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This study was designed to analyze the sustainability trend of the apicultural industry. The present investigation was conducted with a focus on quantitative aspects and employed the methodology of quantitative-qualitative trend analysis. The statistical population consisted of all beekeepers in Iran. Using multi-stage random sampling method, 453 beekeepers were selected and studied as a sample. The primary instrument employed to gather data is a questionnaire developed by the researcher. The sustainability of Iran's apiculture industry was evaluated based on four environmental, economic, social, and institutional dimensions. The evaluation of the beekeeping industry's sustainability in terms of the environmental aspect involved the assessment of eleven criteria across two categories, both of which exhibited a declining trend. Sustainability was evaluated in the form of 24 criteria and 5 categories in the economic aspect, of which two categories had a negative trend and three categories had a positive trend. The assessment of the social aspect's sustainability was conducted through examination of 19 criteria organized into three distinct categories. These categories represented different trends: one with a negative trend category, another with a stable trend category, and the third with a positive trend category. Finally, sustainability of the institutional dimension was evaluated by 16 criteria in the form of 3 categories, and all three categories had a negative trend. Therefore, reforming the process of environmental and institutional criteria shall be of priority for the planners and policy makers of Iran's apiculture industry. The results of this study can be used as basic information in the foresight of the beekeeping industry, the preparation of the vision document, as well as the strategic planning of the development of this industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present qualitative research study was designed to identify barriers to entrepreneurship development in Iran's higher education system. The present study is applied and developmental in terms of its objective and it is descriptive case study in terms of its nature and data collection. The study population includes 45 elites, scholars, policy-makers, planners, managers, specialists, and experts endowed with expertise and experience in the subject matter of this study in Yazd province, Iran, who are selected through purposive sampling method. To collect the required data, in-depth and semi-structured interviews are performed that are continued until the achievement of theoretical saturation. Following the implementation of open and refined coding processes, findings are illustrated in a four-dimensional model. The research model is represents the upcoming context of entrepreneurship development in Iran's higher education system. Finally, causal conditions leading to such impacts, consequences, and action strategies are proposed to reduce and alleviate the given impacts.

Due to changes that have occurred in ecological conditions, the requirement to use wastewater has been considered more seriously in the agricultural sector, because agriculture is the source of human nutrition, health and security. Based on this, the purpose of this research was to systematically analysis the components affecting sustainable management of wastewater use (SMWWU) in the viewpoint of critical theory paradigm. Inductive qualitative content analysis (IQCA) was used for systematic analysis. In this regard, the software used was MAXQDA. The statistical population included valid scientific articles and knowledgeable experts in wastewater management in the agricultural sector in Tehran province, Iran. The sampling method for articles was by searching based on keywords and for experts by purposeful method until theoretical saturation was reached. The results of IQCA in the form of a model showed that the six main components "economic," "environmental," "contextual," "individual," "management and planning" and "education and extension" affect SMWWU. Each of these components also includes several factors and variables that can strengthen SMWWU and reduce the water crisis by paying attention to them. The obtained model can be used by policy makers and interested parties in making decisions and planning water protection measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the basic strategies to strengthen the sustainable livelihood of local communities against environmental crises, including climate change, is to increase the resilience of these communities against disruption and chaos created in ecological systems. therefore The present research was conducted with the goal of gardeners' sustainable livelihood resilience model to climate change in Hamadan province. The research method was descriptive-correlational and causal-relational. The statistical population included the gardeners of Hamedan province (N=53785). The sample size was 380 people using the Krejcie and Morgan table, and the stage sampling method was used. In this research, the situation of sustainable livelihood resilience model of gardeners in Hamedan province in the face of climate change was analyzed by using questionnaire tool and using statistical software SPSS22 and SMART PLS3 and the reliability and validity of the model were confirmed according to the calculated indicators. In total, based on the average of 3.22 out of 5 (sd=1.01), it can be concluded that the livelihood resilience