A Comparative Analysis of Sustainability of the Entrepreneurial Agro-Enterprises and Conventional Farming Systems in the Golestan Province

The use of Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques is increasing in the framework of Ecological Economics paradigm as well as providing new analytical tools for the practical resolution of complex problems which has become a target in this regard. In current research, a multi criteria and holistic comparison of three conventional farming systems and agro enterprises was carried out by implementing Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) due to the knowledge of experts. This two-phase research was done in order to comparative analysis of the sustainability of entrepreneurial agro-enterprises and conventional farming systems. By a three-round Delphi study, the first phase was conducted in order to identify criteria of sustainability capacities assessment of different agricultural systems. So, four alternatives and four criteria (including 27 sub criteria) were extracted. In the second phase, extracted alternatives and criteria were prioritized using AHP. Using theoretical purposeful sampling and according to the research purpose, criteria for selection of participants as key experts were identified, as: (1) Practical experience in the agricultural production and business, (2) Management and policy making experience in agricultural production and business and (3) Scientific knowledge in the field of agricultural production and business management. A total of 22 experts participated in the Delphi survey. The criteria were (1) Ecological adaptive capacity; (2) Economic value-adding capacity; (3) Adaptive management capacity; and (4) Social integration. Environmental concerns had higher priority than economic, social and managerial issues due to the criteria rankings. Based on alternatives and criteria, a three-level decision making tree was outlined. Required data was collected through pair wise comparison and 20 questionnaires were filled by a group of experts and key informants. Data analysis was done using Expert Choice 2000. According to the results, the alternatives were ranked as: (1) Agro-enterprises; (2) Agricultural Cooperatives (collective farming systems); (3) Family farming systems; (4) Agribusiness (commercial farming system), respectively. Overall, findings revealed that the sustainability capacities of agro enterprises were greater than the other three conventional farming systems in the Golestan Province.