SPACE ECONOMY & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Modeling the Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Economic Development in the Villages of Malekan County, Using a Mixed Method

Mohsen Aghayari Hir

Objective: This study aimed to model the factors affecting the sustainability of economic development in the villages of Malekan County.
Methods: The statistical population included experts, specialists, and rural households in the County. In the first stage, 28 professionals evaluated 56 research propositions based on their importance. In the second stage, 481 people from selected villages responded to 41 items related to rural economic sustainability. The data were analyzed using Q-factor analysis in SPSS and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SMART PLS software.
Results: The results of the measurement model indicated that the factor loadings of the observed variables were significant and effectively measured their corresponding latent variables. The structural model results revealed that the "economic stability of Malekan County’s villages" had a high predictive power, with an index value exceeding the standard threshold of 0.35, indicating a "strong" effect. Other factors namely, "vulnerability, productivity and economic diversity," "employment and economic infrastructure," and "access to economic and production resources" each scored above 0.15, showing a "moderate" predictive impact on the model's endogenous latent variables.
Conclusions: The findings identified three core factors influencing the sustainability of rural economic development: 1. vulnerability, productivity, and economic diversity (sustainability and economic welfare); 2. employment and economic infrastructure (justice and economic welfare); and 3. access to economic and production resources (economic welfare). Final comparisons and validation between qualitative and quantitative approaches confirmed that the first factor economic vulnerability (productivity and diversity) was the most influential, with consensus from both experts and local community members.

Factors Promoting and Inhibiting the Development of Rural Small-Scale Home Businesses (Case study: Silkworm rearing in Bojnourd County)

Maryam Ghasemi

Objective: Small-scale home-based businesses play a significant role in diversifying economic activities and reducing rural unemployment. In Bojnourd County, a portion of rural households generate income through sericulture. However, the number of sericulturists has declined from 570 to 294 over the past decade. This study aims to identify the driving and inhibiting factors influencing the development of sericulture-based microbusinesses in rural areas of Bojnourd.
Methods: A descriptive-analytical, applied-developmental approach was used. Data were collected through documentary research and a researcher-made questionnaire. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample size of 160 sericulturists across 9 villages in Bojnourd was selected. The study assessed 43 indicators under 10 inhibiting components, and 23 indicators under 6 driving components.
Results: The most significant driving factor was "low startup cost" (mean: 4.14), while the main inhibiting factor was "poor-quality silkworm eggs" (mean: 4.48).
Conclusions: Policies such as guaranteed purchase and pricing, alongside distribution of high-quality, locally adapted silkworm eggs by the Agricultural Jihad Organization, could help mitigate the inhibitors and boost driving forces in sericulture.

Strategic Planning Using the SWOT Technique for Integrated Crop Management (ICM) Development in Rice Farms of Mazandaran Province

Fatemeh Razzaghi Borkhani

Objective: In the context of rural and agricultural development, designing an environmentally sustainable system with economic and social justification and a future-oriented perspective is essential. This study aims to develop integrated crop management (ICM) strategies for rice farms in Mazandaran Province.
Methods: Using theoretical foundations and analytical studies, the four SWOT components—strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats—were identified. The statistical population consisted of specialists and experts with academic backgrounds and practical experience in sustainable rice cultivation and agricultural extension (18 individuals), along with managers from relevant organizations such as the Agricultural Jihad Organization of Mazandaran Province (20 individuals), selected through purposive sampling. Data analysis was conducted using the SWOT technique in Microsoft Excel.
Results: The internal and external evaluations reveal that the system's strengths and opportunities outweigh its weaknesses and threats. The weighted scores indicate the predominance of favorable over risky conditions. The strategic priority lies in the SO (Strength-Opportunity) or "maximum-maximum" area (approximately 36%). Following this are the WO (Weakness-Opportunity), ST (Strength-Threat), and WT (Weakness-Threat) strategies, accounting for approximately 25%, 23%, and 16% of the total strategies, respectively.
Conclusions: Based on the strategic analysis, key strategies for ICM development include enhancing farmer empowerment and participation through the FFS/IPM approach, managing production risks via insurance, establishing healthy crop production cooperatives, and implementing collective branding within the rice value chain. Emphasizing collaboration among key stakeholders is vital. The implementation of these strategies can significantly contribute to the adoption of ICM and the advancement of sustainable agricultural development.

