نشریه روستا و توسعه پایدار فضا
سال چهارم شماره 3 (پیاپی 15، پاییز 1402)

Rural youth, regarded as the future workforce in agriculture and the driving force behind rural development, play a crucial role in achieving sustainable progress. Despite the expectation that Iran's agricultural extension system would hold a pivotal position in the development of human resources in the agricultural sector, it has encountered various challenges. This research aimed to identify the obstacles facing rural youth capacity development programs within Iran's agricultural extension system, utilizing a qualitative approach. Employing purposive sampling and theoretical saturation criteria, 24 participants, including faculty members, managers, and relevant experts, were selected for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect pertinent information. Data analysis employed qualitative content analysis with systematic coding, facilitated by Maxqda 12 software. The findings revealed a total of 68 challenges categorized into two main components: 1) Challenges associated with the agricultural extension and education system, encompassing institutional-organizational, cultural-social, human resources, and scientific-specialized sub-components, and 2) Major challenges linked to rural villages and societies, comprising policy and planning, spatial, economic, educational, and cultural-social sub-components. To overcome these challenges and enhance the role of the agricultural extension system, recommendations are made based on the research findings. Successful capacity development in rural youth necessitates formal and long-term planning, involving active participation from all relevant institutions and organizations, with clearly defined roles and functions for each.

Attaining a distinct position and competitive edge among tourists is crucial for providing the foundation for rural tourism development. This study investigates the prevailing contexts and consequences of rural tourism development in Rodbar Ghasran region, focusing on competitiveness advantages. The research is applied, fundamental, interpretive, and analytical, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The analysis utilized Grounded Theory and Combined Models (FSORA, FCOPRAS), (EDAS), and SPSS software. Results indicated that among the studied villages, Lalan and Shemshak were in the best condition in terms of tourism indicators, while Hesarak was in the least favorable situation. Theoretical groundwork to examine governing contexts for tourism development identified factors such as optimal governance, institutionalization of tourism culture, decentralized approach, strategic planning based on competitive capacities, educibility of tourism, formation of a specialized team, development of tourism infrastructure, and effective advertising. Experts assigned the highest importance to optimal governance of tourism with a weight of 72.33. Similarly, the theoretical background for studying consequences highlighted sustainable tourism development, improved quality of life, marketing growth, and increased awareness and knowledge of tourism in rural areas. Sustainable development of tourism was considered the most significant consequence, with a weight of 72.54. Importantly, the results revealed a meaningful and positive relationship between prevailing contexts and consequences of rural tourism development based on competitiveness advantages in the Rodbar Ghasran region, with a significance level of 0.000.

The dynamics and patterns of urban-rural relations significantly shape the formation, growth, and development of rural habitats, influencing their structure and functionality. Recognizing the crucial role of these relations in the transformation and development processes of urban and rural centers, this study delves into various types and reasons for these relations, while exploring their economic, socio-cultural, and spatial-physical effects and consequences on both urban and rural domains. The research aims to mitigate the adverse impacts of these relations and contribute to the systematic organization of urban and rural areas, fostering the grounds for sustainable development. This study specifically focuses on investigating the social, economic, and physical shifts induced by urban-rural relations between Dargaz city and rural settlements in the central district of Dargaz. The research employs a descriptive-analytical methodology, and the statistical population encompasses households residing in villages within the central part of Dargaz city. The research methodology combines documentary (library) and survey studies (questionnaire) with a comprehensive evaluation of 37 items across three key components: social, economic, and physical. Following a thorough review of literature and theoretical foundations, the study identifies crucial components and factors influencing city-village relations. These components are then utilized in crafting field data collection instruments. The statistical population comprises 237 residents from 22 villages in the central district of Dargaz, selected through a random sampling method. The findings reveal significant transformations in rural land and housing prices, limited agricultural land sizes, inadequate health services in villages, and a pronounced dependence of rural settlements on the city of Dargaz.

Rural women's participation in various rural activities not only enhances their social presence but also contributes to increased income for rural households and improved livelihoods. This research investigates and identifies the influential factors in enhancing women's participation in the rural economy of Shaft County. The descriptive-survey research method is employed, with a statistical population of 66 members of village councils and residents from various villages in the county. The validity of the items, confirmed by experts, exhibits reliability using Cronbach's alpha test, with scores of 0.841, 0.837, 0.871, and 0.78 for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, respectively, indicating a good and acceptable level. Subsequently, through factor analysis utilizing the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method, the designated items are categorized, and the crucial components for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are identified, comprising 3, 1, 2, and 1 components, respectively. The variance shares of the first to third components for opportunity points are 31.05, 22.33, and 13.564. For weaknesses, the variance share of the only component is 59.154. The variance shares of the first and second components for opportunity points are 32.316 and 29.964. Lastly, the variance share of the single component for threat points is 70.537. The total explained variance for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is 66.943, 59.154, 62.281, and 70.537, respectively. The results highlight that the key factors driving women's participation include a suitable cultural platform, financial support, and the role of women in sustainable development, women's employment in agriculture and related industries for tourism development and environmental conservation, and tourism attractions and handicraft sales. Weaknesses mainly stem from a lack of training, insufficient technical facilities for handicraft production, financial constraints, cultural shortcomings, and underestimation of women's participation. Opportunities focus on surplus production, government support, and the establishment of organizations and cooperatives, alongside increasing literacy levels. Threats are rooted in cultural, economic, and social barriers.

