فصلنامه روستا و توسعه
سال نوزدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 75، پاییز 1395)

During the past two decades, spontaneous settlement of nomads has more rapidly taken place in Lorestan province of Iran, compared to other parts of the country. Since the success and sustainability of settlement projects depend on the attention to socio-economic indexes for nomadic community and their enhancement, this study aimed at investigating the socio-economic effects of nomadic settlement on the status of settled families in the Lorestan province. It was an impact assessment conducted in a survey method. The statistical population included 2925 settled households (both directed and spontaneous) and 14,638 unsettled nomadic households in the province. The sample size for the settled households and the unsettled nomadic ones (control group) was determined 180 households through regular stratified random sampling method for each group, in 2012. The findings showed that the settlement of nomads had a positive impact on literacy rates, the amount of arable land, number of livestock, type of job, access level of socio-cultural facilities, access level of health care facilities, access level of the amenities insurance services for the settled households, but it had a negative impact on their employment and income.

This study aimed at measuring the entrepreneurial mentality among agricultural employees. It was conducted in 2015 in a descriptive-analytic methodology through desk resources and a field study (questionnaire). Statistical society included 197 household heads employed in agricultural sector in four sub-districts of Khaf county of Iran, chosen by modified Cochran formula. For data gathering, a random-classified sampling was used through a scholar-made questionnaire based on 9 criteria extracted from theoretical literature. Study results showed that the studied employees were weak in respect to risk-taking, challenging, and practical mentality and strong in control focus, needing to success and mental flow, among other components. Based on the results, the entrepreneurial mentality of farmers in the studied area was found to be in a weak and low level. In addition, other results showed that there were significant differences among farmers of different rural areas in some criteria of entrepreneurial mentality including risk-taking, challenging, practical mentality, bearing the ambiguity, and mental flow. Finally, as shown by VICOR technique, 'Chohardah' and 'Mazraeh Sheikh' villages were respectively placed in the first and second ranks in entrepreneurial mentality.

This study aimed at investigating the effect of political intelligence of extension workers on organizational reform in the Organization of Jihad For Agriculture, in Iran. Statistical society included 109 extension experts of such organization in Guilan province, divided into two groups: the one insisting on the need for structural changes for rural development and the other denying such need. During a descriptive research, a significant relation was assessed in five dimensions including social games, power dynamism, political persona, effective stress management, and practical knowledge with organizational change attitudes towards rural development and differentiation variables of the two responding groups were explained by logistic regression. As shown by the study results, 72 percent of the respondents recognized that organizational change in rural development was necessary and also effective to increase rural management efficiency. Other results indicated that nine variables of political intelligence were effective to predict the organizational changes contributed to rural development, including organizational cooperation, appearing sincere, upwards appeals, using language, information and humor derive benefits, internal locus of control, focus attention ability, belief in effectively using resources, and tacit knowledge. Finally, it was revealed that people with positive perception of manager and business unit had better compatibility with the change in the organization.

This study aimed at comparing the income status of settled nomads in Ilam province of Iran and Identification of factors causing the income differences in settlement and nomadic situations. It was conducted in a survey method with a statistical society of all the settled households of the province, in 2010. The sampling method was a proportionate stratified one. The results showed that the independent variables of livestock unit number, dry cultivated and also irrigated land area under cultivation in both situations were effective on the dependent variable of mean annual income of the households at the confidence level of 99 percent while the independent variables of amount of livestock products and amount of handicrafts had effects on the dependent variable only in the nomadic situation at the confidence level of 95 percent. In addition, the t test results of paired samples showed that the mean annual real income of the households decreased in the settlement situation, compared to the nomadic situation. Therefore, it could be concluded that the economic status of settled nomads of the province in the nomadic situation was better than the settlement situation; thus, in terms of the economy, nomadic life style proved to be more suitable for the nomads.

This study aimed at investigating the economic poverty of settled nomads and identifying its determinants in Fars province of Iran. Data gathering was carried out in 2013 through 175 questionnaires from settled nomad households in a two-stage cluster random sampling method . The headcount poverty and poverty gap indexes were used to determine the poverty situation, and Tobit model was used to determine the factors affecting the poverty probability. The results showed that 49.14 percent of households were suffering from poverty; nearly 60 percent of the poor households suffered from extreme poverty; and depth of their poverty was more than 70 percent. Based on the results, education level and age of household heads, agricultural activity level, household size and number of animals were affecting poverty probability for the households. Accordingly, focusing on adult education, strengthening complementary activities and concentrating on the overall population policies issued by the Iranian Supreme Leader were recommended within a sustainable approach to poverty alleviation in the centers for settled nomads.

This study aimed at investigating the relationship between participation of rural production cooperative members and managers and its impact on their success in Isfahan county of Iran with 19 such cooperatives facing participation crisis. The research population included all these cooperatives according to a census of rural cooperatives in Isfahan county. A systematic random sampling method was used to interview all the cooperative managers and board of directors as well as 260 rural cooperative members. Results of regression analysis by using three separate questionnaires showed a strong relation between the participation of members and the success of the cooperatives. In addition, the study results showed that the member's participation in the management of cooperatives was moderate. So, the effect in question was found quite significant.

The study aimed at identifying the basic and non- basic employment activities of rural women in major economically active sectors of rural districts of Iran and their spatial distribution in the country. The statistical population included 394 counties. Required data were extracted from the 2011 General Population and Housing Census. The basic sources of active human workforce were determined by using Formula if Location Quotient (FLQ) spatial cluster analysis. The results indicated that in the agricultural sector, northern, central and north-east areas were considered as basic areas for the employment of rural women; and some parts Qom, Lorestan, Ilam, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Yazd, Kerman, South Khorasan were Known as urban labor force exporting areas; in addition, the industry in north-west, central and north-east areas were found to be the base areas for the employment of rural women, and the north and north-east areas were considered as the basic areas for the employment of urban women; in the services sector, the employment of women in rural base areas was observed in the north and north-west of the country while the northern areas were found to be the basic areas for the employment of urban women.

Certainly, drought is considered as one of the main problems in the management of human societies and the environment. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the different effects of this phenomenon in various economic, social and environmental dimensions in villages of Zarindasht county of Iran. It was an applied study conducted in a descriptive-analytic method, and library and field studies were used to collect the required data. The sample size resulted from Cochran formula was estimated 150 households. In addition to descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon analytical tests, Chi-square, Friedman and t-test were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the drought crisis had significant economic, social and environmental effects on the studied villages, while its economic impacts were stronger and resulted in permanent withdrawal of labor from the agricultural sector, rural migration and reduction in the area under cultivation and production efficiency.