فصلنامه روستا و توسعه
سال بیستم شماره 4 (پیاپی 80، زمستان 1396)

This study aimed at evaluating the role of second houses in functional structure changes of the Tabriz metropolitan villages including Heravi, Haj Abdol, and Dizaj Leylikhani located in Liqvan valley, East Azerbaijan province of Iran. It was a practical-development study in term of goal and a descriptive-analytical one in term of methodology. The required data were mainly gathered through questionnaires. The statistical sample included all 368 households residing in the second houses. The study findings showed that these functional changes had mainly made over recent years; in addition, there was found a significant relationship between "previous and current jobs of second house inhabitants" and the functional changes in the studied villages, transforming from an agricultural to a service function, though the intensity of correlation between the variables was medium.

This study aimed at investigating the role of secondary products of forests and pastures in the livelihood of the people in Zarinabad district,DehloranCounty, Ilam province of Iran. Data collection was carried out through survey in a stratified sampling method with proportional allocation. For data analysis, descriptive statistics (including average rating, frequency distribution, and the cumulative percentage distribution percentage) and analytical statistics (including binomial test and Spearman correlation test) were used.The results showed that there was no significant difference between the studied villages in terms of the role of forest and rangelands sub-products. In every family in the village, 12.32% of the income was produced from utilization of the sub-products of forest and rangelands. The proportion of sub-forest products was 8.54% and the proportion of sub-rangelands products was 3.78%. Therefore, there was a significant and positive relationship between the exploitation of sub-products and employment, obtaining income, poverty reduction and immigration control.

This study aimed at investigating theimpact of olive oil extraction portable devices on the rural development in the olive growing provinces. The statistical population included 5250 olive farmers in the two groups of users and non-users of olive oil extraction portable devices. The sample size was estimated 192 people through Cochran formula in a stratified sampling method.Main tool of thestudy was a questionnaire, the validity of which was obtained by using a panel of experts and masters in agriculture. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated through a pre-test and Cronbach’s alpha (α=0.88-0.91). The study results showed that the rural development level in the villages with the olive oil extraction portable devices was higher than the villages without such devices. Also, the results of the ordinal regression analysis showed that the application of olive oil extraction portable devices was effective on the economic development and socio-cultural development of villages.

Small cities development through promoting the large villages and prone to becoming a city is one of the most important measures taken aiming at improving and increasing the life standards in rural districts. This research aimed at studyingthe creation of small cities and its effects on the surrounding villages. The study area wasFerdowsiyehcity and its surrounding villages includingYousefabadSeyrafi, Ramin, and Vastar located in the central district of Shahriar County of Iran. It was a descriptive-analytic research in terms of methodology. The requireddata was collected through documentary and field studies. The sample size was selected 379 persons through Cochran formula. The data obtained from the research was evaluated and measured using the statistical models of rank-size rule and SWOT matrix. Results showed that the normal distribution of population had no positive function in the area and failed to reduce inequalities among settlements and as well as to improve hierarchical system of settlement. Moreover, theinadequate and insufficient educational, cultural, health and medical facilities were found to be as the most important internal weaknesses.

This study aimed at analyzing the food insecurity in rural region of Bostan sub-district in Khuzestan province of Iran and the factors affecting it. Survey methods with standard HFIAS questionnaire of insecurity were used. Using Cronbach’s alpha formula, the reliability of questionnaire was assessed (α=0.87). Results showed full food secure of only 26.73 percent of whole family in the studied region; thus, 73.27 percent lived with different food insecurity. Correlation analysis showed a significantly positive relation of economic situation, social capital (trust and support) and nutritional knowledge with food insecurity of the households. Results from path analysis showed nutritional knowledge as the most effective variable in the rural household's food insecurity.

This study aimed at evaluating the participation of farmers in maintenance of covered irrigation canals in Guilan province of Iran. The specific study objectivewas to identify factors affecting the farmer's participation in the maintenance of the irrigation canals. For this purpose, personal-professional characteristics, socio-economic statusand participation level of the farmers were studied. Questionnaire was the main tool of this research, the validity of whichwas confirmed by15 relevant experts and the reliability of which was approved through Cronbach's alpha (%75). Research population included 1203 of local farmers. Sample size was obtained by Cochran’s formula, including 133 individuals completely selected through random sampling.The results ofPearson andSpearman correlation coefficienttests showed that there was a positive and significant relationship of educational level, membership in social institutions, amount of owned land, annual income from various agricultural activitiesand involvement in service affairs for the implementation of canalsprogram with the farmers’ participation in the maintenance of covered irrigation canals at the level of 95%.

In economic literature, subsistence is defined implicitly as a poverty line and the first step for the poverty alleviation is to measure the subsistence (poverty line). In this study, the subsistence of Iranian rural households was estimated by the theory of relative habit of formation linear expenditure system (RHLES) and by using data of household's expenditure for 8 commodity-groups over the periods of 1989-2013. Then, the position of poverty in rural regions was calculated by the indicators of head-count ratio, poverty gap and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT). The results showed the poverty line in the studied households had a decreasing trend and the quantity of poverty indicesreduced during the five Economic Development Plans. Thus, the government policies for the reduction of relative poverty in rural regions were found successful.