Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 An analysis of livelihood capital and resilience of rural settlements in arid and desert areas, case study of Khusf County An analysis of livelihood capital and resilience of rural settlements in arid and desert areas, case study of Khusf County 1 28 132388 10.30490/rvt.2025.367458.1672 FA J. Mikaniki Associate Professor of Geography and Rural Planning, Geography Department, Faculty of Humanities, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran. 0009-0008-8108-0116 Journal Article 2025 06 30 Abstract Introduction Rural settlements in arid and desert regions are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to environmental crisis due to limited water resources, soil erosion, and low vegetation diversity. These communities frequently face challenges such as recurrent droughts, reduced crop yields, livelihood poverty, weak economic infrastructure, and migration. In such contexts, resilience is a critical factor influencing the sustainability of rural settlements. One key element in enhancing rural resilience is the availability and management of livelihood assets during crises, ensuring the sustainability of livelihoods despite harsh environmental conditions. Analyzing the impact of livelihood assets on rural resilience in arid and desert areas provides deeper insight into mechanisms that strengthen livelihood sustainability, reduce vulnerability, and enhance adaptability, all of which contribute to the sustainable and balanced development of rural regions. Livelihood capital is a vital concept for understanding how rural households manage their resources to achieve sustainable development and alleviate poverty. Human settlements in rural and arid areas are particularly susceptible to climate change impacts, especially drought. The resilience of these settlements depends largely on the availability of livelihood assets, which include five main categories: human, social, financial, physical, and natural capital. Materials and methods This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and is classified as applied research in terms of purpose. Data were collected through two methods: library research and field surveys. The primary data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire, validated for content and reliability before deployment. Validity was confirmed by experts in rural development and planning from universities in South Khorasan Province. Reliability analysis using Cronbach's alpha yielded coefficients of 0.906 for the livelihood capital component and 0.798 for the rural resilience component, indicating high internal consistency. The main variables studied included livelihood capital (comprising five indicators across 45 items) and rural resilience (comprising four components across 29 items). Responses were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale (very little, little, medium, much, very much). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software, employing descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, one-sample t-tests, and analysis of variance. Results and discussion Survey data on livelihood capital and rural resilience were analyzed according to the relevant indicators. The mean scores revealed that among livelihood capital components, human capital scored highest (mean = 4.17), while natural capital scored lowest (mean = 1.20). For rural resilience, the social resilience index had the highest average (3.76), whereas the physical-environmental index was lowest (1.46). Overall, the mean scores for livelihood capital (2.67) and resilience (2.75) were below the theoretical midpoint (3.0). One-sample t-tests confirmed that these mean values were significantly lower than the desired level. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relationships between all livelihood capital indicators and rural resilience. The strongest correlation was observed between social capital and resilience (r = 0.631), and the weakest between natural capital and resilience (r = 0.277), indicating that social factors may play a more substantial role in resilience within this context. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: FA;"> Conclusions Rural settlements in arid and desert regions face profound socio-economic instability primarily due to persistent drought and water scarcity. The resilience of these communities to environmental challenges is strongly influenced by their livelihood capitals. Effective composition and management of these capitals are essential for enhancing adaptive capacity and resilience among rural households, given environmental constraints. This study, conducted in Khousf County—a prominent arid and desert area of South Khorasan Province—revealed that from the local community’s perspective, livelihood capitals and resilience are below desirable levels. This is largely attributable to adverse environmental factors such as water scarcity, drought-related stresses, and poor soil quality. Despite low scores in physical and natural capital, human capital was relatively strong, and social resilience was considered favorable despite weaknesses in physical-environmental resilience. The positive and significant correlations between livelihood capital and resilience highlight the interdependence of these constructs. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to strengthen livelihood assets, particularly natural and physical capitals, to enhance overall resilience in these vulnerable rural areas. Abstract Introduction Rural settlements in arid and desert regions are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to environmental crisis due to limited water resources, soil erosion, and low vegetation diversity. These communities frequently face challenges such as recurrent droughts, reduced crop yields, livelihood poverty, weak economic infrastructure, and migration. In such contexts, resilience is a critical factor influencing the sustainability of rural settlements. One key element in enhancing rural resilience is the availability and management of livelihood assets during crises, ensuring the sustainability of livelihoods despite harsh environmental conditions. Analyzing the impact of livelihood assets on rural resilience in arid and desert areas provides deeper insight into mechanisms that strengthen livelihood sustainability, reduce vulnerability, and enhance adaptability, all of which contribute to the sustainable and balanced development of rural regions. Livelihood capital is a vital concept for understanding how rural households manage their resources to achieve sustainable development and alleviate poverty. Human settlements in rural and arid areas are particularly susceptible to climate change impacts, especially drought. The resilience of these settlements depends largely on the availability of livelihood assets, which include five main categories: human, social, financial, physical, and natural capital. Materials and methods This study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and is classified as applied research in terms of purpose. Data were collected through two methods: library research and field surveys. The primary data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire, validated for content and reliability before deployment. Validity was confirmed by experts in rural development and planning from universities in South Khorasan Province. Reliability analysis using Cronbach's alpha yielded coefficients of 0.906 for the livelihood capital component and 0.798 for the rural resilience component, indicating high internal consistency. The main variables studied included livelihood capital (comprising five indicators across 45 items) and rural resilience (comprising four components across 29 items). Responses were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale (very little, little, medium, much, very much). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software, employing descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, one-sample t-tests, and analysis of variance. Results and discussion Survey data on livelihood capital and rural resilience were analyzed according to the relevant indicators. The mean scores revealed that among livelihood capital components, human capital scored highest (mean = 4.17), while natural capital scored lowest (mean = 1.20). For rural resilience, the social resilience index had the highest average (3.76), whereas the physical-environmental index was lowest (1.46). Overall, the mean scores for livelihood capital (2.67) and resilience (2.75) were below the theoretical midpoint (3.0). One-sample t-tests confirmed that these mean values were significantly lower than the desired level. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relationships between all livelihood capital indicators and rural resilience. The strongest correlation was observed between social capital and resilience (r = 0.631), and the weakest between natural capital and resilience (r = 0.277), indicating that social factors may play a more substantial role in resilience within this context. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: FA;"> Conclusions Rural settlements in arid and desert regions face profound socio-economic instability primarily due to persistent drought and water scarcity. The resilience of these communities to environmental challenges is strongly influenced by their livelihood capitals. Effective composition and management of these capitals are essential for enhancing adaptive capacity and resilience among rural households, given environmental constraints. This study, conducted in Khousf County—a prominent arid and desert area of South Khorasan Province—revealed that from the local community’s perspective, livelihood capitals and resilience are below desirable levels. This is largely attributable to adverse environmental factors such as water scarcity, drought-related stresses, and poor soil quality. Despite low scores in physical and natural capital, human capital was relatively strong, and social resilience was considered favorable despite weaknesses in physical-environmental resilience. The positive and significant correlations between livelihood capital and resilience highlight the interdependence of these constructs. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to strengthen livelihood assets, particularly natural and physical capitals, to enhance overall resilience in these vulnerable rural areas.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132388_4fb755713c322ede1e960828d95b5116.pdf

Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 Designing a Model Explaining the Role of Key Factors in the Performance of the Agricultural Supply Chain with a Qualitative Approach (Case Study: Isfahan Agricultural Logistics Park) Designing a Model Explaining the Role of Key Factors in the Performance of the Agricultural Supply Chain with a Qualitative Approach (Case Study: Isfahan Agricultural Logistics Park) 29 67 132390 10.30490/rvt.2025.367317.1633 FA A.R. Javeri Ph.D in Management, Researcher at Isfahan Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Isfahan, Iran. 0000-0001-9682-0473 S. Allameh Ph.D. Student, Departmant of Management at Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. 0009-0001-3487-9426 N. Amrolahi Assistant Professor, Department of management at Faculty of Humanities and social sciences, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran. Journal Article 2024 11 10 Abstract Introduction The rapid development of the world economy has provided opportunities for the prosperity of the logistics industry and its development. The ability of a country in global trade depends on the access of economic operators to efficient logistics networks. Governments promote the development of the modern logistics industry as an important strategy to support sustainable economic development, improve the investment environment, and increase social and economic benefits. Trade logistics (TL) is an important and challenging task for developing countries because, in the way of its correct implementation, many factors are intertwined and it requires advanced technologies and high-level infrastructure. In agriculture, agricultural logistics parks play a very important role in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the agricultural supply chain and reducing the logistics costs of the entire system (Lee, 2015). Given the challenges in this direction, what elements in the establishment and development of logistics terminals can act as key factors for improving export competitiveness, facilitating international trade, and supporting sustainable economic development? Materials and methods The current research is based on the interpretive paradigm, which is applied and developmental in terms of purpose, and in terms of the qualitative research method, it is based on the theme analysis approach. In this research, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Based on this, the literature of logistics and export terminals and its implementation process at the international level were examined. Then, based on these analyses, interview questions were formed, the validity of the interview questions was confirmed by academic professors and experts. The participants in this study were managers, academics, and experts in the field of agriculture in Isfahan province, who were selected using purposive sampling. An in-depth interview was conducted. In the qualitative research method, the sample size is considered according to theoretical saturation. In this research, theoretical saturation was achieved after conducting 15 interviews, but two more interviews were conducted to ensure that no new data were observed in this interview. Results and Discussion Theme analysis and MAXQDA software were used to analyze the data obtained from the interviews. The results of data analysis and review showed that the components affecting the export terminal of agricultural products in this research include 4 main categories, 8 sub categories and 16 concepts. The findings show that the key factors in establishing an agricultural logistics park are the quality of commercial, public, and transportation infrastructure, legal infrastructure, quality of customs logistics infrastructure and services, and quality of export infrastructure, which are presented in the form of an agricultural logistics park model. Conclusions Although the issue of establishing export terminals has been discussed in Iran for a long time, a handful of organizations have tried to implement this important structure in the country's logistics. In addition, due to the existing limitations, the implementation of this structure faces many complications and challenges. In this regard, identifying the various dimensions required for the successful implementation of the export terminal will provide a suitable response to the challenges. The comparative comparison of international indicators in the logistics industry, which is presented every year in the document LPI (Logistics Performance Index) by the World Bank, and the conducted interviews show that the dimensions of the quality of customs logistics infrastructure and services and the quality of commercial, public, and transportation infrastructure that are The mentioned model has been expressed in some way in the international performance indicators, but by carefully analyzing the content of the conducted interviews, new indicators have also been expressed that help to complete the model. One of the very important points in the results of this research is the interweaving and extensive connection of these categories with each other, in other words, it can be said that all these 8 categories are health factors for setting up an export terminal, and if any of them is not realized, the export terminal will lose its main function will lose. Abstract Introduction The rapid development of the world economy has provided opportunities for the prosperity of the logistics industry and its development. The ability of a country in global trade depends on the access of economic operators to efficient logistics networks. Governments promote the development of the modern logistics industry as an important strategy to support sustainable economic development, improve the investment environment, and increase social and economic benefits. Trade logistics (TL) is an important and challenging task for developing countries because, in the way of its correct implementation, many factors are intertwined and it requires advanced technologies and high-level infrastructure. In agriculture, agricultural logistics parks play a very important role in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the agricultural supply chain and reducing the logistics costs of the entire system (Lee, 2015). Given the challenges in this direction, what elements in the establishment and development of logistics terminals can act as key factors for improving export competitiveness, facilitating international trade, and supporting sustainable economic development? Materials and methods The current research is based on the interpretive paradigm, which is applied and developmental in terms of purpose, and in terms of the qualitative research method, it is based on the theme analysis approach. In this research, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Based on this, the literature of logistics and export terminals and its implementation process at the international level were examined. Then, based on these analyses, interview questions were formed, the validity of the interview questions was confirmed by academic professors and experts. The participants in this study were managers, academics, and experts in the field of agriculture in Isfahan province, who were selected using purposive sampling. An in-depth interview was conducted. In the qualitative research method, the sample size is considered according to theoretical saturation. In this research, theoretical saturation was achieved after conducting 15 interviews, but two more interviews were conducted to ensure that no new data were observed in this interview. Results and Discussion Theme analysis and MAXQDA software were used to analyze the data obtained from the interviews. The results of data analysis and review showed that the components affecting the export terminal of agricultural products in this research include 4 main categories, 8 sub categories and 16 concepts. The findings show that the key factors in establishing an agricultural logistics park are the quality of commercial, public, and transportation infrastructure, legal infrastructure, quality of customs logistics infrastructure and services, and quality of export infrastructure, which are presented in the form of an agricultural logistics park model. Conclusions Although the issue of establishing export terminals has been discussed in Iran for a long time, a handful of organizations have tried to implement this important structure in the country's logistics. In addition, due to the existing limitations, the implementation of this structure faces many complications and challenges. In this regard, identifying the various dimensions required for the successful implementation of the export terminal will provide a suitable response to the challenges. The comparative comparison of international indicators in the logistics industry, which is presented every year in the document LPI (Logistics Performance Index) by the World Bank, and the conducted interviews show that the dimensions of the quality of customs logistics infrastructure and services and the quality of commercial, public, and transportation infrastructure that are The mentioned model has been expressed in some way in the international performance indicators, but by carefully analyzing the content of the conducted interviews, new indicators have also been expressed that help to complete the model. One of the very important points in the results of this research is the interweaving and extensive connection of these categories with each other, in other words, it can be said that all these 8 categories are health factors for setting up an export terminal, and if any of them is not realized, the export terminal will lose its main function will lose.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132390_0191c34341b40188b90664968b55e8a6.pdf

Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 Economic Analysis of Energy Use in Onion Production in the Villages of the Tabriz Plain Economic Analysis of Energy Use in Onion Production in the Villages of the Tabriz Plain 69 90 132394 10.30490/rvt.2025.367414.1658 FA E. Ghasemi Corresponding Author and PhD. Student, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 0009-0006-1416-6548 Gh. Dashti Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 0000-0002-9292-3843 M. Ghahremanzadeh Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 0000-0003-0993-9244 Journal Article 2025 04 05 Abstract Introduction In the current world, energy is not merely an input, it is one important and strategic factor in the productivity and sustainability of rural and agricultural systems which its optimal management can transform production structure. The relation between energy inputs and outputs of agriculture has not only affected the quantity and quality of production but also plays an important role in sustainability of resources and adaptation of agricultural systems with environmental challenges and climate change. Therefore, the main objective of this research is the economic study of input energy use in onion production in the villages of the Tabriz plain. Materials and Methods In this study, production function is used to investigate the relationship between energy consumption, input and final product in onion production process. In order to compare the input and output values with energy units (mj ha-1), the equivalence coefficients of energy were used. For this purpose, Translog, generalized quadratic and generalized Leontief production functions have been used. Additionally, production elasticity was used to study of the reaction of output to changes in input consumption. Required data collected through face-to-face interviews and questionnaires from 140 farmers in rural areas of Tabriz plain. For estimation of production functions was used Stata 17 software. Results and Discussion After model’s estimation and evaluation of J-B test, significant coefficients and R2 criteria, the generalized quadratic production function was selected as the preferred model to analyze the effect of input energy on energy of onion. Estimation of production function showed that energy inputs of seed, labor, manure and fertilizer have significant