Migration made Gonabad old / The need to develop rural employment
According to IRNA, the agricultural sector has traditionally been defined as the main source of employment in rural areas since the past years and centuries, while due to the limitation of natural resources in some villages, this sector, contrary to what was expected, is affected. In economic development and preventing the economic record and migration from these areas, and as a result, agricultural development has not led to the economic development and prosperity of the villages.
According to its nature and capabilities, the village can be a suitable environment for economic sectors and job creation in non-agricultural areas, which can be used in the path of economic prosperity of the region if these capacities are identified.
Agricultural development alone cannot lead to the economic growth of villages and eradicate poverty, and despite the fact that several programs aimed at rural development have been implemented in the country, the phenomenon of migration from villages to cities continues, and this means that attention to Other sectors are also necessary in addition to the agricultural sector.
Development of new agriculture or more use of new technologies and processing of agricultural products, effective planning to improve income distribution, increasing rural development projects, reducing the wage gap between the city and the countryside, investing and balancing the price of agricultural products, not only It is effective in preventing the migration of villagers, but it has a great role in strengthening villages and entrepreneurship in these areas.
Today, the village is a suitable environment for the growth of non-agricultural sectors and the activity of production and service companies, which is actually a movement from natural resource-based businesses to knowledge-based businesses, and with the increase in the level of literacy, knowledge and Scientific and practical skills, the tendency to work in traditional sectors of the economy decreases and the desire to work in modern and service sectors increases.
Processing only half of Gonabad’s agricultural products
Out of the total annual production of 178 thousand tons of agricultural products in Gonabad, 90 thousand 500 tons are processed and consumed in this city and the rest due to the lack of packaging capacity and insufficient investment in this sector, in raw form to other parts of the province, country and It is even exported abroad and the result of the efforts of Gonabadi farmers, which is mainly produced in rural areas, is sold in the consumer market in the name of other regions.
Now, despite Gonabad’s economic capacities in the industry, mining and agriculture sector, only less than 10 packaging units are active in this city, which does not meet the needs of the region, so it is necessary to develop investment in this sector.
Based on this, the creation of agricultural products processing units, especially in the outskirts and near the villages as a target market, in addition to the development of home businesses in creating employment and entrepreneurship and reducing migration from rural areas, has a great role in economic prosperity.
The 20-year continuation of the drought phenomenon, the increase in population migration from the rural areas to the urban areas of Gonabad and from this city to other parts of Khorasan Razavi province and the country, has turned this issue into one of the important concerns of the officials of this city, which undoubtedly affects the development of employment and Entrepreneurship in rural areas and setting up production units based on the needs and capacity of each village can play a big role in reducing migration from Gonabad city.
60% of the population of 93 thousand people of this city live in the urban areas of Gonabad, Bidkhet, Kakhak and Roshanavand and the rest live in 112 villages of the region.
Migration made Gonabad old
The increase in migration from the rural areas of Gonabad to the urban areas and from this city to other cities and as a result the decrease in the birth rate has caused an increase in the elderly population of Gonabad, so that according to the head of the Gonabad Welfare Department, 12.30% of the population of 93 thousand people in Gonabad are made up of elderly people and this city is known as the second most elderly city in the country.
The increase in the aging population of Gonabad, in addition to the negative impact on the development process, causes an increase in the costs and services of social security, because the per capita services in the elderly population are much higher than in the young population.
The most important measure to prevent migration and increase the longevity of the population in rural areas is to pay attention to the development of employment and entrepreneurship according to the existing capacities in each village, and this issue should be considered by the relevant authorities as a missing link.
A senior agricultural expert of Gonabad said: Farakhor city itself has many capacities in economic fields, including agriculture, industrial and mining, and tourism in urban and even rural areas, which, if production and investment obstacles are removed, can become one of the To become the economic poles of South Khorasan Razavi, and the existence of agricultural products such as saffron and pistachios, as well as medicinal plants, are among the possibilities of investment in the transformation industries sector in this city, which should be introduced to investors.
Mehdi Mohammadpour stated: Gonabad, along with its ancient history and 172 historical monuments, including the Kasbah World Aqueduct, has high capacities in the agricultural sector, which can be a suitable platform for attracting and developing investment in the tourism and agricultural sectors, especially in the transformation industries sector. .
He added: The most important factor of sustainability in rural areas and the basis of empowering villagers is to pay attention to livelihood and employment, and each of the related institutions such as agricultural jihad, industry, mining and trade, cultural heritage, etc. should have a specific and targeted program for empowering villagers.
He continued: In the form of Hadi plans, along with development and construction, attention should be paid to tourism plans, revitalization and preservation of valuable rural structures, and unfortunately, in the past few years, some of the very valuable rural structures and places of Gonabad have been destroyed due to insufficient attention. or has been exposed to destruction, which in case of revival, restoration and maintenance, can become a possibility to attract tourists and create employment for villagers.
An activist and economic investor of Gonabad also said: In addition to creating the necessary infrastructure, the capabilities of the villagers should be increased in accordance with the local capacities and the production of agricultural products specific to the region and other available capabilities.
Mohammad Reza Sabeti said: Businesses with competitive advantage in rural areas should be identified with the priority of economic prosperity and sustainable employment of villagers, including for the youth of these areas, and comprehensive planning should be done to empower them.
