فصلنامه پژوهشهای روستایی
سال یازدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 43، پاییز 1399)

The environment appearance as part of the rural landscape defining the functional personality of the spaces plays an effective role in people's visual perception of the rural environment. Just as in the process of landscape formation, the interior environment of human life must have the necessary quality; its external environment must also have the necessary visual criteria. The present research employs a mixed (quantitative-qualitative) method which is fundamental in terms of goal, exploratory in terms of nature, and a descriptive survey in terms of data collection. The population under study consisted of 21 experts in the field of architecture, urbanization, and rural planning, interviewed using a questionnaire resulted from document content analysis and Delphi survey non-randomly targeted. The extraction indices of the third round of the Delphi were analyzed using SPSS software and through Q Factor Analysis and calculating the weight mean and standard deviation. The results showed that the four dominant subjective patterns for the experts in order of priority include: landscape beauty, readability, clarity, and reading environment, and the highest percentage of explained variance is related to the landscape beauty factor with 35.556%, indicating the importance and priority of this factor. Among the indicators proposed in these subjective patterns, sign (7.619), landscape (7.476) and form (7.381) also had respectively the highest weight mean and the highest impact from the point of view of the community of experts on people's visual perception of the image of the village environment.

Landscape services (LS) link structure, function and ecological values. This approach is an alternative to analysis of the suburban environment. By focusing on target social groups, this approach serves an alternative to ecosystem services. The present manuscript seeks to analyze the landscape services in the Saleh Abad area, the suburb of Tehran (Capital of Iran). For this purpose, LS indicators were extracted from literature in three axes: provision, regulation and culture. Then, all indicators were evaluated based on field surveys and interviews with residents. The results were processed in the form of LS quality and capability maps. The outputs were combined using weighted overly. The result provided a base for LS zoning in the region. Finally, the four protective, defensive, offensive and opportunistic strategies were allocated to each zone based on the differences in the capabilities and quality of each zone and consideration of their environmental characteristics. The results show that heterogeneity is evident in the use of space, while the study area is subject to change and the capabilities of space are not used appropriately. The use of landscape services provides a suitable context for strategic model development that commensurates with the potential of the area. If used in a principled manner, it can guarantee the integrated development of the suburban area. However, the link between these services and the formal planning system is the subject of more extensive studies.

Trust has been identified repeatedly as a key component that supports adaptive governance and collaborative decision-making systems. In this study, the evaluation of trust based on participatory management system was conducted by examining the structure of social relations of local livestock users in the form of an existing social network. The strategies used to collect relationship metrics, complete network method and research information were collected through interview and network analysis questionnaire. The indices of density, size, centrality, degree of centralization, and concepts of cut points and structural holes were analyzed in this study. The results show that access to the information within local groups is more homogeneous than intergroup relationships in low density and low cohesion trust networks and at the macro level the network stability is weak (reduction of network dynamics). The existence of structural holes and the low number of important interfaces in the network have also made it difficult to maintain and develop communication and transfer information between different groups. Among local groups, the trust distribution is weaker than receiving trust. This is the result of a higher focus on external centralization than internal centralization. In order to achieve dynamics and stability, it is necessary that the local livestock participatory management system in Yazd Province  adopt strategies to enhance social trust as a key to resolving the deficiency.

Today’s world faces two major crises including environmental pollution due to fossil fuels and the reduction of these fuels, so energy supply through renewable energies has been considered a sustainable solution. The purpose of this study was to assess factors affecting the tendency to use biofuels among villagers. Heads of households in rural areas in Chavarzagh district, Tarom township, Zanjan province formed the statistical population of the study (N=2742). The sample size was estimated using the Cochrane formula (n=161) and samples were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling method. The descriptive and correlational research method was used in this study. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of related faculty members. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to confirm the reliability of the questionnaire (0.70-0.83). Data was analyzed using SPSS 21. Regression analysis showed that risk, attitudes towards biofuels, self-efficacy, training, eliminating subsidies for fossil fuels and encouraging the use of biofuels, increasing public awareness about the benefits of biofuels and perceived barriers explained 40.6 percent of the variation of villagers’ tendency to use biofuels.