effect on energy output energy. Based on the results, the estimated production elasticities of seed and animal manure were 0.81 and 0.2, respectively, while the elasticity of labor inputs (1.02) and chemical fertilizer (1.16) indicates the use of the permitted limit (first stage). Conclusions The production estimation and calculation of production elasticity as an applied criterion to evaluate the use of factors confirms that farmers use labor and chemical inputs in the non-economic region (first stage). According to the farmers, with the increase in the price of fertilizer they could not demand and use this input and therefore the quantity of application in the first region was stopped. Although the use of fertilizers increases the production of onion, it is recommended that farmers to minimize the detrimental effects of chemical fertilizers by observing the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture and low reliance on such factors and applying integrated fertilizers. Also, according to the estimated elasticities for seed and animal manure, it was concluded that the farmers use these inputs as economically means in the second stage, although some of these inputs are not rational and economical. Determination of optimum value of inputs can help increase profitability of onion production while reducing negative effects of harmful factors on natural resources. This is done by adopting sustainable agricultural practices and utilizing environmentally modern technologies in order to balance the efficiency improvement and decrease the destruction of the environment. Abstract Introduction In the current world, energy is not merely an input, it is one important and strategic factor in the productivity and sustainability of rural and agricultural systems which its optimal management can transform production structure. The relation between energy inputs and outputs of agriculture has not only affected the quantity and quality of production but also plays an important role in sustainability of resources and adaptation of agricultural systems with environmental challenges and climate change. Therefore, the main objective of this research is the economic study of input energy use in onion production in the villages of the Tabriz plain. Materials and Methods In this study, production function is used to investigate the relationship between energy consumption, input and final product in onion production process. In order to compare the input and output values with energy units (mj ha-1), the equivalence coefficients of energy were used. For this purpose, Translog, generalized quadratic and generalized Leontief production functions have been used. Additionally, production elasticity was used to study of the reaction of output to changes in input consumption. Required data collected through face-to-face interviews and questionnaires from 140 farmers in rural areas of Tabriz plain. For estimation of production functions was used Stata 17 software. Results and Discussion After model’s estimation and evaluation of J-B test, significant coefficients and R2 criteria, the generalized quadratic production function was selected as the preferred model to analyze the effect of input energy on energy of onion. Estimation of production function showed that energy inputs of seed, labor, manure and fertilizer have significant effect on energy output energy. Based on the results, the estimated production elasticities of seed and animal manure were 0.81 and 0.2, respectively, while the elasticity of labor inputs (1.02) and chemical fertilizer (1.16) indicates the use of the permitted limit (first stage). Conclusions The production estimation and calculation of production elasticity as an applied criterion to evaluate the use of factors confirms that farmers use labor and chemical inputs in the non-economic region (first stage). According to the farmers, with the increase in the price of fertilizer they could not demand and use this input and therefore the quantity of application in the first region was stopped. Although the use of fertilizers increases the production of onion, it is recommended that farmers to minimize the detrimental effects of chemical fertilizers by observing the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture and low reliance on such factors and applying integrated fertilizers. Also, according to the estimated elasticities for seed and animal manure, it was concluded that the farmers use these inputs as economically means in the second stage, although some of these inputs are not rational and economical. Determination of optimum value of inputs can help increase profitability of onion production while reducing negative effects of harmful factors on natural resources. This is done by adopting sustainable agricultural practices and utilizing environmentally modern technologies in order to balance the efficiency improvement and decrease the destruction of the environment.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132394_c1bc4e63121e98993fd8dea7790a6c44.pdf

Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 Scenario-Based Development of Agricultural Product Transportation in West Azerbaijan Province Scenario-Based Development of Agricultural Product Transportation in West Azerbaijan Province 91 120 132397 10.30490/rvt.2025.367477.1680 FA S. Mirlou PhD Student, Department of Rural Extension and Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 0009-0001-9342-9118 H. Koohestani Associate Professor, Department of Rural Extension and Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 0000-0002-8419-5989 F. Kazemiyeh . Associate Professor, Department of Rural Extension and Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran Journal Article 2025 07 28 <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Abstract <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Introduction <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">National studies reveal that millions of Iranians living in rural settlements still lack adequate transport infrastructure, including standard road networks. This poor connectivity, compounded by limited market and public-service access, erodes rural welfare, heightens socio-economic vulnerability, and undermines the competitiveness of villages relative to cities. Agricultural transport—long overlooked in rural and agrarian policies—has thus become a critical issue. West Azerbaijan, an agricultural powerhouse employing over 230 000 people, is pivotal to Iran’s food supply. Strengthening its agricultural-transport infrastructure is essential for securing supply chains, cutting post-harvest losses, and boosting producers’ competitiveness. The province’s connectivity roadmap, shaped by regional needs and public demand, prioritizes upgrading and widening border-bound roads to foster cross-border trade, transit, and economic synergy. Equipping road-maintenance depots, supporting road-service personnel, and advancing dedicated agri-logistics can act as powerful drivers of provincial development. Given West Azerbaijan’s agricultural prominence and mounting transport inefficiencies, this study employs foresight methods to craft robust scenarios that counter agricultural-product transport challenges, enabling strategic planning and greater economic resilience in rural areas. <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Materials and Methods <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">This quantitative, applied study collected survey data via questionnaires from 30 transport, agriculture and rural-development experts. Using a descriptive-analytical design, data were analysed in Scenario Wizard through cross-impact analysis. Steps comprised defining events/trends, constructing impact matrices, estimating probabilities, running consistency loops and final cross-impact evaluation. The foresight framework covers four dimensions: objectives, tools, approaches and context. The research aims to generate scenario-based strategies for improving agricultural-product transport in West Azerbaijan. <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Results & Discussion <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">In the process of optimizing agricultural product transportation, identifying key influencing factors is crucial. Transportation, as a vital link in the food supply chain, plays an important role in enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving product quality. This study identified and examined 13 critical components impacting the future of agricultural transportation in West Azerbaijan province Among these, the assumption of access to smooth and suitable roads emerged as one of the strongest and most significant premises in scenario development. The importance of this factor lies in its ability to reduce transportation costs, increase speed, and improve safety during product transit. This is especially critical for rural and agricultural areas where timely delivery of perishable products is essential. Given the profound influence of transportation infrastructure on the entire supply chain, many studies emphasize this assumption as a key driver for the socio-economic development of rural communities. Poor road infrastructure leads to higher transportation costs and reduces the competitiveness of agricultural products in markets. Access to appropriate freight vehicles, while recognized as important, showed lower compatibility compared to road infrastructure. A modern, well-equipped fleet can increase productivity, lower costs, and maintain product quality during transit. However, in some regions, especially less developed or rural areas, lack of resources and high costs limit the availability of suitable vehicles. This directly affects transportation speed and quality, sometimes increasing product wastage. <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">The difference in robustness between these two assumptions indicates that although access to freight vehicles is important, adequate road infrastructure has a far stronger impact on overall transportation efficiency. Good roads play a foundational role in reducing transit time and costs, and can partly compensate for vehicle shortages. Therefore, prioritizing road quality improvement and expanding transportation networks in rural and agricultural regions can lead to more sustainable and effective transportation systems. Challenges limiting the availability of suitable freight vehicles include high acquisition and maintenance costs, infrastructure-vehicle mismatches, and insufficient demand due to low production volume or market access. Despite its significance, this assumption is less robust due to these barriers. In conclusion, while access to proper freight vehicles remains key, investment in road infrastructure should take precedence, especially where resources are limited. Future scenarios should focus on enhancing road networks and employing regional transport technologies as strategies to overcome vehicle availability constraints and improve agricultural product transportation efficiency. <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Conclusions <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">In the process of optimizing agricultural product transportation, identifying key influencing factors is of great importance. Transportation, as a critical link in