Farmland Fragmentation and Consolidation Issues in Iran; an Investigation from Landholder's Viewpoint

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