Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 MSc Student in Agricultural Extension and Education (Agricultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship), Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Rural Development, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
3 Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Rural Development, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran.
Abstract
Despite the critical importance of agriculture in ensuring food security and sustainable development, there is significant concern regarding the cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset among the young generation engaged in this sector—particularly in regions characterized by unique socio-economic conditions, such as Khuzestan Province. Accordingly, this causal-correlational study, employing a mixed-methods research design, investigates the relationships among individual skills; self-efficacy; learning environment, and entrepreneurial intention among students of agricultural vocational high schools in Khuzestan Province during the 2024–2025 academic year. The statistical population comprised 2,476 students from 13 agricultural vocational schools across the province’s counties; using Cochran’s formula, a sample of 385 students was selected via cluster sampling. The research instrument was a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire. Its face validity was confirmed through expert consultation with specialists in agricultural extension and education. Convergent validity was established by calculating factor loadings and Average Variance Extracted, while discriminant validity was verified using both the Fornell-Larcker criterion and the HTMT index. Reliability was assessed using Composite Reliability and Ordinal Theta coefficient, both yielding acceptable values. Collected data were processed and analyzed using descriptive statistics, the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test, and PLS-SEM in SPSS and SmartPLS software. SEM results revealed that all individual skills exert a positive and statistically significant effect on self-efficacy. Furthermore, both self-efficacy and the learning environment significantly influenced entrepreneurial intention. However, the direct effect of the learning environment on self-efficacy was not statistically significant. Findings indicate that entrepreneurial intention among agricultural students stems from a complex interplay between individual and environmental factors.
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