Collective disputes in the community are one of the issues that could jeopardize peace and security and as a result, the quality of life of people. In this study, the main purpose of researchers was to study the origins of the conflict. The rural village under study was Emamzadeh Abdullah (AS) in the central part of Hendinjan City, Khuzestan. Researchers used data collection techniques such as interviews and observations. Data analysis was performed using the thematic analysis technique. Using snowball sampling, 10 people have been identified and studied. The author also conducted two group interviews with a 6-member group and a 3-member group. Results were collected in three economic, social and cultural aspects. The roots of the conflict in different sections were: the economic section (limited resources, property rights), cultural section (ignoring convention, ethnicity), and social section, which were identified as additional factors aggravating the conflict including weakness of social capital outside group, stimulation of the youth by the elders, and social unawareness. The findings also showed that the consequences of conflict in this study include: the reduction of social cohesion, social breakdown, damage to life and property, lack of tendency to investment, growth malice, increase in court cases, and lack of progress in the village.

Multifunctional agriculture as a new paradigm for agriculture and rural development has been considered by the world as a response to social, economic, and environmental challenges. Current mixed method research used the Q-method to examine and explain farmers’ mental patterns regarding  extension of multifunctional agriculture. In the qualitative step, the purposeful and snowball sampling methods were used to interview 11 academic experts. Analyzing data collected with MAXQDA12 software led to the extraction of 61 statements. 48 statements were selected as the Q sample. In the quantitative step, after collecting data from sorted Q statements by 16 farmers with multifunctional farms (N= 21), this data was analyzed using Q factor analysis in SPSS25 software. The result showed that 16 farmers surveyed had four mental patterns regarding extension of multifunctional agriculture, including Proponents of understanding the importance and benefits of multifunctional agriculture and limitations of productivist agriculture, Proponents of multifunctional agriculture facilitation and encouragement policies and extension and education factor, Proponents of farmers’ entrepreneurial skills and community demand for multifunctional agriculture, and Proponents of farm characteristics. These patterns account for 84.20% of the total variance. The first mental pattern (26.86%) and the second mental pattern (23.51%) explained a greater share of the total variance.

Drought and its consequences along with mismanagement have caused the drying up of underground resources and water stress in a number of villages in the country. Kushk Qazi village is one of the villages of Fasa city in Fars province. All its water resources have dried up and dozens of families whose livelihood depended on agriculture are now facing unemployment, poverty and migration.  Natural disasters, including water scarcity, are multifaceted phenomena. In this study, a qualitative and critical approach is used to study the gender aspect and lived experience of rural women using the phenomenological method. Field data in this study were collected through purposive sampling and in-depth interviews with 20 women in the village of Kushk Qazi, as well as field observation and note-taking. Then using the analytical induction technique; sub-themes, main and final themes have been discovered and extracted. The three main themes of systematic poverty are the scarcity mentality, the perception of adaptation, and the "accumulation of super-challenges" which has been extracted as the final theme. Systematic impoverishment due to unjust and inefficient structures and laws, lack of perception of adaptation and psychological barrier of scarcity mentality have caused adaptation to dehydration to face serious obstacles. All these reasons, along with the previous challenges, have created new forms of harms and inequalities and have led to a phenomenon called "accumulation of super-challenges", resulting in the vulnerability of the poor, such as women, who have already faced all kinds of inequalities and constraints and have exposed them to the harms and dangers posed by these super-challenges.

Rural women, as one of the most important social groups, play an important role in the rural development process. Economically, rural women, in addition to being agricultural producers, can sustain their livelihood by controlling resources and household income. The purpose of this study was to investigate the index of women's empowerment in agriculture and its role in improving the sustainable livelihood of rural households. The study follows the quantitative paradigm and empirical research method in terms of purpose. Also, in terms of data collection and analysis, it is a survey based on a descriptive-correlational analysis. The statistical population of this study was rural women involved in agricultural work in Tuyserkan county of Hamadan province (20 villages) from which 140 people were randomly selected as a sample. Data were collected using a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by experts’ opinions and its reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis was done in the IBMSPSS software environment and the results showed that rural women's empowerment in agriculture has a positive and significant effect on the sustainable livelihood of rural households. In addition, all components of women's empowerment in the agriculture index except for community leadership had a significant correlation with the sustainable livelihood of rural households. Also, the income component of women's empowerment in the agriculture index was identified as the strongest predictor of rural households’ sustainable livelihood.

