Investigating Expert's Perception of Barriers to Organic Farming

The main purpose of this study was to investigate experts’ perceptions of barriers to organic farming in Ministry of Agriculture. The population of this survey consisted of the experts in department of horticultural products, ministry of agriculture in 2008-2009 (N= 160). Using Of Kerejcie and Morgan table, 113 experts were selected through stratified random sampling method. Validity of the instrument was confirmed by a panel of extension and education specialists, horticulture specialists and also organic farming specialists in Jihad-e-Agriculture ministry. The reliability was calculated using Coronbach’s Alpha (0.79 to 0.84).The findings showed that from experts’ viewpoint, among the three barriers (i.e. economic, cognitive and perception, and information), economic barrier is the most important one. Also, economic barriers have a positive and significant relationship with expert's perception of organic farming development.