Investigating Factors Affecting the Sustainable Livelihood of Rural Households: A Case Study of Agricultural Section of Rostaq Rural District in Khalilabad County

Rural economy, as one of the most basic aspects of rural existence, has long been associated with agriculture and agricultural activities, so that the agricultural sector is very important in terms of employment and income for households. Hence, it can play an important role in reducing poverty and especially strengthening sustainable rural livelihoods. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the sustainable livelihood of rural households in Rustaq rural district. This research has been done by descriptive-analytical method. For this purpose, first, in addition to documentary and field studies, a wide range of indicators were determined. Then, data collection was performed based on selected indicators and using a household questionnaire. In this regard, the role of the agricultural sector in 337 households living in the villages of Rustaq district was studied. The validity of the questionnaire was examined by experts and the validity coefficient of the questionnaire was equal to 0.85. Shannon and Coopras entropy weight models and Spss software were used for data analysis as well as statistical and spatial analysis. The results showed that among the studied dimensions, economic dimension (15.144) and social dimension with an average (12.102) have the first and second ranks in improving sustainable livelihood. Using the Coopers model, among the studied villages, Niqab village with a degree of importance (100) had a better level of sustainable living than other villages. The results of the research indicate that, with 99% certainty, it can be said that the amount of factors affecting the sustainable livelihood of rural households in these dimensions (economic, social, physical, human and environmental) is different in the villages of the study area.