the food supply chain, plays a vital role in improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing product quality. This study identified and examined 13 key factors affecting the future of agricultural transportation. Access to smooth and suitable roads is one of the strongest and most significant assumptions in transportation development scenarios. Quality roads reduce transportation costs, increase speed, and improve safety—especially crucial for rural areas where timely delivery of perishable products is essential. Poor road infrastructure can increase costs and reduce product competitiveness in the market. On the other hand, access to appropriate freight vehicles, although important, shows lower compatibility compared to road infrastructure. A modern and well-equipped fleet can increase productivity, reduce costs, and preserve product quality during transit. However, due to high costs, limited resources, and mismatches with infrastructure, many regions lack suitable fleets, which negatively impacts transportation speed and quality and leads to higher product losses. Analysis indicates that suitable road infrastructure has a stronger impact on overall transportation efficiency, and good roads can partially compensate for vehicle shortages. Therefore, improving road quality and expanding transportation networks in rural and agricultural areas should be prioritized. <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Factors reducing the compatibility of the freight vehicle assumption include high acquisition and maintenance costs, infrastructure-vehicle mismatches, and low demand due to limited production volume or market access. Accordingly, investing in road infrastructure and regional transportation technologies presents more effective solutions to overcome fleet limitations. In conclusion, while access to proper freight vehicles remains important, prioritizing road infrastructure development and leveraging modern transport technologies will yield more sustainable and efficient agricultural product transportation in future scenarios. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Abstract <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Introduction <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">National studies reveal that millions of Iranians living in rural settlements still lack adequate transport infrastructure, including standard road networks. This poor connectivity, compounded by limited market and public-service access, erodes rural welfare, heightens socio-economic vulnerability, and undermines the competitiveness of villages relative to cities. Agricultural transport—long overlooked in rural and agrarian policies—has thus become a critical issue. West Azerbaijan, an agricultural powerhouse employing over 230 000 people, is pivotal to Iran’s food supply. Strengthening its agricultural-transport infrastructure is essential for securing supply chains, cutting post-harvest losses, and boosting producers’ competitiveness. The province’s connectivity roadmap, shaped by regional needs and public demand, prioritizes upgrading and widening border-bound roads to foster cross-border trade, transit, and economic synergy. Equipping road-maintenance depots, supporting road-service personnel, and advancing dedicated agri-logistics can act as powerful drivers of provincial development. Given West Azerbaijan’s agricultural prominence and mounting transport inefficiencies, this study employs foresight methods to craft robust scenarios that counter agricultural-product transport challenges, enabling strategic planning and greater economic resilience in rural areas. <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Materials and Methods <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">This quantitative, applied study collected survey data via questionnaires from 30 transport, agriculture and rural-development experts. Using a descriptive-analytical design, data were analysed in Scenario Wizard through cross-impact analysis. Steps comprised defining events/trends, constructing impact matrices, estimating probabilities, running consistency loops and final cross-impact evaluation. The foresight framework covers four dimensions: objectives, tools, approaches and context. The research aims to generate scenario-based strategies for improving agricultural-product transport in West Azerbaijan. <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Results & Discussion <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">In the process of optimizing agricultural product transportation, identifying key influencing factors is crucial. Transportation, as a vital link in the food supply chain, plays an important role in enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving product quality. This study identified and examined 13 critical components impacting the future of agricultural transportation in West Azerbaijan province Among these, the assumption of access to smooth and suitable roads emerged as one of the strongest and most significant premises in scenario development. The importance of this factor lies in its ability to reduce transportation costs, increase speed, and improve safety during product transit. This is especially critical for rural and agricultural areas where timely delivery of perishable products is essential. Given the profound influence of transportation infrastructure on the entire supply chain, many studies emphasize this assumption as a key driver for the socio-economic development of rural communities. Poor road infrastructure leads to higher transportation costs and reduces the competitiveness of agricultural products in markets. Access to appropriate freight vehicles, while recognized as important, showed lower compatibility compared to road infrastructure. A modern, well-equipped fleet can increase productivity, lower costs, and maintain product quality during transit. However, in some regions, especially less developed or rural areas, lack of resources and high costs limit the availability of suitable vehicles. This directly affects transportation speed and quality, sometimes increasing product wastage. <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">The difference in robustness between these two assumptions indicates that although access to freight vehicles is important, adequate road infrastructure has a far stronger impact on overall transportation efficiency. Good roads play a foundational role in reducing transit time and costs, and can partly compensate for vehicle shortages. Therefore, prioritizing road quality improvement and expanding transportation networks in rural and agricultural regions can lead to more sustainable and effective transportation systems. Challenges limiting the availability of suitable freight vehicles include high acquisition and maintenance costs, infrastructure-vehicle mismatches, and insufficient demand due to low production volume or market access. Despite its significance, this assumption is less robust due to these barriers. In conclusion, while access to proper freight vehicles remains key, investment in road infrastructure should take precedence, especially where resources are limited. Future scenarios should focus on enhancing road networks and employing regional transport technologies as strategies to overcome vehicle availability constraints and improve agricultural product transportation efficiency. <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Conclusions <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">In the process of optimizing agricultural product transportation, identifying key influencing factors is of great importance. Transportation, as a critical link in the food supply chain, plays a vital role in improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing product quality. This study identified and examined 13 key factors affecting the future of agricultural transportation. Access to smooth and suitable roads is one of the strongest and most significant assumptions in transportation development scenarios. Quality roads reduce transportation costs, increase speed, and improve safety—especially crucial for rural areas where timely delivery of perishable products is essential. Poor road infrastructure can increase costs and reduce product competitiveness in the market. On the other hand, access to appropriate freight vehicles, although important, shows lower compatibility compared to road infrastructure. A modern and well-equipped fleet can increase productivity, reduce costs, and preserve product quality during transit. However, due to high costs, limited resources, and mismatches with infrastructure, many regions lack suitable fleets, which negatively impacts transportation speed and quality and leads to higher product losses. Analysis indicates that suitable road infrastructure has a stronger impact on overall transportation efficiency, and good roads can partially compensate for vehicle shortages. Therefore, improving road quality and expanding transportation networks in rural and agricultural areas should be prioritized. <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Factors reducing the compatibility of the freight vehicle assumption include high acquisition and maintenance costs, infrastructure-vehicle mismatches, and low demand due to limited production volume or market access. Accordingly, investing in road infrastructure and regional transportation technologies presents more effective solutions to overcome fleet limitations. In conclusion, while access to proper freight vehicles remains important, prioritizing road infrastructure development and leveraging modern transport technologies will yield more sustainable and efficient agricultural product transportation in future scenarios.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132397_db86ecfc80a55d250be9d298957ce383.pdf

Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 Examining Rural Residents’ Satisfaction with the Implementation of Rural Guidance (Hadi) Plans: A Case Study of the Edimi District, Nimroz County, Iran Examining Rural Residents’ Satisfaction with the Implementation of Rural Guidance (Hadi) Plans: A Case Study of the Edimi District, Nimroz County, Iran 121 153 132398 10.30490/rvt.2025.367514.1697 FA B. Khosravipour Professor. Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Iran. 0000-0003-4898-1082 S. Pourjavid Ph.D in Agricultural Extension and Education, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Iran 0000-0003-2772-3885 Journal Article 2025 09 18 Abstract Introduction One of the fundamental dimensions of rural development planning is physical planning, which refers to the design, development, and management of the physical environment in accordance with proposed policies and guidelines. In essence, physical planning is a crucial component of rural development, as it seeks to create desirable spatial harmony among various human activities while enhancing the overall quality of life. Within this framework, one of the primary models of physical planning in Iran is the Rural Guidance (Hadi) Plan, which was introduced after the Islamic Revolution as a strategic instrument for rural development planning. In general, the objective of implementing these plans has been to provide a foundation for the revitalization of villages, to guide their development with consideration of physical and economic aspects, and to preserve rural populations while reducing out-migration. However, empirical evidence indicates that despite the considerable financial and non-financial investments, these plans have not succeeded in ensuring rural sustainability; rather, migration trends have continued in many villages. Moreover, the plans have largely failed in terms of spatial reorganization and physical restructuring and, more importantly, have not succeeded in gaining the satisfaction and participation of rural residents. Accordingly, this study aims to critically examine the underlying reasons for the limited success of Rural Guidance Plans—despite their high implementation costs—by analyzing the level of satisfaction among rural residents of the Edimi district in Nimroz County with their implementation. Materials and Methods This study was conducted within the quantitative research paradigm, classified as applied research in terms of purpose, and non-experimental with respect to variable control, using a survey design. The statistical population consisted of all rural residents of the Edimi district in Nimroz County (N = 400). Based on Bartlett et al.’s (2001) sample size table, a sample of 200 respondents was determined. Sampling was carried out using a stratified random sampling method with proportional allocation (according to the villages of the district). The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire designed in two sections. The first section focused on the demographic and occupational characteristics of the respondents, while the second section was aligned with the research objectives and consisted of three subscales: social (4 dimensions, 14 items), economic (4 dimensions, 17 items), and physical (5 dimensions, 29 items). A five-point Likert scale ranging from very low (1) to very high (5) was used to measure responses. The scale was ordinal, and its validity was confirmed through content validity and construct validity. To ensure the reliability of the questionnaire, both Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability (CR) were employed. CR values greater than 0.70 indicated sufficient control over measurement errors within the structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. After completing the questionnaires, the collected data were analyzed using SPSS22 and Smart PLS3 software, employing both descriptive and inferential statistical methods, as elaborated in the subsequent sections. Results and Discussion The results derived from the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach indicate that economic (β = 0.745), physical (β = 0.638), and social (β = 0.594) factors exert positive and statistically significant effects on the satisfaction of rural residents in the Edimi district of Nimroz County with the implementation of Rural Guidance (Hadi) Plans. Overall, based on the Smart PLS 3 output, it can be concluded that approximately 56% of the variance in the dependent variable—namely, rural residents’ satisfaction with the implementation of these plans—is explained by the aforementioned independent variables (economic, physical, and social). Conclusions The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for evidence-based policymaking aimed at enhancing rural development programs and ensuring their success. Specifically, the results provide valuable insights for policy reform, improvement of implementation processes, and the enhancement of quality of life in rural areas, thereby offering practical guidance for planners and policymakers engaged in rural development initiatives. Abstract Introduction One of the fundamental dimensions of rural development planning is physical planning, which refers to the design, development, and management of the physical environment in accordance with proposed policies and guidelines. In essence, physical planning is a crucial component of rural development, as it seeks to create desirable spatial harmony among various human activities while enhancing the overall quality of life. Within this framework, one of the primary models of physical planning in Iran is the Rural Guidance (Hadi) Plan, which was introduced after the Islamic Revolution as a strategic instrument for rural development planning. In general, the objective of implementing these plans has been to provide a foundation for the revitalization of villages, to guide their development with consideration of physical and economic aspects, and to preserve rural populations while reducing out-migration. However, empirical evidence indicates that despite the considerable financial and non-financial investments, these plans have not succeeded in ensuring rural sustainability; rather, migration trends have continued in many villages. Moreover, the plans have largely failed in terms of spatial reorganization and physical restructuring and, more importantly, have not succeeded in gaining the satisfaction and participation of rural residents. Accordingly, this study aims to critically examine the underlying reasons for the limited success of Rural Guidance Plans—despite their high implementation costs—by analyzing the level of satisfaction among rural residents of the Edimi district in Nimroz County with their implementation. Materials and Methods This study was conducted within the quantitative research paradigm, classified as applied research in terms of purpose, and non-experimental with respect to variable control, using a survey design. The statistical population consisted of all rural residents of the Edimi district in Nimroz County (N = 400). Based on Bartlett et al.’s (2001) sample size table, a sample of 200 respondents was determined. Sampling was carried out using a stratified random sampling method with proportional allocation (according to the villages of the district). The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire designed in two sections. The first section focused on the demographic and occupational characteristics of the respondents, while the second section was aligned with the research objectives and consisted of three subscales: social (4 dimensions, 14 items), economic (4 dimensions, 17 items), and physical (5 dimensions, 29 items). A five-point Likert scale ranging from very low (1) to very high (5) was used to measure responses. The scale was ordinal, and its validity was confirmed through content validity and construct validity. To ensure the reliability of the questionnaire, both Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability (CR) were employed. CR values greater than 0.70 indicated sufficient control over measurement errors within the structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. After completing the questionnaires, the collected data were analyzed using SPSS22 and Smart PLS3 software, employing both descriptive and inferential statistical methods, as elaborated in the subsequent sections. Results and Discussion The results derived from the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach indicate that economic (β = 0.745), physical (β = 0.638), and social (β = 0.594) factors exert positive and statistically significant effects on the satisfaction of rural residents in the Edimi district of Nimroz County with the implementation of Rural Guidance (Hadi) Plans. Overall, based on the Smart PLS 3 output, it can be concluded that approximately 56% of the variance in the dependent variable—namely, rural residents’ satisfaction with the implementation of these plans—is explained by the aforementioned independent variables (economic, physical, and social). Conclusions The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for evidence-based policymaking aimed at enhancing rural development programs and ensuring their success. Specifically, the results provide valuable insights for policy reform, improvement of implementation processes, and the enhancement of quality of life in rural areas, thereby offering practical guidance for planners and policymakers engaged in rural development initiatives.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132398_d4a7fc411606c9d5cbc1b62ecca44697.pdf

Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 A sociological Analysis of the Impact of Socio-Economic Inequality on the Participation of Smallholder Farmers in Sustainable Food Security A sociological Analysis of the Impact of Socio-Economic Inequality on the Participation of Smallholder Farmers in Sustainable Food Security 155 188 132399 10.30490/rvt.2025.367460.1674 FA A. Moazzeni Corresponding Author and Assistant professor, Economic, Social and Extention Research Department, Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Isfahan, Iran 0000-0003-1317-3130 H. R. Yosofvand Assistant Professor Sociology, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran. A. Hamidian Research Assistance Professor, Agricultural Education and Extension Institute, Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Isfahan, Iran. 0000-0003-2678-6972 Journal Article 2026 02 04 Abstract Introduction Sustainable food security has become a critical concern in the context of global development, particularly in developing countries such as Iran, where smallholder farmers play a central role in agricultural production. Despite their significant contribution, these farmers remain highly vulnerable due to entrenched socio-economic inequalities that manifest in economic, institutional, environmental, and digital dimensions. Such inequalities reduce their ability to access essential resources, adopt modern technologies, and participate meaningfully in decision-making processes. In regions like Isfahan Province, where agricultural activities are essential for rural livelihoods, the compounded effects of climate change, water scarcity, and discriminatory institutional policies have deepened the structural disadvantages of smallholder farmers. This study aims to explore, from a sociological perspective, how socio-economic inequalities shape the participation of smallholder farmers in sustainable food security and how these inequalities contribute to cycles of marginalization and deprivation. