1- Introduction

According to the World Bank (2024), more than 700 million people worldwide live in extreme poverty (World Bank, 2024), most of whom reside in developing countries (Bisiriyu et al., 2026: 2). Approximately 40 percent of the global population suffers from financial deprivation and struggles to meet basic needs, with poverty levels in rural areas exceeding those in urban regions (Wang et al., 2022: 1). Globally, the rural poverty rate stands at 17.2 percent, which is more than three times higher than that of urban areas (BAI, 2021: 1081). Consequently, one of the major challenges confronting policymakers in achieving sustainable development is determining how to eradicate poverty in impoverished rural regions (Li et al., 2021: 943). Formulating practical strategies and practical solutions to reduce and alleviate poverty in rural areas is therefore essential. Miyandoab County, located in the southern part of West Azerbaijan Province, has experienced a decline in agricultural performance over the past decades, along with increasing poverty and deprivation in its rural settlements. Its traditional agricultural economy—which forms the backbone of rural livelihoods—has been adversely affected by various challenges, leading to a downward trajectory. Alongside this, recurrent droughts and water scarcity, the desiccation of Lake Urmia, a severe drop in groundwater levels, loss of farmland and orchards, reduced economic viability of agriculture, limited industrial development, lack of income-generating service activities, rising unemployment, and rural-urban migration (resulting in the relocation of poverty) have caused the depopulation of several villages. Additionally, insufficient incentives for investment and ineffective management have contributed to the expansion of poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity in the county. These conditions highlight the urgent need for strategic interventions that, with the participation of local communities, can mitigate existing challenges and strengthen rural residents’ motivation to remain in their communities. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to prioritize strategies for reducing poverty in the rural areas of Miyandoab County and to provide an answer to the following key question:

- Which strategies can effectively contribute to reducing rural poverty in Miyandoab County?



2- Methodology

This study is applied in term of purpose and descriptive–analytical in method. Data were collected through documentary reviews and fieldwork. The geographical scope of the research is Miyandoab County in West Azerbaijan Province. The population included experts and local specialists, farmers, industrial workers, business owners, village administrators (dehyars), members of Islamic rural councils, and staff from relevant governmental agencies (including the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, the Agricultural Jihad Organization, the Welfare Organization, and the Housing Foundation). Using the grounded theory approach, 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to rural poverty reduction in Miyandoab. Subsequently, the weighting and ranking of internal and external factors were carried out using the opinions of 16 participants, and the prioritization of strategies was determined based on the evaluations of 14 experts. Sampling at all stages was qualitative and purposive. Data analysis was performed using SWOT analysis and the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM).



3- Findings

To identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) associated with poverty reduction strategies in the rural areas of Miyandoab County—across institutional, infrastructural–spatial, social, economic, and natural dimensions—the qualitative Grounded Theory Method was employed. Based on the semi structured interviews, 32 internal strengths, 28 internal weaknesses, 22 external opportunities, and 22 external threats were identified. Following the completion of the SWOT analysis and the ranking of internal and external factors, the study proceeded to examine the county’s strategic positioning. The results indicated that in the rural areas of Miyandoab, the smaller strategic triangle (with final mean scores of 0.236 for strengths and 0.329 for threats) reflects the prioritization of competitive and diversification (ST) strategies for reducing rural poverty. Moreover, the findings highlighted several key strategies: systematic governmental support for entrepreneurs and business owners through streamlined administrative procedures and targeted financial credits; expansion of climate resilient smart agriculture as a viable foundation for attracting investors and enhancing rural economic dynamism; promotion of alternative cropping patterns (such as low water demand crops like saffron, pistachio, and hydroponic cultivation) to mitigate drought and reduce the impacts of declining water levels in Lake Urmia; and mobilizing governmental backing and private sector investment to develop service based and tourism related employment opportunities aimed at reducing youth migration from rural areas. These were identified as the most effective strategies for alleviating rural poverty in Miyandoab County.

4- Discussion and Conclusion

The results demonstrated that the highest priority strategies for reducing rural poverty in Miyandoab County are categorized across economic, institutional, infrastructural–spatial, social, and natural dimensions. Specifically, 34.8 percent of the strategies fall within institutional and infrastructural–spatial factors, 47.8 percent within economic factors, 13 percent within social factors, and 4.3 percent within natural factors. Among these, economic strategies constitute the largest share, highlighting their central role in addressing rural poverty. Accordingly, the top seven prioritized strategies for reducing rural poverty are as follows:

1. Systematic government support for entrepreneurs and rural small business owners, through facilitating complex administrative processes and granting targeted financial credits for obtaining facilities, with an attractiveness score of 2.47;

2. Expansion of smart agriculture resilient to climate change as a suitable ground for attracting investors and strengthening the economic dynamism of villages, with an attractiveness score of 2.45;

3. Promotion of alternative cropping patterns (crops with low water requirements such as saffron, pistachio, and hydroponic cultivation) in order to cope with drought and reduce the effects of the drying of Lake Urmia, with an attractiveness score of 2.40;

4. Attracting government support and private sector investment for the development of service jobs and the tourism sector, in order to create employment and reduce the migration of rural youth, with an attractiveness score of 2.39;

5. Development of mechanized agriculture in agricultural and horticultural sectors, by utilizing surface and underground water resources and using the capacity of existing processing workshops in Miyandoab City, with an attractiveness score of 2.32;

6. Development of industrial and semi-industrial livestock farms through facilitating access to employment-generating loans and targeted financial support for rural beneficiaries, with an attractiveness score of 2.29;

7. Development of service jobs commensurate with the transit and economic position of Miyandoab City, with an attractiveness score of 2.27.

Overall, the findings indicate that achieving sustainable poverty reduction in Miyandoab County requires a transition from traditional agriculture to a resilient production model (ST strategies), alongside proactive diversification of the rural economy through tourism and service sector development (SO strategies). This transformation depends on a robust institutional and financial support system (WO strategies) capable of activating local investment potential and ultimately enhancing the region’s economic resilience against environmental fluctuations—particularly drought and water scarcity.