of gardeners in the face of climate change in Hamedan province is evaluated at an average level. The results of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicate that environmental norms (β=0.691) and adaptation capacity with climate fluctuations (β=0.606) have a positive and significant effect on the resilience of sustainable livelihoods, the environmental attitude variable It has a positive and significant effect on environmental beliefs (β=0.617), place attachment has a positive and significant effect on adaptation capacity (β=0.610) and the environmental attitude of gardeners in the face of climate change (β=0.567). Also, based on the results, the variable of environmental awareness has a positive and significant effect on adaptation capacity with climate fluctuations (β=0.536) and the variable of environmental beliefs also has a positive and significant effect on environmental norms in the face of climate change (β=0.667). In total, based on the findings, 0.72 of the changes in the dependent variable of sustainable livelihood resilience are directly or indirectly explained by the independent variables of environmental attitude, environmental awareness, environmental beliefs, environmental norms, place attachment and adaptation capacity. The results of this research can be useful and practical for decision-makers in the field of agriculture, especially horticulture, from the point of view of environmental psychology. The findings of this research can be used for policy making and planning and decision-making in order to develop resilience and stabilize the livelihood of gardeners in Hamedan province in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to identify the challenges of developing and implementing a climate-smart agriculture (CSA)-based curriculum in Iran's agricultural vocational schools. It was exploratory descriptive-analytical in nature and applied in goal, in which data were collected with the library and deep interview method. The research methodology was based on grounded theory. The statistical population was composed of 16 researchers, authors, managers, and experts of the Office of Textbook Compilation of the Organization for Educational Research and Planning and the Research Center of Educational Studies. The participants were selected by the homogenous purposive sampling method. The interview with the target population continued until it reached theoretical saturation. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method. The data collected in the interviews were subjected to open, axial, and selective coding, which resulted in deriving 119 concepts and 28 categories. The results revealed a seven-dimension structure composed of the challenges related to determining educational goals, trainees, trainers' professional process, teaching methods, curriculum content selection and organization, curriculum implementation, and curriculum appraisal. The results can help the experts in the Office of Textbook Compilation experts adopt smarter policies and solutions to solve the challenges of developing and implementing a CSA-based curriculum in agricultural vocational schools in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to deal with the environmental risks caused by human behavior and change it towards sustainable pro-environmental behaviors, it is suggested to re-establish the connection between humans and the natural world. The purpose of this research was to identify the components affecting connectedness to nature (CTN) in order to strengthen conservation behaviors in the context of critical theory paradigm. To analyze the selected final articles, qualitative content analysis technique with inductive approach was used as the research method. The articles related to CTN are considered as the statistical population and sample in this technique. Selection of the article from population was fulfilled using a purposeful approach. Based on the results of content analysis, a model was developed and proposed for components affecting CTN. The results showed that the three main components including "situational-contextual (experience with nature and activities affecting CTN)", "individual (worldviews and individual factors)", and "psychological (mindfulness, identity, and empathy)" dimensions affecting CTN. Each of the sub-components also encompasses several variables that, when given attention, can enhance CTN and pro-environmental conservation behaviors. The model developed and proposed in the present study can be utilized by policymakers and stakeholders interested in facilitating change and planning for decision-making processes among natural resource users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although different worldviews have been presented to analyze the conservation behaviors of farmers, limited empirical evidence exists for the use of the economic man worldview to analyze farmers' water conservation behaviors (WCBs). Therefore, the conceptualization of farmers' water conservation behavioral intentions through the lens of this worldview was the primary objective of this survey. To this aim, the extended planned behavior theory (PBT), which is the main theory of the economic man worldview, was employed. The study population was 36183 Iranian farmers, 380 of whom were interviewed in-person in the form a cross-sectional survey research design. An estimation of sample size was performed via the Krejcie and Morgan Table. Moreover, the distribution of the sample size was carried out by a multi-stage random sampling