultivatable land
per capita. The 1966 Census reveals that the majority of the households in
the country are, in one way or another, engaged in agricultural activities.
Agriculture provides employment for slightly over three million persons, or
approximately 40 percent of the estimated labor force. This percent has
been declining steadily since the first population census in 1956, when it
was over 50 percent. The World Eank comments on these conditions:
A striking feature of this trend is that it reflects not just
a relatively slower rate of growth of employment in agricul
ture than in other sectors, but actually a decline in the
absolute number of people engaged in farming (World Bank Report
on Iran, 1970:4).
The structure of farming, particularly the land tenure system, has
undergone a profound change during the past decade. The program of land
reform was initiated in 1962 for the purposes of giving access to land
ownership to the majority of peasants who were farming the lands owned by
a small number of landlords. The effects of land reform for some peasants
3
may be considered as conducive to growth, while for others, theym ay serve
as constraints because the peasants now have a commttment to pny for IJUUI.
There is a "Rural Development Corps" similar to extension services in
other countries. One of its main purposes is to introduce new agricultural
technology to fanners and to provide necessary assistance to adopt it.
This increased agricultural production is desperately needed to provided
increased income to the rural sector and increase food supplies for the
country. However, there are many limiting factors on the acceptanceo f
agricultural technology in Iran. Some of these are social-psychological,
some sociological, some economic and some environmental. If these impedi
ments to development are to be overcome, there is a need for further
information which can help planners develop and implement appropriate
policies. The research reported in this dissertation will attempt to pro
vide some of this information.
Objectives
The purpose rf this study is to determine some of the variables which
are related to or are constraints on the adoption of agricultural technology
by a sample of Iranian farmers. This study will attempt to provide answers
to some of the following questions.
1. What attitudes do Iranian farmers have which accelerate or restrict
their adoption of agricultural technology?
a. Are they profit maximizing farmers?
b. Are they prepared to take the risk for a possible higher level
of income?
2. What knowledge do they have about the availability of inputs
Description:absolute number of people engaged in farming (World Bank Report on Iran, 1970:4). The structure of farming, particularly the land tenure system, has.
