The Impact of the RFLDL Project on Human and Social Assets in Settlements in Eastern Iran

Subject Areas : Rural and nomadic studies

Mahmoud Falsoleiman ¹ , Mohammad Hajipour ^{2 *}

1 - Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

Received: 2024-09-23 Accepted : 2025-05-03 Published : 2026-06-22

Keywords: sustainable development, human and social capital, sustainable livelihood, RFLDL project, Sarayan county ,

Abstract :

Introduction: The implementation of sustainable development goals affects various sectors of society, where the needs of the current conditions are met without compromising the needs of future generations. In this context, examining the factors that contribute to achieving sustainable development goals, with a key focus on human and social capital, is of particular importance.

Research Aim: This article discusses the impact of revitalizing human and social capital in the implementation of the international RFLDL project in the target villages of the project in the Sarayan County.

Methodology: This research is applied in nature and descriptive-analytical in method. The data collection tool was researcher-made questionnaires. The statistical population includes three villages and one city, with a total of 1,959 households. Using Cochran's formula, 321 individuals were selected as the sample for the study. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software, and ArcGIS was used for map preparation. Additionally, the TOPSIS technique was utilized in this research for ranking the villages and prioritizing them based on human and social capital indicators.

Studied Areas: This study was conducted within the geographical boundaries of Sarayan County in South Khorasan Province.

Results: The RFLDL project has positively influenced the indicators of social and human capital, with average scores of 57.37 and 40.70 (out of a maximum of 70 points) and percentage changes of 8.32 and 11.08 in its target community. Furthermore, the results of the analysis of variance test for human and social capital indicators in the studied community also indicated significant differences among the studied settlements at the one and five percent levels, respectively. The prioritization of villages using the TOPSIS method based on the project's impact on human capital showed that the city of Saghaleh ranked the highest, while the village of Zangui ranked the lowest. On the other hand, the greatest impact of the project on social capital was observed in the village of Doostabad, while the least impact was in Saghaleh.

 

Conclusion: The implementation of development projects, especially those conducted in collaboration with national and international institutions, has an impact on various components of local settlements and geographical areas. The positive outcomes are not uniform across all spaces and exhibit spatial dependence.

References:

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