Prioritization of Rural Development Strategies by Sustainable Development Approach (Case Study: Villages in the Northwest of Isfahan Province)

Abstract

Extended abstract 1. INTRODUCTION The northwest region of Isfahan province is one of geographical centers of Iran indicating need for creation of an economic resource as an agricultural complement due to its significant features similar to those of dry areas. As an example of rural unsustainability due to various natural and human factors, this region has problems including relative deprivation of rural districts in this region despite high environmental potential, climate fluctuations and especially severe drought in recent years, and its negative consequences in economic and social structure of region, young structure of region and lack of productive employment platforms for them, and finally, degradation of villagers' life quality. Therefore, present study was conducted to answer question of what optimal rural development strategies are in northwest of Isfahan province in order to identify best development strategy for sustainable development and facilitate sustainable rural development planning in regions by prioritization of other strategies. 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Rural development strategies and models are classified into three general groups: technocratic, reformist, and radical. Each of these groups has numerous approaches and strategies. In this regard, sustainable development approach can be considered as a development process which is economically dynamic and productive, environmentally non-destructive, socially fair and acceptable, and technologically appropriate and desirable. Nowadays, paying attention to sustainable rural development is imperative in many plans. Five prerequisites for success of sustainable rural development are as follows: a) Process attitude to education, b) Prioritizing people, c) Security, law, and protection of individuals' rights and their resources, d) Sustainability through self-esteem & e) Actualizing talents, commitment, and its continuity in administrators. 3. METHODOLOGY In present study, Delphi technique was used to determine sustainable development strategies consistent with features of northwest region of Isfahan province. A total of 30 panelists were thus selected based on their expertise and according to specific circumstances by purposive judgmental sampling. At this stage, top 10 strategies were selected from 18. Experts' views and Delphi technique were utilized to determine criteria and sub-criteria. Therefore, indices for optimal sustainable development strategy in northwest villages of Isfahan province were put into following four groups in three rounds: economic (6 sub-criteria), social (5 sub-criteria), physical-spatial (4 sub-criteria), and environmental (4 sub-criteria) groups. Pairwise comparison was used to measure relative importance of all criteria and sub-criteria. Finally, based on mentioned indices of this research (18 indices), 10 proposed strategies were ranked using Promethee method. 4. DISCUSSION In this research, 19 indices were studied and classified into four groups of economic, physical-spatial, and environmental. Paired comparison was used to measure relative importance of all criteria and sub-criteria. Among main criteria, environmental criterion had highest value with a weight of 0.276, but social criterion had lowest value with a weight of 0.219. Each of studied sub-criteria also had a number of sub-criteria which should be compared and evaluated in pairs according to desired criterion. According to experts' pairwise comparison of sub-criteria by AHP technique, sub-criterion of plan implementation cost had highest value with a weight of 0.198, but sub-criterion of short to long term income ratio had lowest value among sub-criteria of this group. In pairwise comparisons, social, expansion, and the creation of new jobs sub-criteria had highest values with a weight of 0.270, but females' economic roles sub-criterion had lowest value with a weight of 0.119. According to pairwise comparisons of physical-spatial sub-criteria, facilities and infrastructural equipment sub-criterion had highest value with a weight of 0.280, but impressibility by extent had lowest value with a weight of 0.221. Finally, pairwise comparisons of environmental sub-criteria indicated that adaptation to regional had highest value with a weight of 0.310. Measuring weights and importance of all indices (by analytic hierarchy process (AHP), collecting data, and using normal preference function, we first calculated positive and negative flows, then obtained net flow, and finally, ranked strategies. Based on calculations by Promethee technique, first, tourism development planning strategy with a net flow of 0.76, and after that, popular partnership strategy with a net flow of 0.65 were found to be best strategies. 5. CONCLUSION According to conducted studies in present research, indices namely the rate of changes in natural environment, facilities and infrastructural equipment, and also adaptation to regional had highest importance in studied area. On other hand, based on these indices and according to experts' selected strategies, tourism development planning and public participation strategies were put in top ranks in selection of most optimal rural development strategy. Therefore, attention to tourism principle and provision of its development infrastructures is best development strategy in studied region. In addition, utilization of locals' participation can ensure sustainable rural development. Tourism can be very effective due to proper infrastructure and potential of tourism (including climatic diversity, cultural and ancient heritage, and pristine nature) in rural regions of northwest Isfahan province in addition to climatic conditions and drought, which have caused a lot of problems for regional agriculture especially during recent decade as farmers need to compensate for problems caused by drought and improve their economic situation. In fact, tourism development strategy is in line with regional conditions and it can accelerate regional sustainable development in case that it is taken into account.