Factors Influencing the Strengthening of Economic Linkages Based on Local Capacities in Rural Areas (A Case Study of the Razaviyeh District, Mashhad County)

Introduction

The expansion and diversification of economic activities in rural areas stimulate investment, enhance production capacity at the village level, and ultimately strengthen the sustainability of rural economies. Capacity building in rural contexts involves establishing robust relationships and sequential processes through which community members can express their views on development measures and participate actively in their implementation. It also encompasses enhancing the ability to set collective goals, execute targeted actions within development plans, and build unified responses to the limitations imposed by scarce resources. In this regard, an enabling environment—anchored in sound and legitimate policies—plays a central role in empowering rural communities to pursue sustainable growth. Accordingly, the present study seeks to analyze inter‑sectoral economic linkages among the agricultural, industrial, and service sectors by utilizing existing endogenous capacities within rural settlements.
 

Methodology

This study employs a descriptive–analytical approach, combining library research and field surveys through a structured questionnaire. The statistical population consists of 303 rural households across 18 villages in the Razavieh District, alongside 26 regional experts. Analytical procedures included Pearson correlation coefficients, one‑way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey’s post‑hoc test, performed in SPSS software. Spatial analysis was conducted using GIS, and causal relationships among variables were examined through the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach in Smart‑PLS software.
 

Findings

From the perspectives of rural households and experts, villages in the study area exhibited significant variation in general and economic capacities. Among households, Shorak Saburi reported the lowest mean general capacity score (2.5), followed by Derakht Bid, Qeshlaq, and Dehneh Chehel (2.6 each), while Miami ranked highest (3.0) and Jimabad closely followed (2.9). Experts identified Jimabad as having the strongest economic capacities (3.2) and linkages (3.6), whereas Babanazar showed the weakest economic capacity (1.9) and Dehneh Chehel the weakest linkages (2.5). Given normally distributed data, a one-way ANOVA confirmed statistically significant differences in general and economic capacities across villages grouped into low, medium, and high categories (p < 0.05). Tukey’s post-hoc tests revealed that high-capacity villages demonstrated significantly stronger production and urban–rural linkages than low-capacity ones (mean difference = 0.763, p = 0.015) from the household perspective, and higher linkage strength than medium-capacity villages (mean difference = 0.437, p = 0.02) from the expert viewpoint. These patterns were further validated by a Structural Equation Model (SEM), which showed that agricultural development exerts the strongest influence on economic linkages (R² = 0.956), with the overall linkage construct also demonstrating excellent explanatory power (R² = 0.934). The model confirms that agricultural development not only directly enhances economic linkages but also positively drives complementary rural activities and, to a lesser extent, industrial revival—highlighting its pivotal role in sustaining and strengthening rural economic networks.
 

Discussion and Conclusion

The findings confirm that the development of productive sectors—agriculture, industry, and complementary activities (particularly tourism and recreation) —serves as the main driver of rural economic dynamics. Structural reforms and policy adjustments aimed at improving agricultural diversification, marketing, and productivity are essential mechanisms for achieving economic resilience. The agricultural and non‑agricultural sectors are connected through multiple channels: production and consumption linkages, as well as the exchange of labor and capital resources. Thus, strengthening these economic ties is critical for promoting the growth and sustainability of rural production systems. Empirical analysis highlights that the villages of Derakht Bid and Jarakhshak Olia possess weak natural capacities due to limited agricultural prosperity, while Qarqrok Sofli, Jimabad, and Miami exhibit relatively stronger capacities, attributable to larger cultivation areas and higher productivity. Concerning physical indicators, most villages maintain favorable conditions, supported by reliable access to electricity, gas, and drinking water. However, human–social and economic indices reveal downturns in production due to drought conditions, restricted access to livestock inputs, and the decline of rainfed and irrigated farming. Local capacities in Shorak Saburi remain underdeveloped, influenced by immigrant populations and reduced engagement in agriculture and animal husbandry. Villages such as Jarakhshak Alya, Dehne Chehel, Derakht Bid, and Babanazar face challenges linked to isolation, small populations, land scarcity, and long distances to service centers, while Qeshlaq suffers from land acquisition by urban residents and weak transport connectivity. Conversely, Miami benefits from tourism activities, and Jimabad enjoys advantages related to land size, infrastructure, and accessibility, positioning them as regional hubs of capacity and investment attraction. Economic linkages are most evident in the exchange of agricultural and livestock products—particularly wheat and barley supply—between cities and villages. Overall, the results demonstrate a clear positive association between capacity level and economic linkage strength. Villages with higher capacity exhibit stronger inter‑sectoral and urban–rural connections than those with medium or low capacity. In the structural equation model, the effects of agricultural development, complementary activities, and industrial revitalization on linkages are collectively substantial. Elevating rural economic capacities directly enhances the density and effectiveness of economic networks. Specifically, agricultural development and complementary activities emerged as significant drivers of linkage formation, while industrial revitalization showed a relatively minor impact. Strengthening these capacities—through investment, skill development, and integrated planning—will reinforce economic interdependence, improve income stability, and support sustainable rural development in Razavieh District and comparable regions.