Volume 14, Issue 54 (Winter 2026)
serd 2026, 14(54): 17-38 |
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Fakharian Kashani S, Javanbakht O, Hashemi Bonab S. The Role of Networking of Funds Supporting the Development of Agricultural Activities in Improving the Income Level of Rural and Nomadic Women Entrepreneurs in Urmia County. serd 2026; 14 (54) : 2
URL: http://serd.khu.ac.ir/article-1-4068-en.html
URL: http://serd.khu.ac.ir/article-1-4068-en.html
1- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
2- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. ,o.javanbakht@urmia.ac.ir
3- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
2- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. ,
3- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Abstract: (978 Views)
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the role of networking of funds supporting the development of agricultural activities in improving the income level of rural and nomadic women entrepreneurs in Urmia County.
Methods: The statistical population of the research is rural and nomadic women who are members of the microcredit fund in Urmia County. Using the Krejci and Morgan table, 182 of them were selected as the study sample. The required data was obtained by filling out the questionnaire using random sampling method. To achieve the study's goal, according to the nature of the dependent variable, which is defined as a binary variable (one for incomes higher and zero for incomes lower than the average income of the selected sample), the logit model was used. The independent variables of the model include social, educational-promotional, organizational, supra-organizational, psychological, infrastructure and supporting, political-legal, and monitoring factors, which are proposed as networking components. Finally, after estimating the logit model using EVIWES software, the marginal effects and elasticities of each independent variable were calculated using the estimated coefficients of the model.
Results: The results obtained from estimating the logit model showed that the variables of educational-promotional, monitoring, infrastructure and support, organizational, political-legal, psychological and supra-organizational factors as networking components have a significant and positive effect on the income level of women members of support funds, and social factors do not have a significant effect. Based on the calculated elasticities, with a one percent improvement in each of the mentioned factors, the income of women members of the fund will increase by 0.84, 0.9, 0.75, 0.66, 0.43, 0.92, and 0.50 percent, respectively. Also, the marginal effects showed that with a one-unit improvement in the mentioned factors, the income of rural and nomadic women increases with a probability of 0.52, 0.63, 0.44, 0.31, 0.27, 0.50, and 0.39 percent, respectively.
Conclusions: Prioritizing the impact of networking components on increasing the income of women members of support funds in Urmia County based on both elasticity and marginal effects showed that the impact of psychological, monitoring, and educational-promotional factors is greater than other components, and political and legal factors have the least impact. Therefore, efforts to improve these factors through providing educational and promotional services and holding business skill courses can be effective in the financial and economic empowerment of rural and nomadic women.
Methods: The statistical population of the research is rural and nomadic women who are members of the microcredit fund in Urmia County. Using the Krejci and Morgan table, 182 of them were selected as the study sample. The required data was obtained by filling out the questionnaire using random sampling method. To achieve the study's goal, according to the nature of the dependent variable, which is defined as a binary variable (one for incomes higher and zero for incomes lower than the average income of the selected sample), the logit model was used. The independent variables of the model include social, educational-promotional, organizational, supra-organizational, psychological, infrastructure and supporting, political-legal, and monitoring factors, which are proposed as networking components. Finally, after estimating the logit model using EVIWES software, the marginal effects and elasticities of each independent variable were calculated using the estimated coefficients of the model.
Results: The results obtained from estimating the logit model showed that the variables of educational-promotional, monitoring, infrastructure and support, organizational, political-legal, psychological and supra-organizational factors as networking components have a significant and positive effect on the income level of women members of support funds, and social factors do not have a significant effect. Based on the calculated elasticities, with a one percent improvement in each of the mentioned factors, the income of women members of the fund will increase by 0.84, 0.9, 0.75, 0.66, 0.43, 0.92, and 0.50 percent, respectively. Also, the marginal effects showed that with a one-unit improvement in the mentioned factors, the income of rural and nomadic women increases with a probability of 0.52, 0.63, 0.44, 0.31, 0.27, 0.50, and 0.39 percent, respectively.
Conclusions: Prioritizing the impact of networking components on increasing the income of women members of support funds in Urmia County based on both elasticity and marginal effects showed that the impact of psychological, monitoring, and educational-promotional factors is greater than other components, and political and legal factors have the least impact. Therefore, efforts to improve these factors through providing educational and promotional services and holding business skill courses can be effective in the financial and economic empowerment of rural and nomadic women.
