Economy

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Azizpour F, Razaghi Borkhani F, Mokhtari M. Explaining the initial level of “one village, one product strategy” in the development of the local economy Case: Nahrmian Rural District of Shazand County. serd 2021; 10 (35) :173-194
URL: http://serd.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3674-en.html

Introduction
By expanding markets and diversifying products from the desired local product, "One Village, One Product" strategy, taking advantage of the region's potential in the competitive market.  Utilizing the "One Village, One Product" brand, as a global product, demonstrates pride in local culture as well as an effective economic strategy, which is intended for the development of rural areas. The present study aims to investigate the strategy of "One Village, One Product” in the development of local economy seeks to answer the question that what are the characteristics of the initial level of the strategy in Nahrmian Shazand village? What is the status of the factors affecting the strategy of"One Village, One Product” in the studied rural area?
 
Methodology
The statistical population of the study includes 5550 villagers and local officials of Nahrmian Rural District in the Zalian District of Shazand County. By multi-stage random sampling with proportional assignment of 160 people as the sample size were examined. 23 experts and officials of Omid Entrepreneurship Fund Organization in the study area were selected by purposeful and available sampling method to assess the importance of each feature of the study strategy. The research tool was a questionnaire whose validity (face and content) was confirmed by Omid Organization experts, rural development experts and faculty members in the field of geography and rural planning Kharazmi University its reliability was based on Cronbach's alpha statistics. Findings were reviewed at two levels of villagers and experts.
 
Discussion and conclusion
According to the results, the successful implementation of the initial level of "One Village, One Product” community participation, creativity, competitiveness, poverty reduction, reducing the economic gap and selling goods are effective. According to the villagers, the components of creativity, competitiveness and reducing the economic gap are in a better situation. Furthermore, the existence of small industries and workshops with an average of 23%, the use of new methods in production with 22.95%, investment in agriculture and rural industries with 22%, variety of jobs In the village with 21.6% and individual and group business with 20.95% are among the drivers of strategy in the village. Also, the components of selling goods, reducing poverty and community participation are inadequate conditions and processing and packaging of products with an average of 13.53%, cooperation with the government with 14.33%, self-confidence with 15.47%, people's efforts to reduce poverty with 15.71%, product brand with 15.91 %, Integration of land and support funds with 16.14% and rural markets and bazaars with 16.96%, according to the villagers in the implementation of the strategy of a village, a product and economic development of the studied rural area has the lowest importance and priority.  Also, using the Mann-Whitney U test and experts' opinion, the study village is only in terms of women's participation, use of new methods in product production, income status of villagers, support funds, government purchases, product sales to nearby markets. The existence of diverse occupations and reverse migration is a relatively favorable situation.  According to experts and executive officials of the strategy in the study area, the components of product creativity, product impact in reducing economic gap and competitiveness of the product are more important. Moreover, small rural workshops with an average of 26.65%, creativity with 24%, product quality with 23.8% Income of 23.78%, self-confidence with 22.66%, individual and group business with 22%, small industries and workshops with 21.73% and collective participation of villagers with 21.09% are necessary and important factors to advance the strategy.  
Therefore, along with research in the initial stage of the strategy, it is important to pay attention to nurturing people with a creativity. In terms of rural participation, there is a need for change in order to provide a basis for local participation, especially of educated, creative and entrepreneurial youth in order to implement "One Village, One Product”.  It is the locals who decide what to choose as their specialty and enhance it with original ideas and creativity. In terms of competitiveness structure, according to quality indicators, investment in rural and agricultural industries, the competitive advantage of the desired product brand should be developed locally and globally. It is suggested that in the strategy of "One Village, One Product” along with the support of regional development and the establishment of local entrepreneurship need to pay attention to economic development and economic justification of the product combined with social participation and local risk-taking, responsibility and accountability of the local people. In this regard, noticing micro-credit funds to facilitate access to rural resources has an important role in empowering villagers.