Defining the optimal strategy(s) to improve the position of traditional livestock keepers in the red meat supply chain (Case study: the southwestern skirt of Zagros)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Mostafa Hashemnia ¹
• Khalil Kalantari ¹
• Ali Asadi ²
• Mehdi Ganjkhanlou ³

¹ Department of Agricultural Management and Development, Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

² Department of Agricultural Management and Development, Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

³ Animal sciences Department. faculty of Agriculture. University of Tehran. Karaj. Iran

Abstract

Keywords

• Supply chain
• Traditional livestock keepers
• Red meat
• Position

20.1001.1.20084838.1402.54.1.12.7

Main Subjects

• Agricultural Economics, Extension and Education, Development, , ....

Extended Abstract

Objectives

Considering that the most of the study population’s livelihood is livestock breeding and most of this population and livestock products of the region are related to traditional livestock keepers, analyzing their current position in the red meat supply chain and presenting a strategy to improve it, economically, socially, technically, functionally and environmentally, in addition to preventing their migration, improving their welfare, sustaining their livelihoods and sharing Fair interests of the chain between the rings will pave the way for the sustainable production of red meat.

Methods

In order to achieve the overall goal of the study, which is to provide an appropriate strategy to improve the position of traditional livestock keepers in the red meat supply chain, a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used. In the quantitative phase of the research, using proportional sampling method (multi-stage classes), information was collected from traditional sheep and goat farmers. In the qualitative phase, using Delphi and SWOT methods, deep and extensive qualitative information was extracted from the red meat supply chain specialists (including livestock experts of Agricultural Jihad centers).

Results

The results showed that traditional livestock keepers are in a very critical situation economically (27.8 out of 100) and socially (35.5 out of 100). Most of them are economically disadvantaged and the data show that they have not acquired much wealth from their place of activity and their capital is gradually declining. Socially, they had no effective leadership role in their community and their desire to continue this job was very low. Also in the SWOT analysis section, the results showed that among the strengths, the case of "high quality of produced meat (due to the grazing system and the use of medicinal plants and delicious pasture)" and among the weaknesses, the case of "low income of livestock and animal husbandry" had the higher priority. On the other hand, among the opportunity points, "much higher price of red meat in neighboring countries" and among the threatening points, "lack of proper market and large presence of middlemen" were identified as the most important external points. The results of Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) showed that among the developed strategies, the highest attractiveness was related to "knowledge-based development and injection of information and technology to increase the quality and productivity of red meat production through the use of scientific and modern methods" with an attractiveness score of 17.25 and "helping to commercializing red meat produced by traditional livestock keepers and increasing its competitiveness in global markets" with an attractiveness score of 13.08.

Discussion

As mentioned earlier, among the various indicators, the economic situation of traditional livestock keepers was at its worst. In such a way that the return on capital for them was lower than bank interest and even much lower than the interest of investment funds in the capital market (stock exchanges and securities). Their savings were also very small. On the other hand, the results of SWOT analysis showed that the most important weakness of traditional livestock keepers was the low income of livestock and animal husbandry and their most important threat was the lack of a suitable market and the widespread presence of middlemen. As a result, it seems that the choice of strategy "helping to commercializing red meat produced by traditional livestock keepers and increasing its competitiveness in global markets" shows a great deal of coordination between the results and statistics of research with the collective wisdom of experts and specialists in choosing this strategy.