Article number: 2
References
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3. Ahmadpour, A., Alizadeh, M., & Moumenihelali, H. (2015). Identifying factors affecting the rural woman's participation in educational extension programs of Jahad-Agriculture service centers (Case study: Amol County). Journal of Research and Rural Planning. 3(8), 37-49.
4. Akhter, P. (2018). A study on the factors affecting the performance of microfinance institutions in Bangladesh. Pacific Business Review International, 10(11), 124-132. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358173954
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6. Anabestani, A. A., Sedeghlo, T., & Moradi, K. (2018). Analysis of the role of entrepreneurial projects management in empowering rural women: Members of the agricultural guild system in Mahallat County. Space Economy and Rural Development, 7(23), 203-219. http://serd.khu.ac.ir/article-1-304-fa.html. (in Persian)
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13. Ghadiry Masom, M., & Ahmadi, A. (2015). The factors influencing success of micro-credit funds in the economic empowerment of rural women, Firoozkooh County. Human Geography Research Quarterly, 47(4), 759-772. (in Persian)
14. Gharehkhani, A., Mashayekh, F., & Hafezi, Sh. (2019). Investigate the relationship between the credits of non-governmental funds supporting the development of the agricultural sector and agricultural development (Case Study: Fars Province). The first national conference on humanities and development. Shiraz, Iran. (in Persian)
15. Ghasemi, M., & Yarahmadi, M. (2022). Investigating the role of the Hope entrepreneurship fund in the development of small businesses in rural areas (case study: villages of Kashmar county). Journal of Economics & Developmental Sociology, 9(1), 219-224. (in Persian)
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24. Nwachukwu, Ch., Fadeyi, O., Paul, N. & Minh Vu, H. (2021). Women entrepreneurship in nigeria: drivers, barriers and coping strategies. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Computing, Communication and Control System, I3CAC 2021, Chennai, India.
25. Qanbari; Y. & Ansari, R. (2015). Identify and Explaining the Social and Economic Factors Affecting Rural Women Empowerment (Case Study: Rostam County). Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 3(11), 1-10. (in Persian)
26. Rahmani, M., Zand Razavi, S., Rabani, A. & Adibi, M. (2008). The role of microcredit in women's empowerment: A case study of the village of Posht-e Rud Bam. Women’s Studies Sociological andPsychological, 6(3), 105-132. (in Persian) https://www.magiran.com/p691344
27. Rashem, M. H. & Abdullah, Y. A. (2018). Factors influence the growth and penetration of microfinance institutions: A case of Egypt. Academy of Accounting and Financial Studies Journal. 22(1).
28. Riahi, V., Javan, F., & Sheikhkanlu Milan, O. (2020). Analysis of the effects of Omid entrepreneurship fund on the economic development of rural settlements (case study: khoy county). Rural Development Strategies, 7(3), 267-285.
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30. Rural and Nomadic Women's Affairs Office, Ministry of Agricultural Jihad (2021). Report on the activities of the women's affairs office. Ten-year performance of the Rural Women's Microcredit Funds of the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad. (in Persian)
31. Sahu, T. N., Varuna, A. & Sudarshan, M. (2021). Effectiveness of microcredit in employment generation and livelihood transformation of tribal women entrepreneurs: Evidence from PMMY. Journal of Entrepreneurship, 22(3), 89- 118.
32. Sainz-Fernandez, I., Torre-Olmo, B, Lopez-Gutierrez,C. & Sanfilippo-Azofra,S. (2018). Development of the financial sector and growth of microfinance institutions: the moderating effect of economic growth. Sustainability, 10, 3930.
33. Sarami Foroushani, M., Farhadiyan, H. & Shabanali Fami, H. (2014). The effect of employment generation projects on empowerment of rural women's in Markazi Province. Iran. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention. 3(2), 63-68.
34. Sell, M., & Minot, N. (2018). What factors explain woman's empowerment? Decision-making among small-scale farmers in Uganda. Woman's Studies International Forum. 71, 46-55.
35. Singh, M. K. (2018). Gender and woman empowerment approaches: interventions through PRIs and GSOs in Northen India. Women's Studies International Forum. 71, 63-67.
36. Statictical Center of Iran. (2016). General results of the general population and housing census. https://amar.org.ir.
