Abstract

Major research for mass cultivation of medicinal plants in Iran had not been taken. In this context, review of factors affecting adoption of agricultural cultivation of medicinal plants was studied. This study has also been accomplished for the purpose of identification of socio-economic factors effective on the adoption of medicinal plants cultivation in the Eshkevarat region of Iran. A survey was conducted using a stratified random sampling to collect data from farmers of Eshkevarat region, north of Iran. The questionnaire validity and reliability were also determined to enhance the dependability of the results. The subjects under study were divided into two groups of adopters and non-adopters. A total of 50 adopters and 40 non-adopters were studied for effective factors. Results showed that the most important socio-economical factors that influence the adoption of medicinal plants cultivation in Eshkevarat region of Guilan province are marriage status, number of farm patches, yearly income from agricultural activities and utilization system.

Key words: Adoption, medicinal plants, farmers, Eshkevarat region.