Feasibility of developing cultivation of selected medicinal plants in the rural areas of Zabol county

Barati, Aliakbar; Asadi, Ali; Sardar Shahraki, Hengameh; Siahbidi, Parya

doi:10.22092/ijmapr.2025.365824.3443

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Agricultural Management and Development, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22092/ijmapr.2025.365824.3443

Abstract

Background and objectives: Due to the scorching desert environment and frequent severe droughts, residents of the rural districts of Zabol County have suffered significant losses to their livelihoods in recent years. As a result, identifying climate-resilient income sources and strategies to improve the county's economic prospects has become crucial. The cultivation of medicinal plants, with their extensive value chain, income-generating potential, and resilience to environmental challenges, stands out as a highly promising livelihood option. It can play a pivotal role in creating employment opportunities and reducing poverty in rural areas. This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of cultivating selected medicinal plants in the rural areas of Zabol County.
Methodology: The statistical population consisted of 25 specialists, including researchers from the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, staff from the Agricultural Jihad Organization in Zabol County, and medicinal plant experts from the private sector. Participants were selected purposefully. Data were collected through interviews and a researcher-designed questionnaire. The data analysis was conducted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Medicinal plants were selected based on a literature review and expert interviews. Ten species were identified as having the most extensive history of cultivation in the study area: Cuminum cyminum, Nigella sativa, Plantago psyllium, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Trachyspermum ammi, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Linum usitatissimum, Matricaria chamomilla, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, and Rosa damascena.
Results: The average age of the experts surveyed was approximately 55 years, with a standard deviation of 10.9 years. Most of the participants held bachelor's or master's degrees in fields related to agriculture. Their average work experience in the agricultural sector was about 15 years, with a standard deviation of 8.6 years. All respondents had prior experience in medicinal plant activities, including production, research, or trade. According to the experts, the most important criteria for selecting medicinal plants for cultivation were: economic factors, technical and climatic features, infrastructural and technological aspects, policy and management, and knowledge and attitudes. Based on these criteria, Rosa damascena (3.32), Hibiscus sabdariffa (3.12), and Cuminum cyminum (3.05) were identified as the top three priority species for cultivation in Zabol County. The findings further revealed that among the various sub-criteria affecting the development of medicinal plant cultivation, the most critical were technical aspects and climatic conditions, infrastructure, and appropriate technology. Additionally, the sub-criteria of compatibility with the regional climate, marketability, and ease of harvesting, processing, and storage were identified as the top three factors requiring special attention.
Conclusion: Climate change and its adverse effects, combined with limited economic opportunities in rural areas, pose significant challenges to the livelihoods of villagers. One strategy to address these issues is to identify income sources that are compatible with both the climatic conditions and the economic potential of rural communities. Expanding the cultivation of medicinal plants, given their high income-generating potential and notable adaptability to environmental stresses, can be an effective approach to creating employment opportunities, increasing income, reducing poverty, and preventing rural migration. However, not all medicinal plants are equally suitable for cultivation in every region. It is therefore essential to evaluate these species based on a range of characteristics before recommending them for cultivation, to ensure the success and long-term sustainability of their development.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Economic and social position of medicinal and aromatic plants

References

- Afshar, Z., Ghasemi, M. and Rezvani Moghaddam, P., 2023. Feasibility of introducing medicinal plants into the cultivation pattern and feasibility assessment based on Bolin's logic (Chenaran County, Razavi Khorasan province). Journal of Arid Regions Geographic Studies, 14(52): 42-66. https://doi.org/10.22034/jargs.2023.377583.0

- Aguilar-Rivera, N., Michel-Cuello, C. and Cárdenas-González, J.F., 2019. Green revolution and sustainable development: 833-850. In: Filho, W.L., (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education. Springer Nature, Switzerland, 2104p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11352-0_87

- Alipour Khesht, M., Jafari, H. and Alizadeh, K., 2022. A comparative study of income generation of medicinal plants and other agricultural products in villages of Kalat city. Journal of Geography and Regional Development, 20(3): 101-117. https://doi.org/10.22067/jgrd.2022.76306.1136

- Ameen, A. and Raza, S., 2017. Green revolution: a review. International Journal of Advances in Scientific Research, 3(12): 129-137. https://doi.org/10.7439/ijasr.v3i12.4410

- Asadi, H., Hajimirrahimi, S.D. and Rafati, M., 2020. Economic investigation of cultivation and production of medicinal plant of jujube activity in Ghom province. Iranian Medicinal Plants Technology, 3(1): 14-28. https://doi.org/10.22092/mpt.2020.342618.1060

- Balali, H., Sepahvand, F. and Naderi Mahdei, K., 2020. Identifying cultivation barriers of medicinal plants in rural areas of Nahavand county by thematic analysis approach. Journal of Rural Research, 11(3): 592-603. https://doi.org/10.22059/jrur.2020.297341.1455

- Barati, A.A., Azadi, H., Dehghani Pour, M., Lebailly, P. and Qafori, M., 2019. Determining key agricultural strategic factors using AHP-MICMAC. Sustainability, 11(14): 3947. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143947

- Barati, A.A., Dehghani Pour, M. and Sardooei, M.A., 2023. Water crisis in Iran: A system dynamics approach on water, energy, food, land and climate (WEFLC) nexus. Science of the Total Environment, 882: 163549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163549

- Barati, A.A., Moradi, M., Zhoolideh, M. and Sohrabi Mollayousef, E., 2021. Analysis of multidimensional poverty in Iranian rural communities. Journal of Rural Research, 12(1): 44-61. https://doi.org/10.22059/jrur.2021.296661.1449

- Barati, A.A., Zhoolideh, M., Moradi, M., Sohrabi Mollayousef, E. and Fürst, C., 2022. Multidimensional poverty and livelihood strategies in rural Iran. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 24(11): 12963-12993. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01977-x

- Farooq, M., Rehman, A. and Pisante, M., 2019. Sustainable agriculture and food security: 3-24. In: Farooq, M. and Pisante, M., (Eds.). Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture. Springer Nature, Switzerland, 627p. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23169-9_1

- Fattahi, M.M., Mahdavi, R., Rezaei, M. and Esmaeilpour, Y., 2021. Determination of optimal cultivation pattern of medicinal plants using AHP-TOPSIS hybrid model (Case study: Qom province). Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, 36(6): 885-897. https://doi.org/10.22092/ijmapr.2021.342346.2749

- Foladizadeh, M., Khishe, Z. and Azadi, M., 2016. Insurance of agricultural products in some developed countries of the world. Abstracts of 9th National Congress of Progressive Pioneers, Tehran, 19 May: 8p. https://civilica.com/doc/536584

- Foroozeh, M., Barani, H., Yeganeh, H. and Mirdeylami, S., 2019. Evaluating local communities’ tendency for producing medicinal plants (Case study: Kamalan region, Golestan province). Journal of Rangeland, 13(1): 101-112. http://rangelandsrm.ir/article-1-720-fa.html

- Ganjali, A.R. and Khaksafidi, A., 2015. Identification of some pharmaceutical plant species in Zabol (Iran, