درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sustainable rural quality of life index in Iran during the period of 1991-2016 and to measure the effects of various government investments on this index. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected from the Statistics Center, the Central Bank and the World Bank. The value of the quality of life indicator was calculated using the software Eviews during the course of the study. The effect of independent research variables including government investment in agriculture, education, health, and rural development using the ARDL model in Microfit software is estimated. Finding: The results of the model estimation in the short run indicate that every 1 percent increase in government investment in agricultural sectors was 0.55 percent, health and treatment 0.54 percent, education 31.3 percent, increase the quality of life respectively. But investment in rural development does not affect quality of life in the short term but investment in rural life does not affect in the short term. In the long run, every 1% increase in investment in agricultural sectors is 0.65%, health and treatment 0.64%, education 45.0% and 32% in rural development in improving quality of life and its sustainability respectively. Research limitations/implications: Access to statistics is very difficult and has been obtained through reviewing all budget rules for the research courses. Practical implications: Strategy for employment to villagers with the support of public policy, based on qualify for investment, jobs, and services in rural areas contributes to the strengthening of agriculture, the changes in agricultural production and natural resources, the creation of jobs in non-farm income and as a result, the increased demand for local agricultural and non-agricultural products. Originality/value: Considering sustainable factors in evaluating quality of life and the effect of government investment in rural life by the applied method are the advantages of this study that has not been studied in previous studies.

Purpose- The aim of this study is to identify and prioritize the obstacles to capacity development in gardening exploitations of the villages of Padena Olya in Semirom County. Design/methodology/approach - The present study has been done with causal - descriptive research method and the data has been completed using questionnaire and interview tools. In addition, 273 samples were chosen (using Cochran formula) from the family farming of Padena Olya Village as the statistical population and it has been completed by the random sampling method. Data analysis is done using both quantitative method, including descriptive and inferential statistics (path analysis and structural equation modeling using Amos Graphic software), and qualitative method, including Atlas software. Findings - The analysis of qualitative findings based on semi-structured interviews and focus groups showed that the main obstacles related to capacity development are of social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Data coding based on the grounded theory also showed the most important obstacles in marketing categories, the environmental obstacles, the obstacles of participation, also and educational and promotional obstacles. Finally, the quantitative data analysis using structural equation modeling, in addition to the obstacles presented in the qualitative model, has estimated production capacities and empowerment as mediating variables in the final model of capacity development obstacles in the study area. The economic obstacles with 0.33 and environmental obstacles with 0.17 have the greatest effect on the lack of capacity development of the exploitations in the study area, respectively. Research limitations/implications - They include the lack of cooperation of relevant organizations in the presentation of information, as well as the low interest of operators to participate in the interview and cooperation to collect the qualitative data which led to an increase in the duration of attendance within the study area, held more group sessions, and thus slowed down the process of study. Practical implications - We propose a plan for increasing government support to gardener in various affaires, such as increasing the share of insurance premiums. It is also advisable to attempt to determine the fair price or the guarantee purchase of the gardeners' products and create cooperatives to manage the sales and marketing of the product to remove the brokers and dealers. Originality/value - The present study stresses the capacity development process of horticulture through identifying and analyzing the effects of obstacles and capacity building and empowerment of farmers. This research explores the hidden variables and the barriers to capacity development in gardening exploitations.