method. Validity and reliability, which are undeniable features of questionnaires in social and psychological sciences, were examined using different quantitative and qualitative indices. The obtained results indicated that the effect of intention towards water conservation (IWC) on WCB was positive and significant. Therefore, this research supports the main assumption of the PBT and the economic man worldview. However, according to the results, the power of IWC's effect on WCB is not very significant. In addition, the variance explanation of WCB as the fundamental dependent variable is not very high. It can be mentioned that the economic man worldview has a relative and moderate power to analyze the WCBs of farmers. Hence, it is suggested that some variables, including moral norms, environmental concerns, and environmental values, are used to develop and increase the explanatory power of the PBT in future studies. This study is the first study of the applicability of the economic man approach in analyzing farmers' WCBs. It could be used to open a new research window for future and interested researchers to conduct successful interventions in the field of water conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to analyse the causal effects of place attachment (PA) on farmers' groundwater (GW) sustainability behaviour using the developed model of cultural environmental bias (CEB). The analysis unit in this descriptive and causal study was the hydrological areas of GW resources studies and Agricultural GW Users (AGWU) of agricultural wells. Causal analysis showed that place identity structure (PI) is a strong determinant of GW sustainability behaviour and has the most direct and indirect causal effect on farmers' behaviour. The fitted model of the study is a combined model that explains 47% of the variance changes in GW sustainability behaviour. This study showed that in cultural and social contexts, beliefs and norms of farmers are vital in the decisions of the agriculture sector. Farmers' place attachment affects environmental cultural beliefs and activities and their public participation for the purpose of environmental‐groundwater sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Conservation agriculture is an approach for managing agricultural ecosystems, improving productivity, increasing benefits and food security, and preserving resources and the environment. The core purpose of this study was to analyze the constructs affecting the intention to use conservation agriculture measures. For this purpose, protection motivation theory was applied as the theoretical framework. Validation of the model was done using a cross-sectional survey among Iranian farmers, and SMART PLS software was used to test the hypotheses. The results showed that the direct effects of the five constructs of perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response cost, response efficacy, and self-efficacy were significant on the intention to use conservation agriculture measures. In addition, the variables of perceived severity, response cost, and perceived self-efficacy had significant effects on the fear of not using conservation agriculture measures. The results of the bootstrapping analysis indicated that the fear of not using conservation agriculture measures significantly mediated the effects of perceived severity, response cost, and self-efficacy on the intention to use conservation agriculture. The results of the present research help to develop protection motivation theory by defining new relationships between its variables and achieving a deeper understanding of these relationships. The results also can pave the way for social and psychological interventions in the field of adopting the principles of conservation agriculture in agricultural societies. Finally, the results of this research can be used as a decision-making tool and help for users and planners of behavioral changes to better identify the focus points and necessary strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the willingness of farmers to participate in the management and conservation of the wetlands in Iran. Theoretically, our study introduces social identity models of collective action into the discourse of sustainable wetland management for the first time. The study site was Ghara Gheshlagh Wetland one of the important wetlands in northwestern Iran. The present applied research was conducted using a cross‐sectional survey. The statistical population was the farming communities around the Ghara Gheshlagh Wetland. A proportionally allocated multi‐staged stratified random sampling approach was employed to select 373 farmers as a representative sample. The data collection tool was a closed‐ended questionnaire whose validity and reliability were tested and approved. The results indicated that the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA) and the encapsulation model of social identity in collective action (EMSICA) were able to explain 0.45 and 0.40 of the variance changes in the farmers' willingness to participate in the management and conservation of the wetland. This finding reveals that the environmental and wetland policies and management practice require collective determination, formation of collective identity beliefs, and we thinking system. Therefore, the SIMCA can better assist wetland managers, policy‐makers, practitioners, and socio‐ecological intervenors than the EMSICA because of its emphasis on social identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]