Effects of saffron cultivation on physical-spatial changes in the village of Fath Abad (Rashtkhwar Rural District in Khorasan Razavi province)

Sadegh Asghari Lafamjani

Objective: The physical texture of rural settlements can change over time and according to different conditions. This change is the result of interaction and mutual relationship with environmental, economic and social factors and effects. In this regard, the economy of rural households plays a significant role in the change. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of saffron income generation on the change in the physical-spatial texture of Fath Abad village in Rashtkhwar County.
Methods: In this research, the role of saffron in generating income in 355 saffron-growing households living in FathAbad village was investigated. For this purpose, first, in addition to documentary studies and initial field visits, a wide range of indicators were determined in accordance with the conditions of the village under study. Then, data collection was carried out based on selected indicators using field observation forms and village and household questionnaires. Also, statistical analyses and SPSS software were used to analyze the data.
Results: The research findings confirm that there is a significant relationship between saffron income generation and housing and construction development in the study area. The correlation coefficient between saffron cultivation area and housing and construction development is 0.591, which, considering the resulting values, can be said with a confidence level of 99% that there is a direct and significant relationship between these two variables with a medium correlation.
Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that the greater the area under saffron cultivation, the greater the saffron production and, as a result, the higher the level of income generation, which ultimately leads to improved housing and construction development in the study area.

Rural development depends on analyzing the impact of economic survival and social entrepreneurship on rural regeneration (a case study on the villages of Urmia)

moslem soleymanpor

Objective: In recent years, one of the key issues in the development of rural areas is the significant decline in population and economic challenges. Rural regeneration can lead to economic growth and increase community participation and social cohesion by promoting local businesses, attracting investment and creating jobs. . Economic survival and social entrepreneurship can facilitate this as two important influencing factors.
Methods: In this research, which is categorized as applied and descriptive correlational type research, a questionnaire was used to collect data. The statistical population of the study included villagers and village councils and rural entrepreneurship experts with experience in the field of social entrepreneurship from 124 selected villages of Bakshlochai, Turkman and Bash Qala villages in the central part of Urmia city and 180 respondents were selected using the available sampling method. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS23 software and structural equation modeling method (PLS SMART software) and the results were used to test the model and verify the hypotheses.
Results: The results show that there is a direct and significant relationship between the components of economic survival (economic, social and environmental factors) and rural regeneration (B=0.586) and between social entrepreneurship and rural regeneration (B=0.397) at 0.001 level of significance.
Conclusions: In conclusion, this research highlights the importance of economic survival and social entrepreneurship for the growth and development of rural regeneration, and the impact of social entrepreneurship and economic survival on rural areas can be seen in various dimensions, including job creation, social participation and sustainable development. With proper training and support to rural households, villagers' income from such investments can be significantly increased, which will lead to an increase in village regeneration indicators.

A Spatial Analysis of the Economic Consequences of Reverse Migration in Rural Areas (Case Study: Natanz County)

Mohammad Hossein Zarei Abyaneh

Objective: The aim of this research is to spatially analyze the economic impacts of reverse migration in rural areas, focusing on Natanz County.
Methods: This study employed a survey-based research method. A sample of 381 individuals was selected from 24 villages in Natanz County using stratified sampling and Cochran’s formula. Data were collected through literature reviews, field observations, in-depth interviews, and questionnaires. For data analysis, one-sample T-tests and Kriging interpolation in ArcGIS software were used.
Results: In terms of investment, the southern half of Natanz County—especially the villages of Ooreh and Goodarzan—showed higher levels of investment, with a mean score of 3.75. For infrastructure development, the central and southern areas had the highest levels, with mean scores of 4.8 and 4.0 respectively. Regarding demand for services, the highest scores were observed in both the northern and parts of the southern villages (mean score: 4), while the eastern and western regions showed the lowest levels of development in this regard (mean score: 2.47). In terms of income generation, the southern villages had a higher average score (3.5) than their northern counterparts.
Conclusions: Given the attractiveness of certain villages in Natanz County—especially those with advantages such as proximity and easy access to urban centers, closeness to tourism hubs, suitable elevation, and moderate climate—a substantial wave of migration to these areas seems likely in the future.

