فصلنامه روستا و توسعه
سال نوزدهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 74، تابستان 1395)

According to a number of recent studies, Golestan is known as an underdeveloped province of Iran, which might be associated with inequality in its urban-rural development and its 49% rural population. Therefore, determining the development level of rural sub-districts in the province is essential for planning and development efforts. Thus, it was mainly aimed by this study, using TOPSIS technique for processing, analyzing and classifying the degree of development in the studied sub-districts, based on 41 indicators and 5 main components including education, health, communications, services, and employment. In addition, the ANP model was used for weighting criteria, and Arc GIS 10.3 software was used for data analysis and drawing maps. As shown by the results, about 50 percent of the studied sub-districts were found deprived and there was also a big difference between their development levels. Finally, based on the study results, some recommendations were presented for poverty eradication of the province.

This study aimed at evaluating the impact of sustainable agriculture on sustainable rural development in Doshmanziari district of Nourabad Mamasani county of Iran. The statistical population consisted of two groups of households and farmers. The sample size was determined 200 households and 150 farmers surveyed by a questionnaire, the reliability of which was calculated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.87). The results from factor analysis showed that factors resulting in sustainable rural development could explain 73% of the variance in rural development; also, sustainable agricultural indices could explain 68% of the variance. Results of regression analysis indicated that there was a significant relationship between sustainable agriculture and rural development; in addition, the correlation between the eight factors of sustainable agriculture and rural development was considered as a direct moderate one. The results of the cluster analysis and t-independent test to evaluate the sustainable agriculture in the studied area showed its inappropriate condition in terms of agricultural sustainability.

This study aimed at assessing the level and type of rural people’s participation in Rural Guide Plan (RGP) in the village of Sangestan in Hamedan county of Iran. It was conducted in a survey method. The main tool of this research was a questionnaire and its statistical population consisted of 483 men in the village; among them, 150 people were selected as target sample by using Cochran formula. Study findings showed that there was a significant relationship between the level of rural people’s participation and some independent variables like participants’ education level, income, tendency to stay in village and motivating to participate in the RGP. Also, the result of multiple regressions indicated that three independent variables including participants’ income, tendency to stay in village and motivating to participate in the RGP had impact on the level of rural people’s participation in the RGP. Totally, these three variables explained 86.3 percent of variation in the dependent variable. Based on the study results, the level of rural people’s participation in the RGP was about average rate and participation type was mainly advisory with financial incentives and motivations.

This study aimed at analyzing the changes in life style and factors influencing it in rural areas of Zanjan county of Iran. It was conducted in a survey method and its statistical population consisted of all rural residents in this county in 2015; and among them, 250 respondents were selected through a multi-stage cluster sampling. Then, a questionnaire was used to collect data. Life style condition was investigated through components of physical, social, psychological and spiritual health as well as food and clothing consumption patterns and recreation time (including 62 items using a five-level Likert scale). The face and content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts (including faculty members of Extension, Communication and Rural Development Department in University of Zanjan). The construct validity and composite reliability were assessed through confirmatory factor analyses (measurement model). Composite reliability coefficients ranging from 0.889 to 0.936 indicated good internal consistency of the measurement tool. Data analysis was performed using SPSS20 and AMOS20 software. The results showed a significantly negative relationship between amount of media usage and life style condition, whereas the relationship between family incomes and life style was significantly positive.

The purpose of this study was to take advantage of entrepreneurial thinking to identify and prioritize strategies of traditional tourism activities in Golestan province of Iran to drive them towards innovative activities. It used a combined AHP-SWOT approach; first, SWOT analysis to identify and classify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of tourism activities in the province and then, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to calculate the weight and importance of each criteria and sub-criteria identified by SWOT analysis. For gathering data, a matrix of components and groups paired comparisons was formulated and completed through the viewpoints of 15 experts and activists in tourism industry in the first three months of 2015. The results showed that the most important practical strategy for entrepreneurial development strategy in the tourism industry of the Golestan province was 'SO' strategy with utility index of 0.495; in addition, t he most important strategies identified included : diversification of the advertising program s designed for applications , review of planning and investment , and international marketing .

Social changes in the present era are expanding with more speed and intensity. One of the changes is the evolution of the role of women in the agricultural sector. This study aimed at analyzing the change in the level of women's participation in the agricultural sector. For this purpose, villages of Torbat-e-Jam County of Iran were studied in a descriptive and analytic method. The sample size included 390 rural women selected in two groups: one group, 19 to 35 years old as a younger generation; and the other, more than 50 years old as the older generation. According to Mann-Whitney U test, the study hypothesis was confirmed with reliability of 95 percent with p

This study aimed at comparing the characteristics of pomegranate insurance adopters and non-adopters among orchard owners in rural areas of Natanz county of Iran. It was conducted in a survey method. Stratified random sampling was used to collect data from 250 farmers who were selected based on Cochran sampling formula. The data collection was carried out through a questionnaire, the validity of which was confirmed by a group of professionals. Also, a pilot study was conducted and Cronbach's alpha test was calculated to determine reliability of the questionnaire. Findings revealed that there were significant differences between adopters and non-adopters of insurance services in relation to their personal, social and economic factors. According to the discriminate analysis results, six independent variables could discriminate two groups of treatments; and 'experience toward agricultural insurance' was the most important discriminator in this regard. Finally, based on the study results, some recommendations were presented to enhance adoption rate of agricultural insurance.

Based on the policies associated with Article 44, Constitutions of Iran, cooperatives have received a central role especially in employment generation, while regarding the government financial limitations, the main challenge is to finance the cooperatives. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the microfinance potentials throughout cooperatives and their contribution to employment generation. Applied data were gathered through completing questionnaire by 120 agricultural-rural and non-agricultural cooperative members of Iran's Fars province in 2015. Tendency to participation in microfinance program and cooperatives’ fund contribution to employment generation were applied in Likert scale as the central variables. The results showed that the cooperative members with higher tendency to participate in microfinance program were those with small scale activity, lower number of occupations, larger household size as well as lower membership history. Women also were found with higher tendency to participate as compared to men. The findings also showed that men considered lower chance of contribution for cooperatives in employment generation compared to women. Similarly, members with higher household size and higher membership history believed that cooperatives were less likely to contribute employment generation goal; in addition, the chance for employment generation by cooperatives was believed less by those with higher education and higher by those with higher income. Based on the results, rural and agricultural activities might be considered as a business priority for microfinance cooperative establishment.