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; color: windowtext;">Materials and Methods The research employed a qualitative methodology based on the systematic Grounded Theory approach developed by Strauss and Corbin. The study was conducted in Isfahan Province, one of Iran’s major agricultural hubs. Purposive and theoretical sampling were applied to select 38 participants, including 22 smallholder farmers, 8 agricultural experts, 5 cooperative managers, and 3 rural leaders. Semi-structured interviews, participatory observations, and document reviews were used to gather data. Each interview lasted between 60 and 90 minutes, and field notes complemented the interview data. The collected data were coded through three stages: open, axial, and selective coding, and managed using ATLAS.ti software (version 7.5). To ensure the validity and reliability of the findings, the study employed Lincoln and Guba’s criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; color: windowtext;">Results and Discussion Data analysis generated 367 initial concepts, categorized into 28 subcategories and 9 main categories. The central phenomenon was identified as “multidimensional structural deprivation”, reflecting the interplay of institutional discrimination, limited access to resources, digital exclusion, climate vulnerability, and socio-political marginalization. Institutional inequalities were evident in biased subsidy distribution, lack of representation in decision-making bodies, and ineffective extension services. Resource-related barriers included fragmented land ownership, water scarcity, and restrictive credit systems, which collectively undermined farmers’ productivity. The digital divide further exacerbated inequalities, as many farmers lacked internet access, digital literacy, or exposure to smart farming technologies. Contextual and intervening factors such as climate change, traditional land tenure systems, macroeconomic liberalization, and weak government support intensified these challenges. In response, farmers adopted adaptive strategies such as crop diversification, local cooperation (community-based irrigation schemes, rotating savings groups), and livelihood diversification into non-farm income sources. However, these strategies offered limited resilience due to persistent structural barriers. The study highlights how cycles of inequality perpetuate themselves: resource scarcity lowers productivity, which in turn reduces income and prevents reinvestment, further reinforcing deprivation. These findings align with theoretical perspectives such as Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction of inequality, Merton’s concept of relative deprivation, and Castells’ analysis of the digital divide. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; color: windowtext;">Conclusions The research demonstrates that socio-economic inequalities are not merely obstacles but entrenched structural mechanisms that systematically exclude smallholder farmers from agricultural development. This exclusion results in reduced participation in production, accelerated rural-to-urban migration, and declining national food self-sufficiency. Addressing these challenges requires systemic reforms rather than productivity-focused interventions. Recommended strategies include equitable redistributive policies, improved rural digital infrastructure, stronger and more autonomous farmer-led cooperatives, and inclusive governance frameworks that amplify the voices of smallholders in policymaking. By adopting such measures, smallholder farmers can be empowered institutionally, socially, and technologically, thereby strengthening the foundations of sustainable food security in Iran. Beyond its local implications, the study contributes to academic discourse by integrating theories of relative deprivation, structural inequality, and digital exclusion, while also offering context-specific insights for practical policy formulation. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the urgency of rethinking rural development strategies to ensure that smallholder farmers are no longer marginalized but become central actors in achieving sustainable food security. Abstract Introduction Sustainable food security has become a critical concern in the context of global development, particularly in developing countries such as Iran, where smallholder farmers play a central role in agricultural production. Despite their significant contribution, these farmers remain highly vulnerable due to entrenched socio-economic inequalities that manifest in economic, institutional, environmental, and digital dimensions. Such inequalities reduce their ability to access essential resources, adopt modern technologies, and participate meaningfully in decision-making processes. In regions like Isfahan Province, where agricultural activities are essential for rural livelihoods, the compounded effects of climate change, water scarcity, and discriminatory institutional policies have deepened the structural disadvantages of smallholder farmers. This study aims to explore, from a sociological perspective, how socio-economic inequalities shape the participation of smallholder farmers in sustainable food security and how these inequalities contribute to cycles of marginalization and deprivation. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; color: windowtext;">Materials and Methods The research employed a qualitative methodology based on the systematic Grounded Theory approach developed by Strauss and Corbin. The study was conducted in Isfahan Province, one of Iran’s major agricultural hubs. Purposive and theoretical sampling were applied to select 38 participants, including 22 smallholder farmers, 8 agricultural experts, 5 cooperative managers, and 3 rural leaders. Semi-structured interviews, participatory observations, and document reviews were used to gather data. Each interview lasted between 60 and 90 minutes, and field notes complemented the interview data. The collected data were coded through three stages: open, axial, and selective coding, and managed using ATLAS.ti software (version 7.5). To ensure the validity and reliability of the findings, the study employed Lincoln and Guba’s criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; color: windowtext;">Results and Discussion Data analysis generated 367 initial concepts, categorized into 28 subcategories and 9 main categories. The central phenomenon was identified as “multidimensional structural deprivation”, reflecting the interplay of institutional discrimination, limited access to resources, digital exclusion, climate vulnerability, and socio-political marginalization. Institutional inequalities were evident in biased subsidy distribution, lack of representation in decision-making bodies, and ineffective extension services. Resource-related barriers included fragmented land ownership, water scarcity, and restrictive credit systems, which collectively undermined farmers’ productivity. The digital divide further exacerbated inequalities, as many farmers lacked internet access, digital literacy, or exposure to smart farming technologies. Contextual and intervening factors such as climate change, traditional land tenure systems, macroeconomic liberalization, and weak government support intensified these challenges. In response, farmers adopted adaptive strategies such as crop diversification, local cooperation (community-based irrigation schemes, rotating savings groups), and livelihood diversification into non-farm income sources. However, these strategies offered limited resilience due to persistent structural barriers. The study highlights how cycles of inequality perpetuate themselves: resource scarcity lowers productivity, which in turn reduces income and prevents reinvestment, further reinforcing deprivation. These findings align with theoretical perspectives such as Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction of inequality, Merton’s concept of relative deprivation, and Castells’ analysis of the digital divide. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; color: windowtext;">Conclusions The research demonstrates that socio-economic inequalities are not merely obstacles but entrenched structural mechanisms that systematically exclude smallholder farmers from agricultural development. This exclusion results in reduced participation in production, accelerated rural-to-urban migration, and declining national food self-sufficiency. Addressing these challenges requires systemic reforms rather than productivity-focused interventions. Recommended strategies include equitable redistributive policies, improved rural digital infrastructure, stronger and more autonomous farmer-led cooperatives, and inclusive governance frameworks that amplify the voices of smallholders in policymaking. By adopting such measures, smallholder farmers can be empowered institutionally, socially, and technologically, thereby strengthening the foundations of sustainable food security in Iran. Beyond its local implications, the study contributes to academic discourse by integrating theories of relative deprivation, structural inequality, and digital exclusion, while also offering context-specific insights for practical policy formulation. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the urgency of rethinking rural development strategies to ensure that smallholder farmers are no longer marginalized but become central actors in achieving sustainable food security.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132399_07140f1ba0734d4ddb04cdecaa88084d.pdf

Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 Colonization of the Lifeworld: Dehgolan Farmers' Confrontation with Water Governance; A Critical Ethnography of Socio-Cultural Transformation Colonization of the Lifeworld: Dehgolan Farmers' Confrontation with Water Governance; A Critical Ethnography of Socio-Cultural Transformation 189 224 132402 10.30490/rvt.2025.367480.1681 FA H. Daneshmehr Associate Professor, Department of Sociology. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran. 0000-0002-9280-6081 O. Hedayat Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Kurdistan, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 0000-0003-2546-6694 Journal Article 2025 07 28 <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Abstract <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Introduction In recent decades, Iran's water crisis has transformed from an environmental issue into a social and governance crisis. Studies indicate that Iran's governance pattern predominantly follows a centralized, technocratic, and state-centric constructivist model, lacking effective participatory mechanisms at the local level. This situation, compounded by the neglect of water in national macro-policy, the absence of sound governance and future planning, a failure to shift perspectives on water resource management, and a lack of scientific rigor in the policymaking process, has placed agriculture and farmers - as the primary stakeholders of water resources - at the forefront of confronting the devastating consequences of the water crisis and poor governance. This research aims to investigate the profound and often contradictory dynamics of the colonization and socio-cultural transformation of the lifeworld of farmers in the villages of Dehgolan County, resulting from the critical water conditions and its consequences within the context of a critique of governance. The theoretical and methodological stance of this research is based on the lived narratives of Dehgolan's farmers, drawn from within their community and socio-cultural structure regarding their encounter with the water crisis and its governance. These narratives are treated not merely as raw or descriptive data, but as rich data with the objective of exposing the logics and mechanisms of their marginalization in governance, revealing the entanglement of dominant rationalities in both water governance and the crisis, and analyzing the potential for reconstructing and empowering their lifeworld. