Assessing the role of rural cooperatives as a way out of problems and achieving rural development Case study: Zanjan province

Authors

• Zoleikha Naderkhani ¹
• yusef ghanbari ²

¹ PHD Student in Geography and Rural Planning, University of Isfahan, Iran.

² Associate Professor Department of Geography and Rural Planning, University of Isfahan , Iran.

10.30495/jzpm.2021.24256.3591

Abstract

Cooperatives can be one of the most effective ways to solve rural problems, because it allows small farmers to increase their production, reduce production costs and earn more income by forming cooperatives. The present study aimed to investigate the rural production cooperatives of Zanjan province and the role of these cooperatives in solving rural problems. The research is applied in terms of purpose and analytical in terms of descriptive nature. The required data were collected using field method (questionnaire, observation and interview). The statistical population of the study is villages that have a rural cooperative company. The sample size was obtained using the Cochran's formula of 330 rural farming families. To design the questionnaire, three social indicators in the form of 18 indicators, economic indicators in the form of 12 indicators and environmental indicators in the form of 13 indicators were used. The reliability of the questionnaire was obtained through Cronbach's alpha 627. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and structural equations (SEM) were used in AMOS GRAPHICS and SPSS software environment. The results of structural equation analysis showed that the economic index in rural development with an impact factor of 0.53 had the highest impact and the social index with an impact factor of 0.22 had the lowest impact in rural development. In the social index, the factor of "psychological and motivational", in the economic index, the factor of "access to services and market management" and in the environmental index, the factor of "correct human management" gained the most importance and impact on rural development for rural people.

Keywords

• Rural Development
• " Production Cooperative
• " Structural Equations
• " Zanjan Province

