فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

This empirical study investigates the critical nexus between agricultural marketing systems and the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) among smallholder farmers in rural Iraq. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the research integrated quantitative surveys of 300 farmers with qualitative data from 30 key informant interviews and six focus group discussions across the provinces of Babil, Wasit, and Diwaniyah. Findings reveal a predominance of small-scale, fragmented landholdings with high livelihood dependency on farming and limited formal education. The marketing landscape is characterized by a heavy reliance on inefficient traditional channels, with 67% of farmers using them, with significant structural constraints including price volatility, high transaction costs, and substantial post-harvest losses (20-25%). Regression analysis established a statistically significant positive relationship (p < 0.05) between marketing efficiency and SAPs adoption, indicating that farmers with better market linkages (e.g., through cooperatives) were more likely to adopt practices such as crop diversification and water-efficient irrigation. Thematic analysis highlighted the underutilized potential of farmer cooperatives, which were hampered by weak institutional frameworks despite their recognized role in reducing costs and improving bargaining power. The study concludes that market access is not merely an economic conduit but a pivotal enabling condition for sustainability transitions. The study advocates for policy that reframes agricultural marketing as a core component of sustainable development strategy