Perception of Pistachio Farmers with Respect to Sustainable Agriculture Practices -
A Case Study in Yazd Province, Iran

Ahmad Akhoundi¹ & Mohammad Chizari²

Tarbiat Modarres University, College of Agriculture, Agricultural Extension and Education Department, Tehran, Iran

¹ Corresponding Author: e-mail: a_akhoundi@yahoo.com
² Presenting Author: Prof. Dr. Mohammad Chizari
e-mail: Mchizari@modares.ac.ir

Abstract

As Iran addressed the goal of self-sufficiency in the production of food and fiber products, sustainable agriculture is gaining interest within Extension and the Ministry of Agriculture as a mean of achieving goal. Dependence on pesticide and insecticide imports, compounded a growing population limited arable land, and high soil erosion has led to the call for more appropriate agricultural practices. Little is known, however, about pistachio farmers perceptions regarding sustainable agriculture practices. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of pistachio farmers with respect to sustainable agriculture in Yazd province, Iran. Data were collected in 2005 through personal interviews with 377 randomly selected pistachio farmers. Major barriers hampering adoption of sustainable agriculture practices included: low level of farmer education, low extension agent knowledge with respect to sustainable agriculture, access to technology and farmers’ competencies in agricultural practices.

Keywords: perception, pistachio farmers, sustainable agriculture