20.1001.1.22516735.1401.12.48.7.1

---

References

• Adham Maleki, M., Khosravipour, B., Ghanian, M. (2021). "Cooperative and Agriculture Quarterly", 2, No. 10,  PP. 1-32.
• U., Inayatullah, M. ( 2013). "Challenges To The Agricultural Development In Iran", Vol. 2 , No, 10, PP. 85-91.
• Ahmet Candemir, A., Duvaleix, S., Latruffe, L. (2021). " Agricultural cooperatives and farmsustainability – a literature review, Journal of Economic Surveys", 35, No. 4, pp. 1118–1144.
• Alexander, W.G. (2009). "Cooperation in the European Market Economics ", Bombay: Asia Publishing, PP. 540-549.
• Ataei, P., Izadi, N. (2015). " Factors Affecting Rural Cooperatives Losses (A Case Study: Amirkabir Rural Cooperative in Fars Province). "Iran Agricultural Extension and Education Journal, No. 1, PP. 181- 195. (In Persian).
• Balaei, H., Movahedi, R., Nazari Kameroudi, J. (2017). "Assessment the Factors Affecting the Performance of Rural Cooperatives in Savadkooh ", Journal of Rural Research, No. 4, PP. 577-590. (In Persian).
• Briscoe, T. (2010). "Making Worker Cooperatives Effective in South Pacific", in the Journal of Pacific Countries, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, PP. 243-248.
• Baumgartner, H., Homburg, (1995) ."Applications of structural equation modelling in marketing research", A review. International Journal of Research in Marketing, No. 13, PP. 139-161.
• Behjani, M., Peishbin, S. (2022)." Investigating the effect of production cooperatives on the sustainable development of agriculture in Jahrom region"  sustainable agricultural science research, Vol. 2, No. 1 ,PP. 75-89. ( In Persian).
• Champoko, N. (2006). "Cooperatives Group Work. Cambridge", Harvard
• Deng, H., Huang, J., Xu, Z., & Rozelle , S. (2010). "Policy support and emerging farmer professional cooperatives in rural China", China Economic Review, Vol. 2, No. 4, PP. 495- 507.
• Elkington, J. (1994). "Towards the Sustainable Corporation: Win-win-win Business Strategies for Sustainable Development ", California Management Review, Vol.36, No, 2 ,PP. 90-100.
• Fonte, M. Cucco, I. (2017). "Cooperatives and alternative food networks in Italy. The long road towards a social economy in agriculture". Journal of Rural Studies, Vol. 53, PP. 291- 302.
• Farajzadeh, Z., Zarei, S., Mokhtari, S. (2016). "Microfinance and job creation in cooperatives in Fars province with emphasis on rural cooperatives: evaluating the views of cooperative members and determining factors", Village and Development, No. 2, PP. 177 -201.
• Ferdausy, S., Rahman, M. S. (2009). "Impact of Multinational Corporations on Developing Countries", Journal of Business Administration, Vol.24, No1, PP. 111-
• Ghasemi, V .(2013). "Structural Equation Modeling in Social Research Using Amos Graphics", Tehran, Sociologists Publishing.
• Garnevska, E., Liu,G., Mary Shadboltc, N, (2011),  Factors for Successful Development of Farmer cooperatives in Northwest China. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review , Vol. 14, No. 4, PP. 69-84.
• Garnevska, E., Guozhong, L., Nicola Mary, Sh. (2011). "Factors for Successful Development of Farmer cooperatives in Northwest China", International Food and Agribusiness Management Review , No.4, PP.69- 84.
• Governor of Zanjan Province, 2016.
• Gilson, R. J. (2007). "Controlling Family Shareholders in Developing Countries: Anchoring Relational Exchange". Stanford Law Review, 60, 633.
• , Kouhestani, H. (2010). "Study of the position of rural production cooperatives with agricultural products with emphasis on strategic products, a case study : Golestan Province", Journal of Cooperatives and Rural, No. 4 .5, PP. 98-79. ( In Persian).
• Hadizadeh Bazaz., M, Bouzarjomehri, Kh., Shayan, H & Noghani Dokht Bahmani , M. (2015). " Performance Evaluation of Rural Production Cooperatives on the Sustainable Agricultural Development (Case Study: Neishabour County)", Journal of Rural Research and Planning, No. 2, PP. 111-125. (In Persian).
• Haji, L., Chizari, M., Choobchian, Sh. (2015). " Perceptions of Agricultural Production Cooperative Members Regarding Sustainable Development in Naghadeh Township", Cooperatives and Agriculture, No. 15, PP. 91-117. (In Persian).
• Hazrati, M., Babaei Feini ,O. (2012). "Identifying the Factors Affecting the Deactivation of Agricultural Cooperatives Using Delphi Analysis (Case Study of Khodabandeh County), journal of Regional Planning, No. 6, PP. 91-103. (In Persian).
• Heidari Sarban, V., Ziarati, M. (2017). " Environmental and Social Factors Affecting on  Performance of Rural Productive Cooperatives in Genaveh Township", Journal of Cooperatives and Agriculture, No. 22, PP. 103-121. (In Persian).
• Heidari Sarban, V. (2006). "Establishment of Rural Production Cooperatives is a fundamental step towards achieving sustainable environmental development", Jihad, No. 275, PP. 276-275. (In Persian).
• Herbel,. D, Rocchigiani, M ., Ferrier, C. (2015). " The role of the social and organisational capital in agricultural co-operatives’ development Practical lessons from the CUMA movement", Journal of Co - Operative Organization and Management, Vol. 3, No. 1, PP. 24–31.
• ILO (International Labor Office). (2007). " Cooperative branch issues fact sheets on how cooperative contribute to addressing ILO priority issues of work”, Coop fact sheet,1: 1-2.
• Iran Statistics Center website, )2016(.
• Karim, M. H. (2015). "Rural Economy and Development", Noor Alam Publications, Tehran.
• Karbasioun, M., Mulder, M., Biemans, M. (2008), Changes and Problems of Agricultural Development in Iran. World J. Agric. Sci.,Vol. 4, No. 6, PP. 759 - 769.
• Noruzian, M., Keikha, A. A., Mohammadi, H. (2019). "Evaluating the efficiency of rural production cooperatives in Kashmar city", Journal of Space Economics and Rural Development, No.1, PP. 91-119. (In Persian).
• , M, Karim, M . H., Ghorbani, H. (2008). " Survey and survey on the problems and capabilities of the cooperative sector in Sistan and Baluchestan province", Journal of Rural and Development, Vol. 11, No. 1, PP. 101- 129. (In Persian).
• Reihani Hamedani, H., Teimori, M., Musavi, S. R., & Mostafaei, M. E. (2017). " Analysis of capabilities and regional capabilities of the cooperative sector of Hamadan province in absorption Capital from the perspective of cooperative experts", Journal of Space Economics and Rural Development, No. 26, PP. 69- 79. (In Persian).
• Ronco, M. A., Natalia. L. C. (2014). "Capital structure and financing decisions of agricultural cooperatives: Spanish evidence",Agricultural Economics Society.
• Rural Cooperative Organization of Zanjan Province (Rural Cooperatives in zanjan Province), (2016).
• Research Office of the Ministry of Cooperatives. (2008). " Law Amending Cases of the Fourth Plan Law and Economic, Social and Cultural Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Implementing the General Policies of Article(33) of the Constitution", Tehran: Office of Educational Technology Services Agriculture.
• Shabanali Fami, H., Motaghed, Mahsa., Mohammadzadeh, M., Afshari, S., and Moseib Baghaei .(2021). "Analysis of farmers' perception towards drought management strategies in small - scale agricultural exploitation units: the case study of Isfahan province)", Iran's Agricultural Economics and Development Research.
• Shook, C. L., Ketchen, D. J. Jr., Hult, G. T.M., & Kacmar, K.M. (2004). "  An assessment of the use of structural equation models in strategic management research", Strategic Management Journal, No. 25, PP. 397– 404.
• Sedighi, H., Darvishinia, A. A. (2002). " An assessment of the Success of Rural Production Cooperatives in Mazandaran Province", Iranian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, PP. 313 -323 .(In Persian).
• Sabbagh Kermani, M, Agheli, L. (2004). "The need to promote cooperatives and its position in the third economic sector", Journal of Teacher of Humanities, No. 2, PP 127-148. (In Persian).
• Shemshad, M, Malek Mohammadi, I, Hosseininia, Gh. H. (2011). "Identification and analysis of components affecting employment in natural resources cooperatives in Golestan province", Human Geography Research, No. 1, PP. 141-156. ( In Persian).
• Shahvali, M., Qaisari, M. (2011). "Determining the environmental capacity of farmers members of rural production cooperatives and the factors affecting it in Fars province", Village and Development, No. 2, PP. 31-51. ( In Persian).
• United Nations. (2007). "Developing women's entrepreneurship and e-business in green cooperatives in the Asian and Pacific region", New York.
• (1994). Sustainable human development and agriculture, New York, NY.USA.
• Werts, C. E., Linn, R. L., Joreskog, K. G. (2010). "Quantifying unmeasured variables" , Measurement in the Social Sciences (H. M. Blalock, Jr. , Ed ).