Influences on the Implementation of Community Urban Agriculture: Insights from Agricultural Professionals

Neda Tiraieyari, Roya Karami, Robert M. Ricard and Mohammad Badsar
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Neda Tiraieyari: Institute for Social Science Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
Roya Karami: Department of Agriculture, Payame Noor University, Tehran 19395-3697, Iran
Robert M. Ricard: Department of Extension, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
Mohammad Badsar: Department of Agricultural Extension, Communication and Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan 45371-38791, Iran

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: Limited studies have investigated the relative influence of both external and internal factors in the implementation of community-based urban agriculture (UA) (ICUA). Furthermore, little research exists explaining how different mechanisms might influence urban residents’ decision to participate in UA. Our research tested the direct effect of several predictors on ICUA using structural equational modelling. In addition, we tested the mediation effect between the predictors and the ICUA that may exist as well. Results are based on data from 200 agricultural professionals in the Zanjan province in northwest Iran. We found that “personal characteristics”, “UA positive and negative consequences”, “sociocultural”, and “economic” factors affect ICUA. Among all factors, “personal characteristics” had the strongest direct effect on ICUA. The indirect model incorporating “attitude” provided support for the mediation model. We found “personal characteristics”, “UA positive and negative consequences”, and “sociocultural” influenced ICUA indirectly through “attitude.” Among all factors, “sociocultural” had the strongest indirect effect on ICUA. This information is of use to policy-makers and program planners in identifying points of policy interventions and mechanisms for promoting UA.

Keywords: agricultural professionals; influential factors; direct and indirect effects; policy and planning; urban agriculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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