Determining the priority of factors affecting beneficiaries’ participation and investment in Ardabil province Natural Resources Development Cooperatives

 Poor participation and investment of natural resource users in cooperatives requires investigation. Effecting factors therefor, should be found and prioritized. Reference searches showed three major categories of factors: educational (extensional), economic and social factors. The case was taken into nine natural resources development cooperatives as a statistical population throughout the counties of Ardabil province.  The research followed a descriptive-survey methodology, and required information was garnered through field works and filling up a researcher-made questionnaire. Validity and reliability coefficients of the questions were confirmed by experts and Cronbach's alpha of 0.86, respectively. Data were analyzed through proper statistical techniques. Comparing mean scores of subject-pertinent sections revealed that extension and economic factors were known as the most influential in Ardabil, Namin, Nir and Parsabad. Social issues however, were more important in the eyes of Ardabil, Nir, Khalkhal and Bilehsavar land users. Generally, variance between statistical populations of cities and research-affecting factors exhibited significant differences with a confidence level of 99%. Duncan test resykts showed that the highest value is given to social and participatory matters. For Bilehsavar and Nir cases however no significant differences was seen. According to the research results, it is proposed to work on social problems such as reforming behavior with the clientele, utilizing indigenous culture, reforming the negative mentality towards the cooperatives, raising awareness of the benefits of participation and investment, building trust among the people, etc., in the cooperatives, rather than education and extensional programs; this can attract the majority of beneficiaries to cooperatives and make them invest. The next steps in line with the priority of the provincial cities should address extensional and economic subdivisions, respectively, such as applied training, amending cooperatives’ charter, transferring executive projects to cooperatives, monetizing existing rural jobs.