Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis for farming system businesses management: Case of wheat farmers of Shadervan District, Shoushtar Township, Iran
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis indicates a framework for helping the researchers or planners to identify and prioritize the business goals, and to further identify the strategies of achieving them. SWOT analysis is a technique used to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of businesses. In all countries, farming practices play a vital role in food security. Population growth is the major reason for increased food demands and it puts additional pressure on the natural resource. Countries with rapid population growth face especially difficult challenges in ensuring food security. As such, SWOT analysis is used to identify strategies for agricultural development, especially in farming systems, and they help the researchers or planners to manage and prioritize them for achieving food security. The research area was located in rural areas of Shadervan district, Shouahtar Township, Iran, and the study's population comprised wheat farmers (N=1950) The sample size (n=165) was selected by random sampling. Based on the results of SWOT, strategies for farming system management were prioritized and they include: development of poor local market opportunities and infrastructure, planting of crops with high economic values, development of governmental supports, preparing strategic plans for development of organic farming, considering the quality of crops, considering farm sustainability indexes, using sustainable water resources management and development of extension programs based on farmers' needs.