Economic and Social Consequences of Changing the Cultivation Pattern in Golestan Province from Land Reforms until Now

The cultivation pattern refers to the determination of an agricultural system with a sustainable economic advantage based on the country's macro policies, the local knowledge of farmers and the optimal use of regional potentials by observing the eco-physiological principles of agricultural production in order to preserve the environment, which is of great importance. This study has been conducted with the aim of evaluating the economic and social consequences of changing the cultivation pattern in Golestan province from the land reforms until now. The present study is considered as a qualitative-exploratory study that uses the Delphi method and the group interview technique. According to the results of the self-interaction matrix, among the dimensions of economic factors, the variables of modern irrigation methods and production sustainability are assigned to level 1, the variables of economic well-being, infrastructure, land reforms, farmers' income to level 2, and the variables of labor productivity, the access to inputs, investment and employment to level 3. Among the dimensions of social factors, the variables of increasing the density of cultivation, reducing the negative environmental effects, sustainable rural development, improving organizational farming practices, reducing the pollution of personal natural resources are assigned to level 1, the variables of social prestige, changing the attitude towards agriculture to level 2 and variables of social trust, knowledge and awareness, modification of organizational water consumption pattern, change in the land-use type, social participation and cohesion to level 3.