نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 گروه مدیریت و توسعه کشاورزی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشکدگان کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی دانشگاه تهران،کرج،ایران
2 گروه مدیریت و توسعه کشاورزی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشکدگان کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی دانشگاه تهران، کرج، ایران
3 گروه مدیریت و توسعه کشاورزی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشکدگان کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی دانشگاه تهران،کرج، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Grazing livestock production systems are vital for supplying animal protein, ensuring food security, and supporting sustainable livelihoods worldwide. These systems face challenges from climate change, market fluctuations, and limited natural resources. Strengthening resilience is essential for their sustainable development. This study aimed to identify mechanisms for improving resilience of grazing-based livestock systems in Kermanshah province. The statistical population consisted of 140 experts and specialists in the field of livestock management and natural resources, and was studied using a census method. Of these experts, 131 individuals (response rate of 93 percent) completed the research questionnaires. The content validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by faculty members and experts. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed with SMART-PLS software. The results showed that economic (β=0.786), environmental (β=0.652), managerial (β=0.620), legal (β=0.609), technical (β=0.587), and social (β=0.529) mechanisms had the greatest impact on resilience. The most important economic mechanisms included livelihood diversification for herders, improved access to credit, and increased insurance support, which reduce dependency, strengthen economic capacity, and protect against losses. In the environmental dimension, cultivating drought-resistant fodder and implementing watershed management operations to store rainwater were highly important. Overall, the sustainability of grazing-based livestock systems in Kermanshah requires a comprehensive and multidimensional approach. In this regard, livelihood diversification through processing industries and rural tourism, facilitating access to low-interest loans, expanding insurance services, developing drought-tolerant fodder, and implementing watershed management, along with technical training, establishing sustainable pasture regulations, and providing financial incentives to nomadic herders, are recommended.
کلیدواژهها [English]
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Livestock production systems, particularly grazing-based systems, play a vital role in providing animal protein, food security, and sustainable livelihoods for the growing global population. However, these systems face numerous challenges, including increasing demand for animal products, climate change, market fluctuations, economic instability, and limited natural resources. In such circumstances, resilience is a critical factor for the growth and sustainable development of these systems. Therefore, identifying methods and strategies to enhance resilience is essential for the sustainable development of these systems.
Materials and Methods
The present study is a type of survey research that, in terms of approach, falls under quantitative research and, in terms of purpose, is classified as applied research. The statistical population consisted of 140 experts and specialists who were selected based on criteria such as research background, executive experience, and familiarity with livestock systems using the census method. Of these experts, 131 individuals (response rate of 93 percent) completed the research questionnaire. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire administered through in-person distribution at the workplace, via email, and common messaging apps, along with explanations of the response method and research objectives to the respondents. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts in the field of Natural Resources and Livestock Management of Kermanshah Province and members of the Department of Agricultural Management and Development at the University of Tehran. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha equal to 0.89. The findings, considering the nature of the conceptual model, were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis in SmartPLS 3 software.
The statistical population of the study included 140 livestock experts and specialists who were selected based on criteria such as research background, executive experience, and familiarity with livestock systems. The data collection tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed using content validity and discriminant validity methods. Content validity was confirmed using feedback from a number of natural resources experts in Kermanshah province and faculty members of the Agricultural Management and Development Department at the University of Tehran, while discriminant validity was confirmed using the Average Variance Extracted (AVE). Additionally, the reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using Cronbach's alpha, which was above 0.7, indicating acceptable reliability of the research instrument. In this study, purposive sampling was used to collect information from the target population of livestock experts and specialists. The respondents' selection criteria were based on their work experience, expertise in grazing and rangeland-based systems, climate change, and sustainability indicators of these systems. Approximately 140 livestock experts and specialists in the province were estimated, and questionnaires were distributed. Ultimately, 131 questionnaires were collected. The software used for data analysis were SPSS27 and Smart PLS3. Data analysis was conducted using second-order confirmatory factor analysis with the Partial Least Squares (PLS2) approach.
Results and Discussion
The results of the study revealed that economic mechanisms had the highest impact (β = 0.786), followed by environmental (β = 0.652), managerial (β = 0.620), legal (β = 0.609), technical (β = 0.587), and finally social factors (β = 0.529), which had the most significant influence on the resilience of livestock systems in the province. Based on the findings, the most important sustainability mechanisms for grazing-based livestock systems in Kermanshah province were identified as economic mechanisms, including: diversifying the livelihoods of livestock farmers with a factor loading of (0.808), improving access to credit (0.775), and increasing insurance support (0.713) as key strategies. These mechanisms enhance the resilience of livestock systems by reducing dependence on a single income source, strengthening the economic capacity of livestock farmers, and protecting against losses. Environmental mechanisms, such as cultivating forage crops compatible with the region's climatic and low-water conditions (with a factor loading of 0.757) and implementing watershed management practices to store rainfall (0.754), were also identified as important factors in the sustainability of these systems. These strategies contribute to sustainable forage supply and water resource conservation. Although social mechanisms, such as the participation of livestock farmers in rangeland management projects and innovation transfer programs (0.871), ranked lower in this study, they are essential for creating a supportive social framework. Understanding these mechanisms can help develop practical solutions to improve the resilience and sustainability of these systems.
Conclusion
The results of this study indicate that the sustainability of grazing-based livestock systems in Kermanshah province requires a comprehensive and multidimensional approach. To enhance the resilience and sustainability of these systems, the following actions are proposed: diversifying the livelihoods of livestock farmers through the establishment and support of processing industries and rural tourism, facilitating access to low-interest credit and support funds during crises such as droughts, expanding insurance coverage for livestock and rangelands, promoting the cultivation of drought-resistant forage crops, and implementing watershed management practices to store rainwater. Additionally, promoting integrated crop-livestock systems, supporting cooperatives, providing technical training, developing sustainable rangeland laws, and incorporating climate considerations into regional development programs, along with financial incentives for nomadic livestock farmers, can contribute to increasing the resilience and sustainability of these systems.
Conceptualization, H.SH. F. and SH.N.; methodology, H.SH. F and SH.N.; software, H.SH. F. and SH.N.; validation, H.SH. F. and N.M.; formal analysis, H.SH. F. and SH.N.; investigation, SH.N.; resources, SH.N.; data curation, SH.N.; writing original draft preparation, H.SH. F. and SH.N. writing review and editing, H.SH. F., SH.N. and N.M..; visualization, SH.N.; supervision, H.SH. F. and N.M.; project administration, H.SH. F.; funding acquisition, H.SH. F.
The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
The authors would like to thank all participants of the present study. The Directorate of Research and Technology at the University of Tehran has also supported this research, which is highly acknowledged.
The authors avoided data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and misconduct.
The author declares no conflict of interest.
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