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Theoretical Framework The theoretical and conceptual framework is built around the concepts of the lifeworld, socio-cultural issues, water governance, and environmental policies. Consequently, the theories adopted are Environmental Governance theory [with an emphasis on water governance], Habermas's theory of the Colonization of the Lifeworld, Bourdieu's theories of Capital [cultural, social, and symbolic violence], and Critical Environmental Policy theory. Environmental governance specifically addresses issues related to the access, use, conservation, and management of common-pool natural resources. Critical Environmental Policy theory, inspired by theorists such as David Schlosberg and Naomi Klein, emphasizes the intersection of social inequality, power, and environmental degradation. Habermas's theory of the Colonization of the Lifeworld explains how systems driven by economic and administrative imperatives invade and distort the lifeworld, which encompasses culture-based values, norms, and communicative practices. Furthermore, Bourdieu's concepts of cultural capital, social capital, and symbolic violence provide valuable insights into power dynamics in water management. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Marials and Methods The Critical Ethnography method was adopted due to its inherent critical, advocacy-oriented, and change-driven perspective. The methodology incorporated Carspecken's critical ethnography approach, which involves five stages: 1) Compiling Primary Record (Monologic Data), 2) Preliminary Reconstructive Analysis, 3) Dialogical Data Generation, 4) Describing System Relations (Explanation of Findings). Data collection was conducted through observation and semi-structured interviews with 23 farmers from 11 villages in Dehgolan County, selected based on criterion-based selection, theoretical, purposive, and maximum variation sampling strategies. This fieldwork was carried out during the winter of 2024 and spring of 2025. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Results and Dicsussion The findings indicate the extraction of 8 secondary categories and 4 core categories, encompassing market logic, state logic, conditions for action, and dominant resources/constraints (meaningful action/level of agency). The analysis of these categories revealed that farmers' actions in confronting the water governance system exhibit a paradoxical pattern of resistance and passivity. Resistance manifests through collective actions such as reviving traditional irrigation practices and forming water councils. These actions represent a defense of the "lifeworld" against the specialist system and instrumental rationality, aiming to reconstruct collective identity through communicative rationality and local knowledge. Passivity, on the other hand, manifests as the sale or lease of land and migration to cities. These phenomena are not a choice but a necessary survival strategy in the face of the impossibility of profitable agriculture. Farmers' actions oscillate between these two poles. The conditions shaping farmers' actions result from the interplay of three crises: governance, water, and socio-cultural structure, placing farmers in an inevitable position to react (through resistance or passivity). Two key logics have formulated these conditions of action and enabled the colonization of the farmers' lifeworld: State Logic operates through mechanisms of "symbolic violence." The state, via centralized policies (issuing well permits indiscriminately without farmer participation), denial of the legitimacy of local knowledge, and discrimination, replaces "communicative rationality" with "instrumental rationality." Furthermore, the reduction of state support (cuts in subsidies, exclusion from training) paves the way for the dominance of Market Logic. Market Logic operates through the mechanism of commodifying water and promoting individualism. This logic: reduces water to a "profitable commodity," replacing solidarity with competition, thereby destroying farmers' social capital. It also promotes commercial agriculture and monoculture (e.g., potatoes), increasing dependence on the market and destroying environmentally-sensitive local knowledge, leading to a transformation of farmers' cultural values. Finally, it justifies the sale/lease of land and migration as "solutions," which ultimately plays a key role in increasing farmers' dependence on the market. In this unequal field of action, farmers' resources and constraints are caught in the clash between state and market rationalities. Their social capital (solidarity and mutual aid networks) and cultural capital (local knowledge), which operate within the framework of communicative rationality and the interpretation of water as a "collective right to life," become colonized. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Conclusion The results indicate that the neoliberal governance of agriculture, based on the market and state bureaucracy, has been the dominant rationality governing water and the force transforming the cultural structure and colonizing the lifeworld of farmers. Therefore, to reconstruct the lifeworld and empower farmers, mutual-aid networks (social capital) should function as a "counter-logic to the market" by establishing local cooperative economies to break the dependence on monoculture and give farmers greater agency. Furthermore, by continuing local irrigation methods and forming water councils, centralized and discriminatory institutional laws can also be rendered less effective, paving the way for establishing communicative action and dialogue between farmers and the dominant rationalities. <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-bidi-language: FA;">Abstract <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Introduction In recent decades, Iran's water crisis has transformed from an environmental issue into a social and governance crisis. Studies indicate that Iran's governance pattern predominantly follows a centralized, technocratic, and state-centric constructivist model, lacking effective participatory mechanisms at the local level. This situation, compounded by the neglect of water in national macro-policy, the absence of sound governance and future planning, a failure to shift perspectives on water resource management, and a lack of scientific rigor in the policymaking process, has placed agriculture and farmers - as the primary stakeholders of water resources - at the forefront of confronting the devastating consequences of the water crisis and poor governance. This research aims to investigate the profound and often contradictory dynamics of the colonization and socio-cultural transformation of the lifeworld of farmers in the villages of Dehgolan County, resulting from the critical water conditions and its consequences within the context of a critique of governance. The theoretical and methodological stance of this research is based on the lived narratives of Dehgolan's farmers, drawn from within their community and socio-cultural structure regarding their encounter with the water crisis and its governance. These narratives are treated not merely as raw or descriptive data, but as rich data with the objective of exposing the logics and mechanisms of their marginalization in governance, revealing the entanglement of dominant rationalities in both water governance and the crisis, and analyzing the potential for reconstructing and empowering their lifeworld. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Theoretical Framework The theoretical and conceptual framework is built around the concepts of the lifeworld, socio-cultural issues, water governance, and environmental policies. Consequently, the theories adopted are Environmental Governance theory [with an emphasis on water governance], Habermas's theory of the Colonization of the Lifeworld, Bourdieu's theories of Capital [cultural, social, and symbolic violence], and Critical Environmental Policy theory. Environmental governance specifically addresses issues related to the access, use, conservation, and management of common-pool natural resources. Critical Environmental Policy theory, inspired by theorists such as David Schlosberg and Naomi Klein, emphasizes the intersection of social inequality, power, and environmental degradation. Habermas's theory of the Colonization of the Lifeworld explains how systems driven by economic and administrative imperatives invade and distort the lifeworld, which encompasses culture-based values, norms, and communicative practices. Furthermore, Bourdieu's concepts of cultural capital, social capital, and symbolic violence provide valuable insights into power dynamics in water management. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Marials and Methods The Critical Ethnography method was adopted due to its inherent critical, advocacy-oriented, and change-driven perspective. The methodology incorporated Carspecken's critical ethnography approach, which involves five stages: 1) Compiling Primary Record (Monologic Data), 2) Preliminary Reconstructive Analysis, 3) Dialogical Data Generation, 4) Describing System Relations (Explanation of Findings). Data collection was conducted through observation and semi-structured interviews with 23 farmers from 11 villages in Dehgolan County, selected based on criterion-based selection, theoretical, purposive, and maximum variation sampling strategies. This fieldwork was carried out during the winter of 2024 and spring of 2025. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Results and Dicsussion The findings indicate the extraction of 8 secondary categories and 4 core categories, encompassing market logic, state logic, conditions for action, and dominant resources/constraints (meaningful action/level of agency). The analysis of these categories revealed that farmers' actions in confronting the water governance system exhibit a paradoxical pattern of resistance and passivity. Resistance manifests through collective actions such as reviving traditional irrigation practices and forming water councils. These actions represent a defense of the "lifeworld" against the specialist system and instrumental rationality, aiming to reconstruct collective identity through communicative rationality and local knowledge. Passivity, on the other hand, manifests as the sale or lease of land and migration to cities. These phenomena are not a choice but a necessary survival strategy in the face of the impossibility of profitable agriculture. Farmers' actions oscillate between these two poles. The conditions shaping farmers' actions result from the interplay of three crises: governance, water, and socio-cultural structure, placing farmers in an inevitable position to react (through resistance or passivity). Two key logics have formulated these conditions of action and enabled the colonization of the farmers' lifeworld: State Logic operates through mechanisms of "symbolic violence." The state, via centralized policies (issuing well permits indiscriminately without farmer participation), denial of the legitimacy of local knowledge, and discrimination, replaces "communicative rationality" with "instrumental rationality." Furthermore, the reduction of state support (cuts in subsidies, exclusion from training) paves the way for the dominance of Market Logic. Market Logic operates through the mechanism of commodifying water and promoting individualism. This logic: reduces water to a "profitable commodity," replacing solidarity with competition, thereby destroying farmers' social capital. It also promotes commercial agriculture and monoculture (e.g., potatoes), increasing dependence on the market and destroying environmentally-sensitive local knowledge, leading to a transformation of farmers' cultural values. Finally, it justifies the sale/lease of land and migration as "solutions," which ultimately plays a key role in increasing farmers' dependence on the market. In this unequal field of action, farmers' resources and constraints are caught in the clash between state and market rationalities. Their social capital (solidarity and mutual aid networks) and cultural capital (local knowledge), which operate within the framework of communicative rationality and the interpretation of water as a "collective right to life," become colonized. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; color: windowtext; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Conclusion The results indicate that the neoliberal governance of agriculture, based on the market and state bureaucracy, has been the dominant rationality governing water and the force transforming the cultural structure and colonizing the lifeworld of farmers. Therefore, to reconstruct the lifeworld and empower farmers, mutual-aid networks (social capital) should function as a "counter-logic to the market" by establishing local cooperative economies to break the dependence on monoculture and give farmers greater agency. Furthermore, by continuing local irrigation methods and forming water councils, centralized and discriminatory institutional laws can also be rendered less effective, paving the way for establishing communicative action and dialogue between farmers and the dominant rationalities.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132402_b0650996a61e827b8fa24449436fae48.pdf