37. Statictical Center of Iran. (2022). https://amar.org.ir.
38. Taleb, M. & Najafi Asl, Z. (2007). Impacts of micro credits on economic empowerment of Iranian rural women head of households: A case study of hazrat Zeinab Kobra program in Boueen Zahra villages. Village and Development, 10(3), 1-25. (in Persian)
39. Weber, O. & Ahmad, A. (2014). Empowerment through microfinance: The relation between loan cycle and level of empowerment. World Development, 62, 75–87.
40. Aggarwal, R., Goodell, J, W., & Selleck, L. J. (2015). Lending to women in microfinance: role of social trust. International Business Review. 24, 55-65.
41. Ahmadpour, A., Abdi Tarkami, M., & Soltani, SH. (2014). Factors affecting the rural women micro credit program success in ghaem-shahr township. Co-operation and Agriculture, 12, 23-45. https://www.magiran.com/p1392140. (in Persian)
42. Ahmadpour, A., Alizadeh, M., & Moumenihelali, H. (2015). Identifying factors affecting the rural woman's participation in educational extension programs of Jahad-Agriculture service centers (Case study: Amol County). Journal of Research and Rural Planning. 3(8), 37-49.
43. Akhter, P. (2018). A study on the factors affecting the performance of microfinance institutions in Bangladesh. Pacific Business Review International, 10(11), 124-132. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358173954
44. Alaedini, P., & Jalalimosavi, A. (2010). Evaluating effectiveness of microfinance services support program and the rural women micro credit fund in Iran. Rural Development, 2(2), 61-76. (in Persian)
45. Anabestani, A. A., Sedeghlo, T., & Moradi, K. (2018). Analysis of the role of entrepreneurial projects management in empowering rural women: Members of the agricultural guild system in Mahallat County. Space Economy and Rural Development, 7(23), 203-219. http://serd.khu.ac.ir/article-1-304-fa.html. (in Persian)
46. Barimani, F., Nikmanesh, Z., & khodaverdiloo, S. (2012). Role of small size -credits regarding empowerment of rural women case study: lakestan sub- district salmas of county. Space Economy & Rural Development, 1 (1), 69-82. http://serd.khu.ac.ir/article-1-1562-fa.html. (in Persian)
47. Behzadnasab, J. (2021). Importance and capacity of supporting funds for investment development in agriculture (SFIDA) in the development of agricultural investment in iran. 10th international conference of modern research in management, economics and development. Tbilisi, Georgia. Conference ID: ICMET10. (in Persian)
48. Dayhim, H., & Vahabi, M. (2013). Women’s access to the credit of banking system. Women’s studies, 7(1), 61-87. https://jwdp.ut.ac.ir/article_11368.html. (in Persian)
49. Donou-Adonsou, F., & Sylwester, K. (2016). Financial development and poverty reduction in developing countries: new evidence from banks and microfinance institutions. Review of Development Finance, 6, 82-90.
50. Emadi, M. H. (2005). The role of microcredit in accelerating the rural development process: comparing two perspectives. Rural Development and Poverty Reduction Conference, Agricultural Bank of Tehran, Iran. (in Persian)
51. Fofana, N. B., Antonides, G., Niehof, A. & Ophem, J. A. C. (2015). How microfinance empowers women in Cote d'Ivoire. Review of Economic of the Households, 13, 1023–1041.
52. Ghadiry Masom, M., & Ahmadi, A. (2015). The factors influencing success of micro-credit funds in the economic empowerment of rural women, Firoozkooh County. Human Geography Research Quarterly, 47(4), 759-772. (in Persian)
53. Gharehkhani, A., Mashayekh, F., & Hafezi, Sh. (2019). Investigate the relationship between the credits of non-governmental funds supporting the development of the agricultural sector and agricultural development (Case Study: Fars Province). The first national conference on humanities and development. Shiraz, Iran. (in Persian)
54. Ghasemi, M., & Yarahmadi, M. (2022). Investigating the role of the Hope entrepreneurship fund in the development of small businesses in rural areas (case study: villages of Kashmar county). Journal of Economics & Developmental Sociology, 9(1), 219-224. (in Persian)
55. Gojarati, D. N. (2017). Basic Econometrics, Forth edition, McGraw-Hili Companies.
56. Golkar Fard, M., Rezaei-Moghaddam, K., & Fatemi, M. (2020). comparative analysis of entrepreneurship contexts of rural women in Fars province. Journal of Entrepreneurial Strategies in Agriculture, 6(12), 35-47. (in Persian) http://jea.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-201-fa.html
57. Handayati, P. (2015). The development model of microfinance institution to reduce poverty in rural areas in East Java. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 6(12), 85-95.
