Evaluation of farmers’ socio-economic conditions and their influence on agrobiodiversity in Gharaviz area

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of farmers’ socio-economic conditions on crop biodiversity in three villages located within the non-hunting region of Gharaviz and four villages in the surrounding area in western Iran. Information used in the study was collected during farm visits and by way of questionnaires and interviews with farmers and agricultural experts in the region. The following parameters were used for evaluations; cultivated species, area under cultivation, farmer’s age, farmers’ level of education, and sources providing a farmer’s income. Results suggested that farmers’ average age in rural areas was 50 years and in terms of gender, men accounted for more than 87% of heads of households. Farmers’ level of education in the region showed that 44% of them were illiterate and the condition was undesirable. An average size of a household in all rural areas was 5.4 persons, indicating moderately sized families. The main source of income for farmers’ families was farming, which accounted for about 75% of their total income. Animal husbandry was identified as the second most important source of income for farmers. The correlation between these parameters and biodiversity indices showed that gender, education level, household size, and the percentage of a farmer’s income from cultivation all had an effect on biodiversity indices in the area.