Evaluating Population Aging and its Spatial Effects on Rural Economy Using SAW Hierarchy Analysis Model (Case Study: Rural Areas of Hamoun County)

The issue of the aging population of Iran, especially in rural areas, is due to various reasons, such as declining birth rates, advances in medical science, health, education, and increased life expectancy. It can also be said that this affects the various dimensions of the social and economic life of the inhabitants of cities and villages. For this purpose, in this article, the researchers have tried to investigate and identify the effects of rural population aging on the economic activity of rural villages in Hamoun province. The research method is descriptive-analytical and based on documentary studies and field studies as well as completion of the questionnaire. The results of the questionnaire were analyzed in the framework of theoretical discussion of the research using the hierarchical analysis model (SAW). The results of the research show that among 10 indicators used to determine the effects of population aging on the economic situation of villages in Hamoun, the index of labor shortage in economic activities with a score of 0.165 has significant effect on population aging on the rural economy of the Hamoun county. It can be said that the aging population of villages and the migration of young people to other cities have caused a lot of damage to the rural areas of this region, and the index of inability to cultivate all agricultural land with 0.660 is the last rank of the population's aging effect on the rural economy. Therefore, in order to prevent the irreparable effects of population aging on the rural economy, efforts must be made to survive the young population in rural areas in order to achieve sustainable development in rural areas.