Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 عضو هیات علمی/دانشگاه بو علی سینا
2 Bu-Ali Sina University
3 Agricultural Extension and Education Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
Abstract
Rural women need empowerment in various dimensions., as an effective group in rural communities development. The present study aims to examine the educational empowerment of rural women and the educational, promotional, economic, and social factors affecting it in the context of sustainable agriculture, conducted in the year 2023. The statistical population studied consists of 2,054 rural women from 12 villages in Islamabad Gharb County, who are directly involved in agricultural activities. From those, 324 individuals were selected as the samples using Morgan's table during a simple random method. This applied research is correlational-causal and conducted through a survey using a questionnaire. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts, and the average variance extracted (AVE) was validated at 0.613. The reliability of the questionnaire was measured based on ordinal Alpha (ranging from 0.75 to 0.93) and composite alpha (ranging from 0.78 to 0.94) through a pre-test process. Data analysis was performed using the statistical software SPSS Ver. 23, Smart PLS 3, and statistical methods like correlation and confirmatory factor analysis. The results of the extracted beta coefficients from path analysis based on the PLS output showed that economic factors, extension education factors, governmental and organizational factors, and social capital had the highest impact on the educational empowerment of rural women, with coefficients of 0.303, 0.280, 0.277, and 0.271, respectively. It needs to motivate rural women through workshops and supportive-motivational programs, encourage their self-organization, and enhance their knowledge and attitudes regarding sustainable agriculture and food security.
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