Economic Development and Rural Employment Generation Program in North Khorasan Province (Case Study: Azari Rural District, Esfarayen County)

Purpose- This study was conducted with the aim of developing a structured and practical program for economic development and employment generation in the rural areas of Azari Rural District, located in Esfarayen County, North Khorasan Province.Design/methodology/approach- The present study adopted a mixed-methods approach (quantitative–qualitative). Parts of the research were based on the positivist paradigm and employed quantitative methods relying on numerical and statistical data. Demographic analyses and statistical data collected in the fields of economics, water resources, agriculture, and social dimensions represent this approach. In addition, considering that the primary and ultimate objective of this study was to formulate an economic development and employment generation program for the ۲۳ villages of Azari Rural District in the Central District of Esfarayen County, a qualitative approach was also employed using open-ended and face-to-face interviews. The statistical population consisted of all ۲۳ villages of Azari Rural District in the Central District of Esfarayen County, and the study was conducted using a census method.Finding- Based on the collected data, agricultural value chains particularly in livestock farming and animal husbandry, as well as the honey production value chain were identified as having the greatest impact on the local economy, livelihoods, and rural employment generation in the study area. Supply chains, or value-creation systems for regional products, constitute interconnected networks of processes designed to provide goods and services. These systems encompass suppliers, producers, distributors, and sellers who collaborate in an integrated manner to enhance customer satisfaction. In essence, supply chain management establishes coordination among production, inventory, location allocation, and transportation processes among stakeholders involved in a product in order to achieve the optimal balance between responsiveness and efficiency for market success. Based on this framework, the supply chain or value-creation process for rural products can be analyzed at three levels. The first level comprises the production links themselves, including required inputs, input provision, production, processing, and marketing. The second level includes the actors and stakeholders involved in the chain, such as governmental institutions, private organizations and enterprises, farmers and local industrial actors, groups of elites and entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and other public organizations. The third level examines the activities carried out within each production link by these stakeholders.

کلیدواژه ها:

rural economic development ، employment generation ، Value chain analysis ، Agricultural development ، mixed-methods research ، North Khorasan Province