Agricultural Planning, Economics and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) Village and Development 1563-3322 28 3 2025 11 22 Analysis of obstacles to healthy crop cultivation development(case study: Baraftab village in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province) Analysis of obstacles to healthy crop cultivation development(case study: Baraftab village in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province) 225 250 132403 10.30490/rvt.2025.367456.1671 FA M. Asimeh PhD Student in Agricultural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran. 0009-0007-9785-8204 Journal Article 2025 06 14 Abstract Introduction <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The role of nutrition in health, enhanced productivity, human learning, and its connection to economic development has been demonstrated in extensive global research. Therefore, achieving food security holds particular importance among the developmental priorities of every country. The agricultural sector bears the greatest responsibility for food production, supply, and food security. In recent years, due to the adverse effects of conventional agriculture on human health and the environment, various approaches have been adopted, one of which is the production of healthy food. However, since the production of healthy crops often faces numerous barriers, this research aims to examine the obstacles and challenges in cultivating healthy crops among orchardists in Baraftab Village, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province, and to propose solutions for the development of healthy crop cultivation in this region. Materials and Methods <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This study is applied in purpose and qualitative in research methodology. The statistical population consisted of orchardists cultivating healthy crops (oranges and tangerines) in Baraftab Village, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province (21 individuals). Using purposive sampling and continuing until theoretical saturation, 15 orchardists were selected as the sample. The content analysis method was employed using MAXQDA <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">software to conduct the research. Results and Discussion <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The results of the content analysis revealed that, from the perspective of the orchardists, the most significant barriers to healthy crop cultivation fall into four categories: economic, technical-production, cultural-educational, and legal-institutional barriers. Economic barriers include the high cost of agricultural machinery rentals, maintenance and repair costs for tools and equipment, the lack of guaranteed pricing for healthy products, small cultivation area leading to reduced production, inaccessibility of loans and facilities for healthy crop cultivation, the high cost of necessary inputs and tools, lower marketability of healthy products due to their size, appearance, color, and shape compared to conventional products, the low income of orchardists, high energy costs, and the prevalence of subsistence farming with reduced exports. Technical-production barriers consist of low water reservoir capacity, lack of cold storage for unsold produce, non-standard water pipeline routes to reservoirs, decayed water pipes, the prevalence of diseases such as fruit cracking and fire blight, pest infestations in orchards, low organic matter content in soil, the absence of stores supplying organic and green fertilizers, traditional and manual pesticide spraying systems, challenges in transportation and marketing, the ineffectiveness of biological pest control methods, a shortage of machinery in the region, and a lack of support from the Agricultural Jahad in providing necessary equipment. Cultural-educational barriers encompass the low literacy among farmers, which hinders their understanding of extension training content, a lack of interaction between farmers and research centers, the long distance to the county Agricultural Jahad office, poor internet access, and limited farmer knowledge about healthy crop cultivation. Finally, legal-institutional barriers include the failure to obtain healthy cultivation certification, inadequate management for insuring healthy products, reduced supervision by the Agricultural Jahad compared to the initial years of healthy crop cultivation, and the low purchase prices offered by intermediaries for healthy products. Conclusions <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The research findings indicate that the cultivation of healthy crops in this region faces numerous challenges. To effectively address these barriers, a multi-faceted approach is recommended. This includes establishing associations and cooperatives to organize and support orchardists, which would be bolstered by enhancing guaranteed purchase programs and expanding insurance coverage for their products. Furthermore, providing dedicated financial credit and developing the necessary infrastructure are essential steps to facilitate the marketing and broaden the market reach for these healthy products. Abstract Introduction <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The role of nutrition in health, enhanced productivity, human learning, and its connection to economic development has been demonstrated in extensive global research. Therefore, achieving food security holds particular importance among the developmental priorities of every country. The agricultural sector bears the greatest responsibility for food production, supply, and food security. In recent years, due to the adverse effects of conventional agriculture on human health and the environment, various approaches have been adopted, one of which is the production of healthy food. However, since the production of healthy crops often faces numerous barriers, this research aims to examine the obstacles and challenges in cultivating healthy crops among orchardists in Baraftab Village, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province, and to propose solutions for the development of healthy crop cultivation in this region. Materials and Methods <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This study is applied in purpose and qualitative in research methodology. The statistical population consisted of orchardists cultivating healthy crops (oranges and tangerines) in Baraftab Village, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province (21 individuals). Using purposive sampling and continuing until theoretical saturation, 15 orchardists were selected as the sample. The content analysis method was employed using MAXQDA <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">software to conduct the research. Results and Discussion <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The results of the content analysis revealed that, from the perspective of the orchardists, the most significant barriers to healthy crop cultivation fall into four categories: economic, technical-production, cultural-educational, and legal-institutional barriers. Economic barriers include the high cost of agricultural machinery rentals, maintenance and repair costs for tools and equipment, the lack of guaranteed pricing for healthy products, small cultivation area leading to reduced production, inaccessibility of loans and facilities for healthy crop cultivation, the high cost of necessary inputs and tools, lower marketability of healthy products due to their size, appearance, color, and shape compared to conventional products, the low income of orchardists, high energy costs, and the prevalence of subsistence farming with reduced exports. Technical-production barriers consist of low water reservoir capacity, lack of cold storage for unsold produce, non-standard water pipeline routes to reservoirs, decayed water pipes, the prevalence of diseases such as fruit cracking and fire blight, pest infestations in orchards, low organic matter content in soil, the absence of stores supplying organic and green fertilizers, traditional and manual pesticide spraying systems, challenges in transportation and marketing, the ineffectiveness of biological pest control methods, a shortage of machinery in the region, and a lack of support from the Agricultural Jahad in providing necessary equipment. Cultural-educational barriers encompass the low literacy among farmers, which hinders their understanding of extension training content, a lack of interaction between farmers and research centers, the long distance to the county Agricultural Jahad office, poor internet access, and limited farmer knowledge about healthy crop cultivation. Finally, legal-institutional barriers include the failure to obtain healthy cultivation certification, inadequate management for insuring healthy products, reduced supervision by the Agricultural Jahad compared to the initial years of healthy crop cultivation, and the low purchase prices offered by intermediaries for healthy products. Conclusions <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Mitra'; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual; mso-bidi-language: FA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The research findings indicate that the cultivation of healthy crops in this region faces numerous challenges. To effectively address these barriers, a multi-faceted approach is recommended. This includes establishing associations and cooperatives to organize and support orchardists, which would be bolstered by enhancing guaranteed purchase programs and expanding insurance coverage for their products. Furthermore, providing dedicated financial credit and developing the necessary infrastructure are essential steps to facilitate the marketing and broaden the market reach for these healthy products.

http://rvt.agri-peri.ac.ir/article_132403_057ce5407288289ceb12329f89eee2ca.pdf