Assessing and Measuring the Sustainability of Rural Settlements Active in the Field of Medicinal Plants (Case Study- Kohgiluyeh & Boyerahmad Province)

Medicinal plants have a special value and significance in providing hygiene, health and food resources. Although the human attitude towards the products of medicinal plants has a long history, the issue of increasing the production of these products at the level of fields and gardens has taken on a new scientific form since the second half of the 20th century. The purpose of this research is to assess and measure economic, social, environmental sustainability of expanding the activities of medicinal plants in the rural development in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province.

It is an applied descriptive research based on field data collection (questionnaire). The statistical population of this research included 13 villages in cold region of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province. According to a report by Natural Resources of the Province in 2022, 383 medicinal plant producers were determined and among all of whom the questionnaires were distributed. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation and variance) and inferential (one-sample t-test and VIKOR model) were used for data analysis.

The findings showed that the mean score of the social and environmental indicators is over the theoretical average value (3), while the mean score was 2.80 in terms of economic indicators. The results of VIKOR model revealed that Sepidar village with a VIKOR index of (0.157) has the highest rank and Sadat Mahmoudi village with a VIKOR index of (0.993) has the lowest rank in terms of the sustainability of the activities of medicinal plants among the villages in the study area.

This study is promising the activities of rural areas in the production of medicinal plants, which is considered as a strategy for diversification in rural settlements. Therefore, the results of this research can be given special consideration in recognizing the effects of medicinal plants in different geographical areas and have an effective role in the development of rural areas.