A Proposed Model for Organic Rice Farming in Rural Areas of Guilan and Mazandaran Provinces

Organic farming is an alternative farming system for the production of healthy food free of synthetic substances. In Iran, organic farming is practiced in some areas over the past few years; a case in point is rice. The organic farming of this product has expanded in Guilan and Mazandaran provinces.
The main objective of this study was to examine the status quo of organic rice farming in these two provinces and to design an appropriate model for extending and developing this practice and product. A quantitative survey method has been deployed for the study, using descriptive, analytical and correlational methods for interpreting the results. Interviews were carried out with 211 rice producers in Guilan and Mazandaran provinces. Questionnaires were used to collect the required data.
Results show that the economic factor has the biggest influence in adoption or rejection of organic farming, and the most important obstacles to organic farming are lack of financial support from the government and high cost of controlling pests. Based on the study results, the most appropriate model for developing organic farming in rice cultivation is establishing institutions through participatory approaches, with an emphasis on small scale farmers, thus enabling a more collective and institutional engagement in the practice for more resource-poor farmers.