Identification and Prioritization of Development Strategies in Rural Areas Based on Strategic Planning Approach: Case Study of Asadabad Town, Hamedan Province

Rural development requires attention to the cultural, economic and social conditions as well amenities and capacities of rural areas. Implementing the development strategies in each region will fail without considering these issues. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to identify and prioritize development strategies in rural areas of Asadabad. Therefore, this research was carried out through two stages using qualitative-quantitative method and a questionnaire-based protocol. The statistical population of this study was 45 rural development organizations’ experts and rural informants in Asadabad County to identify the strategies and 8 experts to prioritize these strategies, which were selected through purposeful (Typical Case) sampling method. First, strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of development in rural areas were identfied using SWOT technique. Then, rural development strategies were prioritized based on Analytic network process (ANP) analysis. The results showed that the "government's financial support from farmers to buy new equipment for rural and agricultural development by providing low-interest credit facilities and long-term repayment" strategy was ranked as first priority. The second and third important rural development strategies were:"diversification of villagers' income and recruitment of educated young people through investing on agriculture, tourism and agricultural processing industries " and "Formation of farmers' union or cooperatives (farmers' network) to increase agricultural productivity and farmers’ bargaining power as well the sale of agricultural products and handicrafts". Given that diversification strategies have been placed in higher priority, it is suggested that investment on rural off-farm activities like handicrafts and tourism as well agricultural processing indestries be increased.