58. Hooman, H. A. (2009). Structural Equation Modeling Using LISREL Software. Third Edition, Tehran, Samt Publications. (in Persian)
59. Judge, G. G., Griffiths, W. E., Hill, R. C., Lütkepohl, H., & Lee, T. C. (1991). The Theory and Practice of Econometrics, 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons Publications.
60. Kiyani, F., & Ghanbari, Y. (2022). Analyzing the impacts of creating microfinance funds on the development of sustainable employment in rural areas (case study: Razan and Famnin cities). Journal of Geography and Regional Development, 20(2), 51-75.
61. Moll, B., Townsend, R. M., & Zhorin, V. (2017). Economic development, flow of funds, and the equilibrium interaction of financial frictions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114(24):201707055.
62. Norwood, C. (2014). Women's empowerment and microcredit: a case study from rural Chana. Journal of International Studies and Development, 4, 1-22. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280537560
63. Nwachukwu, Ch., Fadeyi, O., Paul, N. & Minh Vu, H. (2021). Women entrepreneurship in nigeria: drivers, barriers and coping strategies. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Computing, Communication and Control System, I3CAC 2021, Chennai, India.
64. Qanbari; Y. & Ansari, R. (2015). Identify and Explaining the Social and Economic Factors Affecting Rural Women Empowerment (Case Study: Rostam County). Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 3(11), 1-10. (in Persian)
65. Rahmani, M., Zand Razavi, S., Rabani, A. & Adibi, M. (2008). The role of microcredit in women's empowerment: A case study of the village of Posht-e Rud Bam. Women’s Studies Sociological andPsychological, 6(3), 105-132. (in Persian) https://www.magiran.com/p691344
66. Rashem, M. H. & Abdullah, Y. A. (2018). Factors influence the growth and penetration of microfinance institutions: A case of Egypt. Academy of Accounting and Financial Studies Journal. 22(1).
67. Riahi, V., Javan, F., & Sheikhkanlu Milan, O. (2020). Analysis of the effects of Omid entrepreneurship fund on the economic development of rural settlements (case study: khoy county). Rural Development Strategies, 7(3), 267-285.
68. Rural and Nomadic Women's Affairs Office, Ministry of Agricultural Jihad (2011). The plan to establish a support fund for the development of rural and nomadic women's activities. (in Persian)
69. Rural and Nomadic Women's Affairs Office, Ministry of Agricultural Jihad (2021). Report on the activities of the women's affairs office. Ten-year performance of the Rural Women's Microcredit Funds of the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad. (in Persian)
70. Sahu, T. N., Varuna, A. & Sudarshan, M. (2021). Effectiveness of microcredit in employment generation and livelihood transformation of tribal women entrepreneurs: Evidence from PMMY. Journal of Entrepreneurship, 22(3), 89- 118.
71. Sainz-Fernandez, I., Torre-Olmo, B, Lopez-Gutierrez,C. & Sanfilippo-Azofra,S. (2018). Development of the financial sector and growth of microfinance institutions: the moderating effect of economic growth. Sustainability, 10, 3930.
72. Sarami Foroushani, M., Farhadiyan, H. & Shabanali Fami, H. (2014). The effect of employment generation projects on empowerment of rural women's in Markazi Province. Iran. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention. 3(2), 63-68.
73. Sell, M., & Minot, N. (2018). What factors explain woman's empowerment? Decision-making among small-scale farmers in Uganda. Woman's Studies International Forum. 71, 46-55.
74. Singh, M. K. (2018). Gender and woman empowerment approaches: interventions through PRIs and GSOs in Northen India. Women's Studies International Forum. 71, 63-67.
75. Statictical Center of Iran. (2016). General results of the general population and housing census. https://amar.org.ir.
76. Statictical Center of Iran. (2022). https://amar.org.ir.
77. Taleb, M. & Najafi Asl, Z. (2007). Impacts of micro credits on economic empowerment of Iranian rural women head of households: A case study of hazrat Zeinab Kobra program in Boueen Zahra villages. Village and Development, 10(3), 1-25. (in Persian)
78. Weber, O. & Ahmad, A. (2014). Empowerment through microfinance: The relation between loan cycle and level of empowerment. World Development, 62, 75–87.
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