The professor and member of the academic staff of the Islamic Azad University of Gonabad also said: popularization of the economy and the use of domestic resources and the strengthening of the local economy and innovation and creativity in domestic production are among the components of achieving the goals of the resistance economy and a large part of the pillars of the realization of this economy in the villages has been prepared.
Abolqasem Shafi’i added: All officials involved in the development and development of villages, including governors, prefects and villagers, should work with a social, cultural and economic approach to actualize the potential capacities of rural areas and direct them for employment and entrepreneurship to realize a resistance economy. .
This university professor referred to empowerment as the creation of opportunities to gain economic benefits and said: “Education alone does not lead to the empowerment of villagers, and efforts should be made with cultural and social approaches in addition to the economic approach in this field.”
He added: The first important goal in the development and empowerment of rural areas is to reduce poverty and then provide the necessary facilities and infrastructure. We have not achieved
Planning to use the power of women
Another university professor and economic activist of Gonabad said: removing the obstacles facing women to work in the field of entrepreneurship and job creation by using as much as possible the economic, social and cultural capacities of this group can be a fundamental and effective step in the path of economic development.
Behnaz Afzalianmand added: Women have a lot of potential to work as entrepreneurs in various economic, cultural and social fields, which are mostly not realized, but in case of serious attention of the government men and executive planning by the officials of the executive institutions, this capability of women, especially in the areas A village will be actualized very soon and will be used in the development of the country.
He pointed to the special attention of the 13th government towards the quick resolution of various issues and problems in the economic and social fields and stated: Women need more attention from the authorities to play a greater role in these fields.
This university professor, who is an entrepreneur and cultural and social activist himself, described the quantitative and qualitative development of micro-employment in rural areas in accordance with the capacities of women as a necessary thing and stated: Of course, some licenses for home businesses should be in accordance with the capacities of this group. be redefined.
He continued: Facilitating and creating the necessary platform for the supply of products produced by women’s home businesses in the consumer market and increasing practical training for the creation and development of this series of businesses in the target markets should receive the attention of the relevant officials.
Afzalyan said: “Creation and development of markets for the sale of small and home-based business products is an important measure to support women’s employment and entrepreneurship.”
He mentioned the appropriate consumer market as one of the basic needs to actualize the potential economic capacities of women and stated: When the market for the sale of manufactured products and handicrafts and the return of capital and profitability of women’s economic activities are available, they are more willing to continue their economic activities and entrepreneurship. will find
This university professor added: While limiting cross-sectional and island education in the field of women’s businesses, the laws in issuing licenses in the field of industries and home businesses should be simplified for this group and should be directed in the direction of making more use of the capabilities of rural women.
He continued: Requesting multiple guarantees for the payment of employment and entrepreneurship facilities to women applicants, especially in villages, is one of the issues and problems of this sector that should be reconsidered.
The need to empower villagers
Experts believe that in order to empower and perpetuate the villagers, the economic, cultural and tourism attractions of each village should be identified and by creating the necessary and supportive platforms, actions should be taken for the development and economic prosperity and sustainable employment of the residents of these areas.
The head of Gonabad Industry, Mining and Trade Department said: It is very important to consolidate activities and create workshop complexes, animal husbandry, carpet weaving, handicraft production, etc., and targeted payment of facilities to rural applicants.
Hadi Izadi added: Gonabad Department of Industry, Mining and Trade is working to empower the villagers by facilitating and creating the necessary infrastructure for the purpose of employment of the villagers in the industrial towns.
He continued: The creation of production units in rural areas faces some obstacles because a large part of their surrounding areas are natural areas, and industrial areas and towns are an important opportunity for employment of job seekers and young people. It is rural.
The head of Gonabad Cooperative, Labor and Social Welfare Department also mentioned the development of employment and entrepreneurship in this city, especially home businesses in accordance with the capacities of urban and rural areas, as one of the important approaches of the 13th government and said: out of the total 307 billion Rials of employment credits that this year in the field Domestic businesses and support institutions are allocated to this city, 291 billion Rials of Note 16 credits are for support institutions and 16 billion Rials of Note 18 credits are for home businesses.
Seyyed Jaafar Ahmadi continued: Out of the total of 291 billion Rials notified in Note 16, 45 billion Rials have been introduced to the operating banks in the form of 45 job creation projects for the beneficiaries covered by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee (RA) and 21 billion and 650 million Rials by Behzisti. .
The governor of Gonabad considered the creation of industrial units based on rural needs and capacities to be necessary for the development, development and economic prosperity of these areas and called for more use of this capacity for the development of the region.
Reza Nasiri added: One or more small industrial units should be established in each village based on the livestock, agricultural and economic capacities of these areas, and this issue, in addition to creating sustainable employment, also plays a large role in rural economic prosperity and prevents the migration of young people to cities. slow
He continued: Taking advantage of the capacity of elites and experts is one of the important issues for the development and development of Gonabad city, especially rural areas, and taking advantage of the collective wisdom and participation of the potential capacities of these areas can better flourish and can drive prosperity and development. be the area.
Referring to the capacities of the rural areas of Gonabad in the field of agriculture, the governor of Gonabad considered the establishment of product processing units as one of the important needs of this city and said: Considering the opening of the Gonabad airport in the near future, this issue will help in the development of exports and increasing the added value of these products and As a result, the economic prosperity of the region plays a big role.
The center of Gonabad city is located 287 km south of Mashhad.