Transforming date palm waste into sustainable opportunities: A SWOT analysis with stakeholder insights

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Ahwaz, I. R. Iran

2 Department of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Ahwaz, I. R. Iran

10.22099/iar.2025.51637.1651

Abstract

Each year, a substantial amount of leftover date palm material accumulates near date palm plantations in Khuzestan province, southwest Iran. This not only contributes to environmental pollution but also lacks economic benefits. To address this issue, this research explores strategies for utilizing date palm waste, incorporating insights from experts and date palm growers through a survey-based study. The study involved 91 experts from the Agricultural Jihad Organization and the Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare General Office, nine faculty members from the Date and Tropical Fruit Research Institute, and 30 members of the growers’ cooperative. Data was collected using a questionnaire structured around SWOT analysis, categorizing factors into environmental, social, and economic aspects. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to determine weighting, and the data was analyzed with SPSS, Excel, and Expert Choice software. The cumulative score of internal factors (2.685) indicated that strengths outweighed weaknesses, while the total score of external factors (2.52) showed that opportunities were more significant than external threats. Results from the internal and external matrix (IEM) analyses further emphasized the prioritization of invasive strategies. Among these, the key invasive strategies—categorized into environmental, social, and economic aspects—include establishing agricultural cooperatives to purchase palm waste and creating added value. This approach also leverages resources from local universities and research institutes, a skilled workforce in processing and supplementary industries, and the production of animal feed from palm leaves through shredding and supplementation.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Article Title [Persian]

تغییر ضایعات نخل خرما به فرصتهای پایدار: تحلیل SWOT مبتنی بر دیدگاه ذینفعان

Authors [Persian]

  • مهین اسداله پور 1
  • معصومه فروزانی 1
  • مصطفی مردانی 2
1 گروه ترویج و اموزش کشاورزی، دانشگاه کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی خوزستان، ملاثانی، اهواز، ج. ا. ایران
2 گروه اقتصاد کشاورزی، دانشگاه کشاورزی و منایع طبیعی خوزستان، ملاثانی، اهواز، ج. ا. ایران
Abstract [Persian]

سالانه حجم زیادی از ضایعات نخل خرما در محیط نخلستان‌های استان خوزستان رها شده که علاوه بر آلودگی محیط زیست، هیچ بهره‌وری اقتصادی نیز از آن‌ها صورت نمی‌گیرد. بنابراین، پژوهشی با هدف شناسایی راهبردهای استفاده از ضایعات نخل خرما از دید کارشناسان و نخل‌داران با استفاده از روش پیمایش انجام شد. پژوشه با مشارکت 91 کارشناس از سازمان جهاد کشاورزی، اداره کل تعاون، کار و رفاه اجتماعی، 9 هیات علمی از پژوهشکده خرما و میوه ­های گرمسیری و 30 نفر عضو تعاونی نخل­داران استان انجام شد. ابزار جمع‌آوری داده‌ها، پرسشنامه بود که گویه‌های آن بر مبنای تحلیلSWOT به تفکیک ابعاد زیست‌محیطی، اجتماعی و اقتصادی تنظیم شدند. وزن‌دهی بر مبنای روش AHP انجام گرفت. داده‌ها به کمک نرم‌افزارهایSPSS ، Excel وExpert Choice تجزیه و تحلیل شدند. مجموع امتیازات نهایی عوامل داخلی (2/685) حاکی از غلبه نقاط قوت بر نقاط ضعف و مجموع امتیازات نهایی عوامل خارجی (2/52) نشان دهنده غلبه فرصت­­ها بر تهدیدهای بیرونی بود. نتایج تحلیل ماتریس داخلی و خارجی (IEM)، نیز حاکی از آن بود که راهبردهای تهاجمی نسبت به سایر راهبردها در اولویت قرار دارند. براساس اولویت‌بندی راهبردها، مهمترین راهبرد تهاجمی به تفکیک ابعاد زیست‌محیطی، اجتماعی و اقتصادی به ترتیب شامل راه‌اندازی شرکت‌های تعاونی کشاورزی به منظور خرید ضایعات نخل و تولید ارزش افزوده، استفاده از پتانسیل دانشگاه­ها و مراکز تحقیقاتی استان و نیروهای متخصص صنایع تبدیلی و تکمیلی، و تهیه خوراک دام از برگ نخل با استفاده از دستگاه خردکن و افزودن مواد مکمل بودند.

Keywords [Persian]

  • درخت نخل خرما
  • تحلیل SWOT
  • توسعه پایدار
  • ضایعات کشاورزی
  • مدیریت ضایعات
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