In the arid landscapes of southern Kerman Province, Iran, a pressing challenge looms over the agricultural sector: how to balance productivity with sustainability in the face of rapid population growth and environmental strain. A recent study led by Bahareh Parsa Motlagh from the Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding at the University of Jiroft sheds light on the obstacles and opportunities in achieving sustainable agricultural development through strategic crop diversification.
The research, published in the journal راهبردهای کارآفرینی در کشاورزی (translated to English as “Entrepreneurship Strategies in Agriculture”), highlights the critical role of cultivation patterns in reducing environmental costs and ensuring food security. “The advantages of cultivation patterns include reducing the consumption of fertilizers and herbicides, high efficiency of land use, and long-term profitability without the need for more financial investments,” explains Parsa Motlagh. This approach not only stabilizes yields but also opens up new market opportunities for farmers.
The study identified four key barriers to implementing effective cultivation patterns: infrastructural, educational-supportive, economic, and agricultural. Among these, infrastructural obstacles ranked highest, followed by economic and educational-supportive challenges. “Among the indicators of economic obstacles, the weak and low guarantee purchase index ranked first,” noted Parsa Motlagh, pointing to the need for better support mechanisms for farmers.
The research also revealed that farmers’ experience and customs play a significant role in their reluctance to adopt new cultivation patterns. This cultural inertia, coupled with a lack of suitable organizations for product approval and inadequate support packages, poses a substantial challenge to achieving sustainable agriculture.
The findings suggest several actionable solutions to overcome these barriers. These include providing necessary conditions for implementing appropriate cultivation patterns, determining the price and purchase of strategic products, and encouraging the practical participation of experts in the entire agricultural process. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of developing low-water plants in the region’s cultivation pattern and applying governance of water resources through smart meters.
The implications of this research extend beyond the agricultural sector, offering valuable insights for the energy sector as well. Sustainable agriculture practices can reduce the environmental footprint of food production, thereby decreasing the demand for energy-intensive inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. This, in turn, can lead to more efficient energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to broader environmental sustainability goals.
As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and food security, the findings of this study provide a roadmap for achieving sustainable agricultural development. By addressing the identified barriers and implementing the suggested solutions, policymakers, farmers, and industry stakeholders can work together to create a more resilient and prosperous future for the agricultural sector and beyond.