Spatial Analysis of Fig Product Value Chain Performance in Rural Areas of Kohmareh District, Kohchenar County

1.Introduction
Agriculture plays a vital role in the rural economy and supports other sectors by providing livelihoods, food, raw materials, and labor. This sector is closely interlinked with social, political, environmental, cultural, and economic processes, significantly influencing the spatial evolution of rural settlements. In Iran, agriculture holds a large share of GDP, non oil exports, employment, and food supply. However, a lack of coordination among producers, consumers, input suppliers, and logistics systems has resulted in inefficiencies in production and marketing, as well as inequitable benefit distribution along the agricultural value chain. The agricultural value chain encompasses various stages—from on farm production to final consumption—each adding value to the product. Proper development of this chain can ensure fair benefit distribution, increase rural income, reduce poverty, enhance processing and storage industries, and minimize waste. Conversely, neglecting value chains can reduce investment, limit job creation, and hinder rural development. Within Iranian agriculture, horticulture is an essential sub sector that contributes notably to food security and rural livelihoods. Owing to its diverse climatic and geographical conditions, Iran ranks among the world’s top producers of horticultural crops. Among these, figs occupy a special place both nationally and globally; Iran holds the world’s fifth position in fig production, with Fars Province serving as the country’s primary production hub. In the Kohmereh District, despite the high potential for fig cultivation, challenges such as insufficient communication infrastructure, limited farmer knowledge, and restricted access to financial resources have impeded the development of a robust fig value chain. Farmers in this area largely act as raw product suppliers, gaining minimal benefit from value added processes. Accordingly, the purpose of this research is to examine the performance of the fig value chain and its spatial distribution across the villages of Kohmereh District, to identify challenges, and to propose solutions for improvement.
 

Methodology

This study adopts a practical orientation with a descriptive–analytical approach to investigate the fig value chain. Data were collected using both documentary and survey methods. In the documentary section, indicators and relevant components were extracted from academic articles, books, and official reports. In the survey section, data were collected through structured questionnaires designed with relative quantitative scales. The data were organized across five spatial levels: village, district, city, province, and national level. Because the numerical data ranged from 0 to 100 (percent), each value was divided by 100 to produce a standardized range from 0 to 5. Questionnaire validity was verified by a panel of professors and agricultural experts, while reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for each link in the value chain, all of which fell within acceptable limits. The normality of the data was tested through skewness and kurtosis values. Statistical analyses—including one sample t tests, ANOVA, and Duncan post hoc tests—were performed using SPSS software. Spatial analysis and mapping of the value chain performance were conducted using ArcMap and the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation method.
 

Findings

A one‑sample t‑test was applied to assess the performance of the fig value chain at the village level. A fixed mean of 3 was set as the threshold value: average scores above 3 indicated good performance, whereas those below 3 indicated poor performance. Results show that Input supply performed relatively well (mean = 3.260); Production performed strongly (mean = 4.060); Processing and storage (mean = 2.231), marketing and sales (mean = 2.466), and consumption (mean = 2.542) all exhibited weak performance.
The overall mean performance of the fig value chain was 2.912, signifying generally unfavorable performance across the study area. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) confirmed statistically significant differences in value‑chain performance among the studied villages (p < 0.05). Duncan’s post‑hoc test stratified the villages into four performance levels:

Level 1 (weakest performance): Imamzadeh Pir‑Abwalhasan, Upper Papun, Lower Papun, Gargdan
Level 2 (moderate‑low performance): Mordak, Chekak
Level 3 (average performance): Abul Hayat
Level 4 (strong performance): Baghistan Abul Hayat, Dosiran, Baghistan Kandaei

Spatial analysis of the value‑chain performance revealed that areas within Kohmereh District display varying agricultural and horticultural conditions. The eastern and southeastern regions—including Baghistan Kandaei, Dusiran, and Baghistan Abul Hayat—benefit from mountainous topography, favorable climate, adequate rainfall, and fertile soil, resulting in strong horticultural output, particularly figs. The northern and central regions, such as Abul Hayat, Chekak, and Mordak, exhibit moderate yields and engage simultaneously in horticultural and agricultural activities. By contrast, the western and southern plains perform poorly, focusing more on general crop cultivation than horticulture.
 

Discussion and Conclusion

Agriculture and related enterprises—particularly those organized within food value chains—play a pivotal role in increasing agricultural productivity and product value while strengthening linkages between agricultural and non agricultural sectors. Farmers face multiple constraints at different stages of the value chain, and smallholders in particular require structured value chain management to capture greater benefits. In Fars Province, and especially in the Kohmereh region, the fig value chain holds major economic and social importance. The study findings indicate a contrast among value chain components: input supply and production perform satisfactorily, whereas processing, storage, marketing, and consumption remain weak. This imbalance limits farmers’ participation in value added activities, allowing middlemen to capture a disproportionate share of the profits. Geographically, the eastern and southeastern areas of Kohmereh demonstrate better performance due to superior climatic and soil conditions, while the western and southern plains show weaker horticultural outcomes as they remain primarily focused on field crop cultivation. To improve the fig value chain, policy interventions should include Enhanced government support programs, Organization of annual fig festivals and promotional events, Specialized training for farmers, Reduction of the self marketing system and creation of cooperatives, Investment in cold storage facilities, packaging units, and processing industries, and Integration of agro tourism initiatives. Such efforts would increase productivity and farmer income while contributing to sustainable rural development in the region.