Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Shahrazad Khodamoradi
• Ghodratalah Heydari
• Mohammadreza Tatian
• Mohammadreza Rahmanirad Kharefkoli

Department of Rangeland Management, Agricultural Science and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

Abstract

Due to the diversity of environmental and climatic conditions in Iranian villages, there are many possibilities for the development and cultivation of medicinal plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of medicinal plants on the economic and social empowerment of rural women in the village of Kandelous, Mazandaran province. The data collection tool in this study was a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was determined by experts of medicinal plants, economics, and sociology. Questionnaire reliability was determined by Cronbach's alpha. Among the economic items "To what extent has private sector investment in purchasing, packaging, and exporting medicinal plants developed in recent years with the activities of women?" and "To what extent has the diversity of medicinal plant production in the region enabled the connection of women in rural communities to profitable income?" had the highest (0.226) and lowest (0.115) coefficient determination, respectively. Among the social items, the highest (0.271) and lowest coefficient of explanation (0.173) were found in the items "To what extent does the development of medicinal plant cultivation affect women's participatory capabilities?" and "To what extent do you think the area of the fields and the diversity of medicinal plants encourage women not to migrate to local communities?" respectively. The Spearman correlation test showed that medicinal plants had a significant and positive effect on the economic (r=0.336, sig=0.000) and social (r=0.28, sig=0.000) empowerment of rural women. It can be concluded that rural women in Kandelous, Mazandaran province, achieved a desirable economic empowerment (26.7%) by working in the field of medicinal plants. It can be concluded that medicinal plants have been effective in the economic and financial independence of women, and cosequently their social empowerment.

Keywords

• "immigration"
• "Investment"
• "Kandelous village"
• "medicinal plants"
• "women"