Volume 12, Issue 2 (12-2025)
J Entrepreneurial Strategies Agric 2025, 12(2): 129-143 |
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Alahdini Vandi A, Bagheri A, Soleymanipour A. (2025). Factors Influencing the Sociocultural Empowerment of Rural Women in the Production and Processing of Medicinal Plants. J Entrepreneurial Strategies Agric. 12(2), 129-143. doi:10.61882/jea.2025.439
URL: http://jea.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-439-en.html
URL: http://jea.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-439-en.html
1- Department of Economic, Social, and Agricultural Extension Research, Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Isfahan, Iran
2- Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (178 Views)
Background: Given the significant potential of Iran's agricultural sector—particularly in the cultivation of medicinal plants—empowering rural women in this field can serve as an effective strategy for improving their socioeconomic status. However, few studies have specifically addressed this issue. This study aims to investigate factors influencing the cultural, social, and economic empowerment of rural women engaged in the production and processing of medicinal plants in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province.
Methods: This research employed a descriptive-survey methodology. The statistical population consisted of rural women in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. A sample of 209 individuals was selected based on Bartlett’s table and considering a 1% margin of error. Stratified sampling with proportional allocation was used to distribute the questionnaires. The main data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with 27 items. Its content validity was confirmed by university faculty members and experts from research institutions and executive organizations. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The main items were measured using a five-point Likert scale (1 = Very Low to 5 = Very High). Independent variables included economic empowerment, participation, and the role of cooperative funds, awareness, and training, governmental support, local support, and infrastructural access. All these variables were ordinal and measured using the same five-point Likert scale. Additionally, age, education, occupation, and land ownership were included as control variables. The dependent variable—sociocultural empowerment—was measured using six Likert-scale items. The average score of each respondent on the items related to each variable was used to form that variable. The final analysis was performed using ordinal logistic regression in SPSS.
Results: Analysis of the demographic characteristics showed that the majority of respondents (40.2%) were aged between 20 and 30 years, and most were housewives (42.1%). In terms of education, 35.3% held a completed high school diploma. Regarding land ownership, 49.8% owned between 3 and 4 hectares of farmland. Only 13.6% of participants demonstrated a high level of cultural, social, and economic empowerment. Influential factors were identified based on the literature and tested in the model. The ordinal logistic regression model, selected based on a significant chi-square statistic (χ² = 184.767, p < 0.01), was fitted to the data. The results showed that the variable participation had a significant and positive relationship with empowerment (regression coefficient = 1.06, p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 2.89—indicating that a one-unit increase in participation raises the odds of higher empowerment by nearly 2.9 times. Awareness and training also had a positive and significant effect (regression coefficient = 0.698, p < 0.01), with an odds ratio of 2.00, meaning that a one-unit increase in awareness doubles the odds of higher empowerment. Governmental support had a significant effect (coefficient = 0.999, p< 0.01), increasing the odds of higher empowerment by 2.7 times. Local support was also found to be significant (coefficient = 0.469, p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 1.6 (60% increase). The other variables did not show statistically significant effects.
Conclusion: Rural women's empowerment plays a key role in achieving sustainable rural development. Given the remarkable potential of the agricultural sector, especially in the field of medicinal plants, empowering rural women in this domain can effectively enhance their socioeconomic conditions. The findings indicate that participation, awareness and training, governmental support, and local support significantly influence the cultural, social, and economic empowerment of women active in the medicinal plant value chain. Promoting participation and knowledge significantly increases the likelihood of higher empowerment levels. Moreover, state and local support play critical roles in creating equal opportunities. Based on the results, it is recommended to establish local councils of women active in medicinal plant production, offer skill-based training through specialized centers, create microcredit lines dedicated to rural women for purchasing processing equipment, and develop a localized monitoring system for women's empowerment in collaboration with agricultural and provincial institutions. Additionally, increasing women’s participation in local and national decision-making processes can boost their self-confidence and empowerment. Targeted educational programs should aim to raise awareness in various aspects of medicinal plant production and processing. Government and non-governmental organizations must also ensure sufficient budget allocation for these empowerment initiatives. Finally, the design and implementation of programs must consider the specific needs and conditions of different groups of rural women, and the effectiveness of such programs should be continuously monitored and evaluated for improvement.
