Background and Objective: Agricultural Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a pivotal driver for rural development, food security, and the modernization of the agricultural sector, particularly in developing nations facing climatic and economic shifts. However, evaluating VET programs requires robust frameworks that move beyond merely descriptive or compliance-based assessments to actively inform strategic planning and resource allocation. Traditional evaluation models often fail to translate complex findings into actionable, prioritized strategies. This research aims to bridge this critical gap by developing and applying an integrated evaluation framework for program planning within the Agricultural VET system. Grounded in educational strategic management and governance theories, the study utilizes a mixed-methods SWOT-IE (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats combined with Internal-External) matrix approach to systematically identify multidimensional influencing factors and formulate operational strategies. The ultimate goal is to enhance system effectiveness, adaptability, and long-term sustainability within the specific geo-economic context of Kermanshah Province, Iran, a region characterized by a semi-arid climate, fragmented landholding structures, and a historically negligible share of agriculture in provincial skill training programs.

Research Methodology: This applied study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to ensure comprehensive data triangulation. The qualitative phase targeted managers and senior experts (inclusion criteria: minimum 8 years of experience, Master’s or Ph.D. degree). Data were gathered through 22 in-depth, semi-structured interviews until theoretical saturation was achieved. Inductive thematic content analysis was utilized to extract and categorize the initial strategic factors. In the subsequent quantitative phase, a researcher-made questionnaire was distributed to a census of 18 key macro-level decision-makers to prioritize and weight the identified factors. Instrument validity and reliability were rigorously confirmed through expert judgment and statistical tests (CVR=0.78, CVI=0.85, Cronbach's alpha=0.84, with a pilot test of 15 individuals). Data analysis followed five sequential steps: (1) factor identification, (2) Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) matrix calculation, (3) External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrix calculation, (4) Internal-External (IE) matrix positioning, and (5) strategy formulation accompanied by a sensitivity analysis (altering the weights of the top five factors by 10% to ensure the robustness and stability of the model). Final scores utilized the geometric mean of expert ratings to minimize outlier effects.

Findings: The comprehensive evaluation identified 55 key strategic factors, which were categorized into five overarching themes: Human Capital and Expertise, Infrastructure and Technology, Curriculum Alignment with the Labor Market, Management/Policymaking/Financing, and Networking/External Environment. Specifically, the analysis revealed 12 strengths (e.g., advanced regional hardware infrastructure [S4], scientific credibility of research staff [S1], and strong communication networks of Jihad-e-Agriculture centers [S11]), 19 weaknesses (e.g., absence of centralized experience-sharing structures [W1], excessive dependence on government funding limiting flexibility [W4], and outdated, theoretically dominated curricula lacking systematic needs assessment [W16]), 12 opportunities (e.g., rapid growth of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence [O3], increased public funding for foundational education [O6], and high potential for private-sector investment [O1]), and 12 threats (e.g., rising inflation increasing equipment costs [T2], macro-policy instability [T4], and the migration of skilled professionals [T11]). The IFE matrix yielded a total weighted score of 2.12 (below the 2.5 average), indicating that internal weaknesses currently dominate the system's internal environment. Conversely, the EFE matrix scored 2.90 (above 2.5), reflecting a highly favorable external environment rich in technological and investment potential. Consequently, the IE matrix positioned the agricultural educational system in the "Repositioning" (WO) strategic quadrant.

Discussion and Conclusion: The findings reveal that the system faces a "strategic agility crisis": despite operating in a favorable external environment, structural inertia, bureaucratic hurdles, and the absence of systematic, data-driven needs assessments severely hinder the optimal utilization of available resources. Occupying the WO zone indicates that the system lacks the absorptive capacity to exploit external opportunities due to internal bottlenecks. This study contributes significantly to the program evaluation literature by demonstrating how mixed-methods strategic tools can systematically translate complex evaluation outcomes into actionable, prioritized planning strategies across four patterns (SO, WO, ST, WT). To transition from a state of passive vulnerability to proactive resilience, the study proposes a localized conceptual model for agile educational governance built on four interconnected pillars: (1) Curriculum (data-driven, competency-based revision and establishment of a provincial labor market observatory), (2) Financing (implementation of hybrid Public-Private Partnership [PPP] models to reduce government reliance), (3) Structural (fostering inter-organizational network governance), and (4) Human Capital (designing structured mentoring and talent retention programs to counter elite migration). While the study acknowledges limitations such as its specific geographical focus and the perceptual nature of expert weighting, the proposed framework provides a robust, adaptable blueprint for policymakers. Future research should employ the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) for numerical strategy prioritization and conduct longitudinal studies to measure the actual impact of these interventions on graduate employability and educational return on investment.