The consequences of instrumental-technical planning approach in empowerment and rural development, case study: Pakdasht and Rey counties

Paying attention to empowering rural stakeholders with emphasis on community approach in planning was proposed by Jürgen Habermas and then Forster (1993, 1989, 1985). In the area, a set of plans and projects are planned for the villagers by various organizations. The dominance of the "expert- oriented " and "top-down" approach in the development planning process in Iran has had detrimental environmental, ecological, socio-economic impacts on rural settlements in the study area. It is necessary to analyze the implications of this planning for the process of sustainable rural development in the area.

In fact, the purpose of the present survey is to identify and explain the consequences of planning with its current approach to sustainable development in rural areas of the study area. Also the factors and indicators of empowerment influenced by the development planning system's approach in the rural areas are analyzed.The present survey was carried out using descriptive-analytical method to investigate the status of planning with an expert- oriented approach in the area and to explain the research questions and hypotheses in detail. The statistical population of the present survey is a total of 124 villages in rural settlements of Pakdasht and Rey counties around Tehran metropolis. Spearman and Tobey Kendall correlation coefficients were used to investigate the significant relationship between variables. Also, regression was used for intensity of component effects.

According to the results, all indicators (education and awareness, knowledge and skills and human resource development, competence, meaningfulness, self-determination, trust and confidence, participation) were significant. In fact, empowerment-enhancing indicators are below average. Indicators considered in the planning process are empowerment of local stakeholders, components of education and awareness, knowledge and skills that have an impact on sustainable rural development. Other indicators were excluded because their correlation was not significant and were at lower levels from the regression model. Between the two components of empowerment in the planning process with development, there is a correlation of 0.335. Finally, based on the standardized coefficient, the results show that education and awareness under the current conditions have the greatest impact on sustainable rural development. At present, the indicators of competence, meaningfulness, self-determination, trust and confidence, participation, institutionalism have not found their place in explaining sustainable rural development.

The implications of the current approach in environmental - ecological dimension do not improve land, quantity and quality of agricultural land, reduced erosion and soil quality, status of surface and ground water and quantity and quality of water, status of sewage system and waste collection. The social dimension doesn’t improve rural poverty alleviation, reducing vulnerability, rural efficiency, bank savings rates, and income levels in rural areas. In the economic aspect, public health, rural social security, quality of life through opportunities for education, education, services, quality of employment and income generation, rural housing renovation, rural migration, rural community status, cultural and artistic activities in the area are not improved. But in terms of physical, improvements, rural housing and rural access to infrastructure, markets for trading products, commercial and educational uses and the status of rural passages have increased.