Determination of Environmental Empowerment of Production Cooperative's Members and Factors Affecting it in Fars Province of Iran

Farmers empowerment is unavoidable necessity for sustainable development, thus the present survey study is carried out with the purpose to determine environmental empowerment of production cooperative’s farmers and factors affecting it in Fars province. The sample includes 150 members and non-members which are selected by stratified sampling method. Findings show that environmental empowerment of production cooperatives’ members are more than non-members which is directly and significantly related to their participation in training classes and availability of information. Availability of information and area under cultivation of crops explain environmental empowerment of production cooperative’s members. The present study recommends distribution of information and increasing farmers access to it, organization of regular environmental training based on previous activities, acknowledging the capacity and potential of areas under the coverage of cooperatives for the development of agricultural activities as means to improve environmental empowerment of production cooperative’s members.