Methods: This research employed a descriptive-survey methodology. The statistical population consisted of rural women in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. A sample of 209 individuals was selected based on Bartlett’s table and considering a 1% margin of error. Stratified sampling with proportional allocation was used to distribute the questionnaires. The main data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with 27 items. Its content validity was confirmed by university faculty members and experts from research institutions and executive organizations. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The main items were measured using a five-point Likert scale (1 = Very Low to 5 = Very High). Independent variables included economic empowerment, participation, and the role of cooperative funds, awareness, and training, governmental support, local support, and infrastructural access. All these variables were ordinal and measured using the same five-point Likert scale. Additionally, age, education, occupation, and land ownership were included as control variables. The dependent variable—sociocultural empowerment—was measured using six Likert-scale items. The average score of each respondent on the items related to each variable was used to form that variable. The final analysis was performed using ordinal logistic regression in SPSS.
Results: Analysis of the demographic characteristics showed that the majority of respondents (40.2%) were aged between 20 and 30 years, and most were housewives (42.1%). In terms of education, 35.3% held a completed high school diploma. Regarding land ownership, 49.8% owned between 3 and 4 hectares of farmland. Only 13.6% of participants demonstrated a high level of cultural, social, and economic empowerment. Influential factors were identified based on the literature and tested in the model. The ordinal logistic regression model, selected based on a significant chi-square statistic (χ² = 184.767, p < 0.01), was fitted to the data. The results showed that the variable participation had a significant and positive relationship with empowerment (regression coefficient = 1.06, p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 2.89—indicating that a one-unit increase in participation raises the odds of higher empowerment by nearly 2.9 times. Awareness and training also had a positive and significant effect (regression coefficient = 0.698, p < 0.01), with an odds ratio of 2.00, meaning that a one-unit increase in awareness doubles the odds of higher empowerment. Governmental support had a significant effect (coefficient = 0.999, p< 0.01), increasing the odds of higher empowerment by 2.7 times. Local support was also found to be significant (coefficient = 0.469, p < 0.05), with an odds ratio of 1.6 (60% increase). The other variables did not show statistically significant effects.
Conclusion: Rural women's empowerment plays a key role in achieving sustainable rural development. Given the remarkable potential of the agricultural sector, especially in the field of medicinal plants, empowering rural women in this domain can effectively enhance their socioeconomic conditions. The findings indicate that participation, awareness and training, governmental support, and local support significantly influence the cultural, social, and economic empowerment of women active in the medicinal plant value chain. Promoting participation and knowledge significantly increases the likelihood of higher empowerment levels. Moreover, state and local support play critical roles in creating equal opportunities. Based on the results, it is recommended to establish local councils of women active in medicinal plant production, offer skill-based training through specialized centers, create microcredit lines dedicated to rural women for purchasing processing equipment, and develop a localized monitoring system for women's empowerment in collaboration with agricultural and provincial institutions. Additionally, increasing women’s participation in local and national decision-making processes can boost their self-confidence and empowerment. Targeted educational programs should aim to raise awareness in various aspects of medicinal plant production and processing. Government and non-governmental organizations must also ensure sufficient budget allocation for these empowerment initiatives. Finally, the design and implementation of programs must consider the specific needs and conditions of different groups of rural women, and the effectiveness of such programs should be continuously monitored and evaluated for improvement.
Keywords: Rural women’s empowerment, Medicinal plants, Governmental support, Local support, Sociocultural aspects, Women's education, Rural development
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
هنجارهای اجتماعی و فرهنگی
Received: 2025/01/17 | Accepted: 2025/05/26
Received: 2025/01/17 | Accepted: 2025/05/26
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