VILLAGE AND DEVELOPMENT
Year:2018 | Volume:21 | Issue:3 |Papers Count:9

This study aimed at investigating the effects of implementation of Livestock Removal from Forest (LRF) Plan in Siahdarreh village in Nahavand County of Iran. The qualitative research was conducted using grounded theory method. The required data were collected by semi-participatory observation and semi-structured interviews in the form of focused group discussion. The statistical population included household heads in the studied village. The sampling was done in a purposeful manner, advancing until the theoretical saturation of data. The validity of questionnaire was confirmed through the key notes raised in the interviews, two-way interaction with the interviewees and triangulation, and its reliability was confirmed through the strategy of "participant feedback". Data analysis was conducted through extraction, sorting, classification and general concepts within the grounded theory method. According to the results, the effects of LRF were classified in six categories, including: 1) weakening and stagnation of livestock activities, 2) positive and negative effects on the financial status of rural people, 3) the emergence of social problems in the village, 4) demoralized rural participation in conserving forests and pastures, 5) lack of commitment of governmental organizations to obligations of the plan, and 6) the psychological adverse effects. To reduce the plan problems, some suggestions such as a comprehensive planning for organized livestock and government efforts to implement the promises made to foresters were presented.

This applied study aimed at examining the effects of social changes in the lives of rural people on the pattern of rural housing and their economic consequences in Aji-Chay and Meidan-Chay sub-districts in Tabriz County of Iran. It was a descriptive-analytical and correlation study. The required data were mainly based on field studies and sampling (Cochran) and collected from 350 households. The results of Pearson correlation test showed that there was strong and significant relationship between social changes and the pattern of rural housing and economic factors; and the results indicated a direct and relatively complete correlation between social change and spatial distribution pattern of housing in ten villages. Also, to assess the impact of social change and the pattern of housing and economic changes regression, Fit model was used and the results showed that social change indicators ranging from cultural acceptance, consumerism and social abnormalities in rural life were effective on rural housing pattern changes by 0. 256, 0. 154 and 0. 157, respectively. In addition, the results of the indices of housing and economic factors indicated that housing architectural plan (0. 195), house building quality (0. 168) and resistance of housing (0. 111) had direct effects on economic factors.

A great part of livestock activities in the villages is done by women, and by recognizing the status of their participations, these will be more accurately planned by the concerned organizations. Therefore, this descriptive-survey study aimed at investigating the level of participation of rural women in various aspects of livestock activities. The statistical population included all the rural women in Charuymaq County of Iran. Using Cochran's formula, a sample size of 135 people was calculated and randomly selected through a multi-stage sampling method. Moreover, multiple regression method was used for investigating the effect of the variables on the level of female participation in various aspects of livestock husbandry. The results of regression analysis showed that the most important variables affecting women's participation included: in the management of grazing, the annual income; in livestock management and marketing, women's education; in reproductive management, women's attitude towards animal husbandry; and in the management of wool cutting, women's interest in keeping livestock.

Droughts, as the most complex natural disasters, affect the lives of many rural inhabitants with a farm-dependent economy. This study aimed at analyzing the economic and social effects of drought on rural communities in Semnan County of Iran. It was a descriptive-analytic research. Statistical population included the heads of households in villages of the County; and accordingly, the sample size was estimated 340 people through Cochran formula. The sampling was conducted in a stratified sampling method. The study was mainly conducted through a questionnaire, the validity of which was obtained by using a panel of experts and masters in agriculture, and its reliability was confirmed by a pre-test through the Cronbach's alpha (0. 946). According to the results of exploratory factor analysis, the content of economic and social effects of drought was mainly categorized into four components, including: livelihood crisis, production stagnation and weakened agriculture, cultural and psychological, and social and participatory factors that explain about 55. 812 percent of the variations in economic and social effects of drought. Based on the study findings, some recommendations were made to reduce the economic and social effects of drought on the studied rural community and to improve policy making as well as the management of this phenomenon.

Environmental pollution, destruction and overuse of natural resources come mostly from inappropriate human behaviors. The role of women in protecting the environment is considered as a critical contribution to conservation of natural resources. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the environmental behavior of rural women in Halilrood watershed area of Jiroft County in Kerman province of Iran using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in 2017. This survey research was conducted in a descriptive method. Accessible statistical population included rural women of the studied area (N=1288). Sample size was determined via Krejcie and Morgan table (n=297). Sampling was done in a proportional stratified random sampling method. The research instrument was a questionnaire, the validity and reliability of which were confirmed. Study results showed that there was a positive and significant (p≤ 0. 01) relationship between antecedent variables including environmental attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) and mediator variable (environmental intention); also, there was a positive and significant (p≤ 0. 01) relationship between the environmental intention and the rural women's behavior. Therefore, antecedent variables could explain 63 percent of variations in the rural women’ s behavior by environmental intention

The study aimed at analyzing the role of production cooperatives in rural development with emphasis on quality of life. It was conducted in a descriptive-analytic approach. The statistical population included all the rural household heads who were the members of the production cooperatives in Rahmat sub-district of Seyyedan District, Marvdasht County of Iran. The sample size was determined by Cochran formula (n=274). The reliability of questionnaire was estimated by Cronbach's alpha (0. 882). Methods of Kolmogorov-Smirnov, t-test with two independent samples and Mann-Whitney test were used for testing the hypotheses. The results showed that except for the environmental aspect, in other aspects (economic, social and infrastructural), there were significant differences between the two groups of production cooperative members and non-members; and the cooperatives had a useful and effective role in improving the rural people's quality of life.