Introduction
The agricultural sector plays a critical role in ensuring food security, energy, and socio-economic development (Prasad Sharma, 2022). In Iran, small-scale farming is dominant, with over 85% of farmers managing less than two hectares of land (Shabanali Fami & Mo'taqed, 2021). Despite its significance, smallholder agriculture in Iran faces severe challenges in accessing financial services, hindering productivity and sustainable rural development (World Bank Group, 2024; IFAD, 2016). The novelty of this research lies in systematically identifying and prioritizing the multifaceted challenges of financing small-scale agriculture in Iran using both literature analysis and expert interviews, offering a comprehensive insight previously unexplored in the Iranian context.
2- Materials and Methods
This study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a systematic literature review of 52 scientific documents and semi-structured interviews with 36 experts in agricultural economics and policy. Thematic analysis was applied using MAXQDA 2020 software, categorizing challenges into policy institutions, financial markets, and farmers' socio-economic characteristics. Additionally, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed for prioritizing identified challenges, ensuring robust decision-making support. Data sources include scientific papers, government reports, and official statistics, focusing on variables related to institutional barriers, financial instruments, risk management, and farmers' financial literacy.
3- Results and Discussion
The study concludes that micro-agricultural finance in Iran is undermined by a multi-layered institutional failure rather than mere resource scarcity. Prioritized findings reveal that macro-level policy deficiencies, specifically the inadequacy of targeted support mechanisms and resulting structural resource misallocation, constitute the primary barrier. This is closely followed by the structural asymmetry of financial instruments at the intermediary level, which are designed for large-scale operations and lead to financial exclusion for smallholders.
4- Suggestion
These findings carry critical policy implications across three institutional spheres. Strategic action by the Central Bank and Parliament must focus on collateral framework reform (accepting non-formal collateral) and synchronizing loan repayment schedules with agricultural production cycles.