The Role of Carpet Weaving in Iran's Rural Development: A Case Study of Balavelayat Subdistrict in Kashmar County

Carpet weaving industry is one of the important sources of income in rural community particularly in the areas surrounding the central desert of Iran. This industry and rural community have encountered serious problems for two recent decades. Astan-e Quds, a powerful institution in Khorasan Region and in the country, has established a carpet weaving workshop in Balavelayat subdistrict. This study examined the role of carpet weaving workshop in rural socioeconomic development. The required data were collected through local observation and from a sample consisted of 40 persons from the staff of the carpet weaving workshop. The results indicated that the establishment of this workshop is a source of positive socioeconomic and physical developments for the subdistrict. Among the most important achievements of this workshop are: using the potentials and local people's indigenous knowledge, reasonable profit, not having adverse environmental impacts, raising the quality of life, improving rural roads and housing, generating employment opportunities and sustainable income, and expansion of commercial cropping.