Analysis of factors affecting land fragmentation in Shirvan Chardavol County, and provision of appropriate reorganizing mechanisms

The aim followed in the present research is to investigate the factors affecting agricultural land fragmentation, and to rpesent the appropriate ways of approach to reconsolidate the fragmented lands. The study carried out in Shirvan Chardavol county. The study population is comprised of a number of 9250 agricultural land users, resident in Shirvan Cardavol County. The sample size was estimated by use of Cochran Formula from where 130 individuals were chosen through stratified sampling Method. A questionnaire was developed as means of the research. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were verified through pretest and an analysis of the data, with KMO and cronbach's Alpha coefficients calculated as 0.815 and 0.715 respectively. The method of Interval of standard Deviation from the Mean (ISDM) was employed to qualitatively explain the variable "respondent's viewpoint" concerning land consolidation. The studied variables were classified in the factors of economic, socio-cultural and land users'. These factors explain 75.61% of the variance among the determining factors of land fragmentation and distribution in the studied area. Results finally indicate that the physical factor (land area(s), mean size of household land fragment(s), and traditional interfiled roads) constitutes the most important factor of land fragmentation in the studied area.