Analyzing the Barriers to the Comprehensive Implementation of Rural Technical Program (Case Study: Western Bahmaei Sarhaddi Rural District- Kohgiluyeh)

A drop in the quality of rural housing indices, the vulnerability of the rural habitats of the country to natural disasters, natural population growth and the associated need for housing in these settlements, changes in rural infrastructure, social, cultural and economic condition of rural settlements, and inadaptability of traditional dwellings to new trends and lifestyles all indicate the need for new rural housing provision more than before. Within this context, critical is to build dwellings that aside from being resistant against hazards and meeting the current needs of its residents, maintain local identity, and are developed based on local patterns of vernacular rural housing. In this process, construction monitoring and controlling system are of great importance.
Given the importance of safe construction practices of residential units, it is necessary to establish a monitoring system for construction activities in rural settlements in order to achieve sustainable development. Focusing on the rural settlements located in Western Bahmaei Sarhaddi, this paper seeks to identify the most important barriers to the implementation of rural technical program. The key aim of this paper is to introduce the rural technical program and explain its importance in decreasing the vulnerability of rural housing against natural hazards. By applying the standards and codes developed by the Housing Foundation of Iran, the rural technical program aims to develop rural settlements and provide appropriate and safe rural housing.
Research This descriptive-analytical study, is an applied research. Data is collected through fieldwork, using questionnaire as well as conducting document review. Moreover, Friedman test and exploratory factor analysis are used to analyze the collected data.
Findings: This research shows that the most important factors preventing a comprehensive implementation of rural technical program are as follows: low income 3.55; high cost of the previous plans with average 3.45, high material prices with an average of 3.45, not using new technologies in housing construction with an average of 3.36 and a lack of familiarity with the technical program with an average of 3.27.
Factor analysis of the barriers to the implementation of the technical program indicates that economic factor is the most important barrier in Western Bahmaei Sarhaddi Rural district. Economic factors such as low income, high issuance costs, employment in traditional agriculture and animal husbandry, insufficient amount of loan, high costs of materials and high wage of supervising engineers are among the main obstacles in the implementation of the technical program in Western Bahmaei Sarhaddi Rural district. Factor analysis results also indicate that socio-cultural issues are the second important obstacles to the implementation of technical program. Relevant to this factor, problems such as low literacy levels, a lack of technical knowledge, unwillingness to get a building permit and an unwillingness to receive a loan can be mentioned. Administrative-organizational and technical factors are the third and fourth barriers to the implementation of the rural technical program.