One of the most important factors that improve most indicators of poverty is increasing the income of the study population. In the agricultural sector, this can be achieved through proper resource management and appropriate cultivation pattern. The current study presents a mathematical programming model that aims to optimize the Foster, Greer and Turbek (FGT) poverty index by generating higher income by providing an optimal cultivation model. To evaluate the ability of the proposed model, rural areas of Sardasht, Langirat suburbs, Dodangeh and Tashan were selected from Behbahan city. To calculate the poverty line, the method of daily caloric requirement, which is estimated from the nutritional performance matrix, was used. The required data were collected through the Jihad Agricultural Service Centers of this city in the 2017-2018 crop year and the Statistics Center of Iran and analyzed by Excel and GAMS software. The results showed that in the proposed model, while profits increased by 10.47%, the area under wheat and alfalfa decreased and the area under watermelon and sugar beet increased. In this model, the amount of water consumed decreased by about 0.5%. Also, by averaging the FGT index in both current and optimal models, it was found that the numerical value of this index (the value of the objective function) in the whole city has decreased from 3.47 to 0.03. Therefore, the optimal model, while increasing farmers' incomes, has reduced poverty and also reduced the use of scarce water inputs. Therefore, promoting the optimal model obtained in this study is recommended by the Agricultural Jihad Organization.

Entrepreneurship in rural tourism is one of the pillars of rural development that has always been considered as a solution to some of the problems of the villagers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem in the villages of Tehran province and identify the most important factors affecting its development. This is an exploratory study conducted using descriptive-analytical method and the main tool for collecting data is a questionnaire completed by "Rural Business Owners", "Rural Managers" and "Elites and Specialists". Regarding the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in rural tourism, the results showed that all three groups of business owners, rural managers and experts consider the economic dimension as the most important dimension and the results of the factor analysis model in evaluating the most important indicators affecting the development of entrepreneurship ecosystem in rural tourism by summarizing 24 indicators to 5 factors showed that the most important indicator in the development of entrepreneurship ecosystem in rural tourism is the "investment" index. Other indicators of the first factor include participation, investor, access (market or economic), government, awareness and education (policy). Accordingly, it can be concluded that the most important requirement for the development of tourism entrepreneurship in the villages under study is cooperation between two groups of investors (for investment and marketing) and the government (to provide education and awareness) in the villages with tourism entrepreneurship and partnership with the residents of these villages.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the economic effects of oak trees dieback on villagers in Malekshahi County. The statistical sample of the study was 216 villagers who were selected based on the Cochran formula and using the proportionate stratified random sampling method. The main tool for data collection was a researcher-made questionnaire which its content validity was confirmed using the opinions of the professors of the Department of Rural Development and Forest Sciences of Ilam University. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire, and its value was equal to 0.87. The results of factor analysis showed that the factors of weakening agricultural and animal husbandry activities, the decline in employment, food supply problems, general poverty, declining by-products, declining tourism, declining incomes and declining beekeeping activities, were the most important economic effects of dieback of oak trees on the life of villagers. These factors explained 68.56% of the total variance. Due to the effect of oak tree decline on reducing non-wood products, the establishment of cooperatives to use these products, optimizing the utilization of non-wood products and creating sustainable employment to boost the region's economy are recommended.

The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to the development of medicinal plants in Nahavand in 2019. The sample size was 11 experts and 5 farmers who were selected through targeted snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data using the thematic analysis approach. The results were 22 main themes which were determined by MAXQDA10 quality software. The main topics in this study were "supportive-supervisory barriers" and "managerial barriers". The results of this study showed that insufficient conversion and complementary industries, farmers' lack of knowledge of the market, the inability of farmers to package and sell, and lack of planning for crop development are among the obstacles to the development of medicinal plants in Nahavand. A comprehensive (financial-information) support system can be effective in reducing barriers and developing cultivation. This system can have public, information and financial parts. In the "Personal Information" section of this system, all personal and economic details of cultivation applicants can be registered. In the "Specific Information" section, all areas prone to cultivating different types of medicinal plants and how to plant and harvest them can be identified. In the "Communication Channels" section, all relevant experts can be introduced.