Enhancing the resilience of rural constructions is crucial for mitigating seismic risks. The seismicity across different regions of the country varies based on vulnerability levels, geographical locations, and geological factors. Rural areas, due to distinctive characteristics such as geographical positioning, limited economic and social resources, and increased susceptibility of structures during crises, especially earthquakes, face higher vulnerability. Identifying the vulnerability of rural regions, considering diverse seismic indicators, facilitates targeted and sustainable development-oriented rural construction resilience programs. This study aims to prioritize the rural districts of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province based on seismic indicators, specifically the Design Base Acceleration, to optimize retrofitting initiatives. The research employs an analytical approach grounded in various seismic indices, providing practical results applicable to other regions. Data analysis is conducted within the ARCGIS software environment. The rural districts of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province are assessed using five indicators: distance from faults, fault density, density of small, medium, and large earthquakes, distance from significant earthquakes, and Design Base Acceleration. The obtained results are used to generate zoning maps for each seismic index, aiding in the planning of rural construction retrofitting programs. Based on the Design Base Acceleration, the rural districts of Lar, Hore, Murghmalek, Zayandeh Rood, Vardanjan, Barez, and Saman are identified as the first priority for rural construction resilience programs.

Flood hazards in Iran annually inflict significant damages on rural areas, particularly impacting the housing sector. Consequently, focusing on the physical resilience of rural housing is essential due to its heightened vulnerability to floods. This study aims to assess the level of physical resilience of rural dwellings in Dargaz county facing floods and examine the influential contextual factors. The research, characterized by an applied purpose and a descriptive-analytical nature, relies on field surveys. The structure of physical housing resilience is quantified across five components: spatial, legal, structural, functional, and perceptual resilience, utilizing 36 indicators within the Likert spectrum. Following preliminary exploratory studies, nine villages with the highest flood vulnerability in the city were identified as the research sample. At the time of the 1399 study, these villages housed 1514 residential units, with 225 units determined as the sample using the Cochran's formula. The research tool was completed with the assistance of household heads. The reliability of the questionnaire, assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient in the resilience structure, was 0.95, indicating a desirable level. Results indicated that the overall average of physical housing resilience (excluding the legal dimension) and the resilience structure was significantly lower than the theoretical average, falling within the low to moderate range. Furthermore, as residence duration and the age of homeowners in the village increased, the physical resilience of housing showed a weakening trend. Conversely, increased years of education and income were associated with a higher level of physical housing resilience, albeit with weak intensity.

Ecotourism and sustainable rural development approaches are closely related; Because you can make optimal use of nature (the relationship between man and the environment) and make the economy flourish, and you can also try to preserve and maintain natural resources. Therefore, one of the dimensions in which rural managers can play a greater role is to help the development in its economic dimension in areas with ecotourism capacity in rural areas according to their duties and responsibilities in the field of economic development and tourism in rural areas. Berghan Dehestan as an area derived from the potential of nature tourism has positive characteristics and in the past years, it has gone in the direction that most of the tourism is destroying the nature of the village rather than the economic development of the village. Local administrators can play a double role as leaders of the rural community. For this purpose, this research seeks to analyze the role of local administrators (Islamic councils and village councils) in the economic development of ecotourism-based areas in Berghan Dehestan of Savjbalag county. Data and information were collected in both document and field form (questionnaire). The statistical population was the villagers of five villages (Aghasht, Berghan, Wardeh, Sarheh, Sanj) in Berghan Dehestan and 318 people were selected as a sample using Cochran's formula and stratified probability sampling method. SPSS software and single-sample T-tests, Pearson correlation and linear regression were used for data analysis. The results of the research in the investigated villages showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between local management (the role of the decisions of the Dehestan Islamic Council) and (the role of the practical measures of village assistance) with economic development.

Mitigating the impacts and damages resulting from natural disasters necessitates a cohesive plan and the elucidation of appropriate strategies for assessing vulnerability and managing risks. This complex management process requires information to support decision-making effectively. Our country has witnessed substantial social and economic damages from natural disasters over the past decades, especially earthquakes and floods. Given the inevitability of such hazards, establishing a specialized information bank for crisis management and access to a comprehensive information management system are crucial for documentation, cause analysis, and the development of necessary technical criteria, standards, and instructions to reduce damages effectively. In this regard, this paper initially outlines the execution process of the national plan for identifying, prioritizing, and taking action in villages at risk of natural disasters. Subsequently, the design and implementation of a spatial information system for monitoring and evaluating rural and urban settlements at risk are elucidated. This system aims to collect and record existing information, analyze and update it, and enhance the speed and accuracy of management decisions before, during, and after a crisis. To evaluate its performance and highlight its capabilities, the results of the June 1402 flood survey in Majidlo village, Germy, Ardabil province, are compared with the findings of the village risk identification plan in the spatial information system. Finally, considering the system's role as a decision support system in crisis management, relevant development proposals are presented.