فصلنامه روستا و توسعه
سال هجدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 71، پاییز 1394)

This study aims at analyzing the factors affecting the rural economic and social behavior with respect to agricultural activities. It was done in 2014 in Miyandoab county of Iran. The sampling was conducted in a sampling random method at two stages; first, 27 villages and then, the socity sample of villages (370 people) were selected. To analyze the data, a number of models including correlation, regression and factor analysis were used. The study results showed that economic behavior with 2.33 and social behavior with 2.43 were lower than average; also, among physical factors, land fragmentation and land size with effect coefficient of 0.33 and natural cause diseases with effect coefficient of 0.35 had the greatest impact on social and economic behaviors; and concentration of wealth and income stability in urban areas with 0.25 and 0.257, respectively, were the most important factors in the economic behavior.

Over recent decades, Sistan region has always faced with population transfers. But what has attracted attention is a great migration that has taken place in this area over the last two years; and just like every social phenomenon, it is also followed by various consequences. This study aimed at investigating the psychological effects of migration on socio-economic instability in rural areas of the Iranian Sistan region. The research is based on review of documents, surveys and the questionnaires analyzed using SPSS software. The study results indicated some impacts of immigration on the mental aspect of life in survivors of rural people; and also, different psychological impacts could be seen in different counties in the region.

Farmers’ attitude towards rural development projects in general and establishing farm corporations in particular is vital in rural development interventions. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to assess farmers’ attitudes toward establishing farm corporation in Tekie and Sarabla village in Kermanshah county. Data was gathered using focus group and deep interviews. Directed content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Five categories emerged: 1) farmers’ lack of knowledge on corporation objectives, 2) poor social relations between farmer shareholders and corporate managers, 3) lack of farmers’ participation, 4) poor social infrastructure, and 5) poor government policies. Moreover, two new categories emerged using directed content analysis: 1) bad past experience with former corporate managers, and 2) farmers’ lack of satisfaction with government organization in the past. A new conceptual framework was developed as old concepts fit with new concepts. In order to cross check the findings, experts commented on the findings and the following concepts were introduced by the experts: 1) vague ownership after the death of head of household, 2) gradual diminishing of farmers’ indigenous knowledge in farm management, 3) diminishing social values among rural population, and 4) farmers’ migration to urban areas. The result of this study has implications for Office of Farming Systems in that any rural intervention in general and establishing farm corporations in particular should consider farmer’s attitude as a human factor if rural development interventions are to be successful.

Over the past several decades, the environmental catastrophes predisposed the appearance of the NGOs, being responsible for protecting the environment. For such organizations to be effective and promising, the dilemmas and obstacles on their way should be recognized and handled. As a result, this study aimed at providing more insight to determine the challenges and problems faced by these organizations and to evaluate the solutions in order to assist development of a new strategy for them. A survey research method was used. The research population included the members of 9 environmental NGOs, in Kurdistan province, formed since 2000-06 (N= 1200). 230 members were determined as sample size by using Cochran formula. A questionnaire was used as the study instrument, the face validity of which was fulfilled by relevant expert's suggestions; and also, its reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.92). The factor analysis indicated that five factors including managerial, supportive, social, communicative and organizational factors accounted for 73.8 percent of variance of the challenges and problems of environmental NGOs.

Given the role and importance of agricultural farms management, applying the mathematical programming models has also important role in determining the optimal cropping pattern. The objectives of this study included profit (gross margin) maximizing (scenario 1), achieving self-sufficiency of essential agricultural products (scenario 2), sustainable agricultural development (scenario 3), maximizing the employment opportunities (scenario 4), and achieving these goals simultaneously (scenario 5). These objectives are important to achieve sustainable rural development in which the sustainability involves three economic, social and environmental dimensions. In this study, in order to suggest an optimal cropping pattern using simple random sampling method, a sample size of 124 was selected from agricultural areas of Amol Tcounty. Study results showed that scenario 5 made an interaction between scenarios 1 to 4. In addition, in this model, less attention was paid to economic and social goals; in contrast, the self-sufficiency and environmental goals were mostly fulfilled.

Agricultural extension and education includes services which assist farm people, through educational procedures, in improving farming methods and techniques, increasing production efficiency and income, enhancing their levels of living and lifting the social and educational standards of rural life and it can also play an effective role in agricultural development and improvement of rural areas. This study analyzed the performance of agricultural extension and education in provinces of Iran, based on 26 indices in six groups using Morris model. The study results showed that Development Index (DI) of agricultural extension and education services varied from 2.58 to 39.69 in different provinces; those provinces of Markazi, Yazd and Kermanshah had the highest and Sistan and Baluchestan, Tehran and Hormozgan had the lowest rate of service-benefiting; most of the provinces had not a favorable situation in terms of agricultural extension and education services so that none of them was placed in ‘very good’ level; seven provinces were in ‘good’, fifteen in ‘middle’ and eight in ‘weak’ levels.

Nowadays, the economic sustainability is recognized as the vital element in retention of rural and nomadic populations. It is necessary to apply targeted instruments and indices for assessing economic sustainability. This study, carried out in 2014, aimed at preparing and validating the evaluation indices of economic sustainability in rangeland units of Sahand mountainous area. Firstly, 59 economic sustainability assessment indices were formulated and judged through questionnaire forms by academic specialist, administrative experts and local elites. To validate and take a consensus as well as descriptive data, Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance was used and then, those indices with mode, median and mean greater than 3, SD less than 1 and CV less than 0.3 were selected, providing consensus of experts, specialist and local elites. In this research, the 30 indices uphold by the experts, specialists and endemic elites were introduced in framework of 8 components which mangers and programmers of natural resources especially rangeland ones could use in evaluation and assessment of economic sustainability of rangeland units.