Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreak

ContextPresently, farmers are faced with a new crisis caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. On the one hand, they are vulnerable to such respiratory diseases due to the nature of their farming activity. On the other hand, they will definitely be influenced by the pandemic in different aspects no matte...

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Main Authors: Somayeh Moradhaseli, Pouria Ataei, Hamid Karimi, Sara Hajialiani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1018406/full
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author Somayeh Moradhaseli
Pouria Ataei
Hamid Karimi
Sara Hajialiani
author_facet Somayeh Moradhaseli
Pouria Ataei
Hamid Karimi
Sara Hajialiani
author_sort Somayeh Moradhaseli
collection DOAJ
description ContextPresently, farmers are faced with a new crisis caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. On the one hand, they are vulnerable to such respiratory diseases due to the nature of their farming activity. On the other hand, they will definitely be influenced by the pandemic in different aspects no matter if they do not contract the infection. So, this research aimed to study the vulnerability of farmers to the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe present study was conducted using the quantitative approach and a descriptive-survey methodology. The statistical population was composed of farmers in Kermanshah province, Iran (N = 126,900). The sample (n = 382) was taken by the multistage stratified sampling technique with proportional allocation. The research instrument was a self-designed questionnaire whose face and content validity was confirmed by a panel of relevant experts and its reliability was supported in a pilot test.ResultsThe main damages of the pandemic to the farmers were found to be the increased costs of production, permanent or seasonal unemployment, reduced access to crop sale markets, and reduced control over pests and diseases at farms. The results revealed that the means of environmental, agronomic-vocational, and economic vulnerability were greater than the scale mean. The results also illustrated significant differences in the means of economic, psychological-social, agronomic-vocational, and environmental dimensions of vulnerability. Among these dimensions, the variable of agronomic-vocational vulnerability had the highest mean, and the variable of psychological-social vulnerability had the lowest mean.ConclusionFarmers have been one of the groups most severely influenced and damaged by the pandemic in various aspects. In this regard, organizations and institutions in charge of different agriculture sections, especially the Office of Agricultural Extension and Education, must develop practical strategies to reduce the effect of the pandemic on the agricultural sector. Identifying the dimensions and parameters of farmers' vulnerability in the face of COVID-19 can provide new and appropriate solutions to relevant planners and policymakers.
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spelling doaj.art-aedaddf34c2044a3a78928ed395886482022-12-22T10:51:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-12-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.10184061018406Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreakSomayeh Moradhaseli0Pouria Ataei1Hamid Karimi2Sara Hajialiani3Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IranDepartment of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IranDepartment of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, IranDepartment of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, IranContextPresently, farmers are faced with a new crisis caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. On the one hand, they are vulnerable to such respiratory diseases due to the nature of their farming activity. On the other hand, they will definitely be influenced by the pandemic in different aspects no matter if they do not contract the infection. So, this research aimed to study the vulnerability of farmers to the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe present study was conducted using the quantitative approach and a descriptive-survey methodology. The statistical population was composed of farmers in Kermanshah province, Iran (N = 126,900). The sample (n = 382) was taken by the multistage stratified sampling technique with proportional allocation. The research instrument was a self-designed questionnaire whose face and content validity was confirmed by a panel of relevant experts and its reliability was supported in a pilot test.ResultsThe main damages of the pandemic to the farmers were found to be the increased costs of production, permanent or seasonal unemployment, reduced access to crop sale markets, and reduced control over pests and diseases at farms. The results revealed that the means of environmental, agronomic-vocational, and economic vulnerability were greater than the scale mean. The results also illustrated significant differences in the means of economic, psychological-social, agronomic-vocational, and environmental dimensions of vulnerability. Among these dimensions, the variable of agronomic-vocational vulnerability had the highest mean, and the variable of psychological-social vulnerability had the lowest mean.ConclusionFarmers have been one of the groups most severely influenced and damaged by the pandemic in various aspects. In this regard, organizations and institutions in charge of different agriculture sections, especially the Office of Agricultural Extension and Education, must develop practical strategies to reduce the effect of the pandemic on the agricultural sector. Identifying the dimensions and parameters of farmers' vulnerability in the face of COVID-19 can provide new and appropriate solutions to relevant planners and policymakers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1018406/fullagricultural developmentagricultural extension and education agentsCOVID-19farmers' vulnerabilityfarmers health
spellingShingle Somayeh Moradhaseli
Pouria Ataei
Hamid Karimi
Sara Hajialiani
Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreak
Frontiers in Public Health
agricultural development
agricultural extension and education agents
COVID-19
farmers' vulnerability
farmers health
title Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreak
title_full Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreak
title_fullStr Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreak
title_full_unstemmed Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreak
title_short Typology of Iranian farmers' vulnerability to the COVID-19 outbreak
title_sort typology of iranian farmers vulnerability to the covid 19 outbreak
topic agricultural development
agricultural extension and education agents
COVID-19
farmers' vulnerability
farmers health
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1018406/full
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AT hamidkarimi typologyofiranianfarmersvulnerabilitytothecovid19outbreak
AT sarahajialiani typologyofiranianfarmersvulnerabilitytothecovid19outbreak