Abstract:
Iran is one of the countries facing the most severe farmland fragmentation (FF) in rural
areas and farmland consolidation (FC) is generally regarded as being a suitable
instrument to solve this problem . A case study in the central area of Iran was conducted
to explore landholder's attitudes towards issues related to FF and FC. Randomized
stratified sampling frame was used to select 146 landholders in 10 villages that operated
under Land Renovation and Development Schemes (LRDS). A questionnaire in several
sections was developed to address main issues concerning FF and FC. Findings showed
that increasing production input costs (labor, fuel, and machinery) is the most severe
predicament caused by FF. Landholders believed that partial inheritance system,
population increases and lack of job opportunity in off-farm interrelated together are
main determinants of FF. Also reduction of land in the process of consolidation operates
as a key restraint factor against FC. Physical investments by government and access to
credit and loan operate as promoter factors of FC according to landholders’ view. Their
most preferred options of FC are the government sponsored farming in rural production
cooperative units including traditional cooperatives and informal peasantry societies to
facilitate voluntary land consolidation.
Keywords: Farmland fragmentation, Farmland consolidation, Land renovation, Landholders’
attitude