Factors Contributing to the Fragmentation of Agricultural Lands in Rural Areas with Reference to Jurisprudential and Legal Foundations of Inheritance (Case Study: Savojbolagh County)

Seied Mohammad Hossein Musavipur

Objective: One of the major concerns surrounding agricultural activity in Iran today is the accelerating fragmentation of agricultural lands. This phenomenon poses a serious threat to the implementation of national agricultural policies and has the potential to exacerbate existing production challenges in the sector. The issue, which began with the implementation of land reform programs and has intensified in recent years due to inheritance practices, has received limited academic attention. The present study seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon in the rural areas of Savojbolagh County by examining both its legal and religious foundations.
Methods: This applied research adopts a mixed-methods approach and is philosophically grounded in pragmatism due to its methodological integration. Data collection combined documentary and field research, including seven focus group interviews (3–5 participants each) and sixteen individual interviews. The findings were analyzed using grounded theory methodology, following coding in MAXQDA software. Fourteen rural settlements were selected based on expert recommendations and criteria such as the number of agricultural stakeholders, cultivated land area, and agricultural output.
Results: According to the Holy Qur’an, land is not considered a private asset or form of wealth but rather a means for livelihood and labor. Similarly, Islamic jurisprudence and Iranian legal codes affirm that the ultimate management and ownership of land rest with the Islamic government. Nonetheless, inheritance laws and historical land reform programs have been major drivers of land fragmentation. In the rural regions studied, several local conditions have contributed to the intensification of this trend. The causal conditions include climate change and rising agricultural production costs. Intervening factors include shifts in social lifestyle, rural population growth, urbanization and informal settlement expansion, limited rural services and infrastructure, and the weak financial capacity of farmers. Contextual conditions comprise environmental and ecological features as well as the morphology and structure of agricultural land. Strategic factors include legal frameworks, the expertise and performance of local managers, the level of managerial coordination, and farmers’ awareness and knowledge. Consequences identified include agricultural productivity and profitability challenges, as well as soaring land prices.
Conclusions: To curb the ongoing fragmentation of agricultural lands, it is essential to involve experts and specialists in a coordinated effort to reform current inheritance laws and land division regulations, while also addressing the root causes that perpetuate this phenomenon.

Strategic Planning for Capital Attraction and the Development of Micro-Enterprises in Rural Areas with the Aim of Diversifying the Rural Economy (Case Study: Marivan County)

Saadi mohammadi

Objective: Recognizing that resolving any problem necessitates strategic planning, this applied research was conducted in the rural border regions of Marivan County. Its primary objective is to contribute to economic diversification in these rural communities by formulating a flexible, forward-looking strategic plan aimed at attracting capital investments.
Methods: The research employed a mixed-methods approach. The theoretical component was developed using documentary analysis, while the practical component was carried out through a survey methodology, including interviews, questionnaires, and field observations. The study adopts a qualitative approach, primarily based on interviews and the Delphi method. Through collaboration with a Delphi expert panel, a strategic plan was designed to facilitate economic diversification via capital attraction and the development of micro-enterprises. The study population consisted of 24 purposefully selected individuals, including regional development officials, subject-matter experts, micro-business owners, and local managers.
Results: The analysis identified eight internal strengths versus eighteen internal weaknesses, along with six external opportunities versus nine external threats related to fostering a diversified economic environment and favorable business climate through capital attraction in the studied rural areas. The intersection of internal factor weights (3.40) with external factor weights (2.49) positioned the study area within a conservative strategic posture.
Conclusions: The results suggest that a conservative strategy is the most appropriate model for capital attraction aimed at economic diversification in the region. This approach necessitates a critical reassessment and revision of current policies, programs, and actions to address the existing suboptimal business environment. Furthermore, the long-term outlook—over a 15-year horizon—indicates that, given its capabilities and potential, the region could emerge as a leading center for cross-border trade, specialized agriculture, micro-industrial production, and rural tourism within Kurdistan Province, in competition with other counties in the region.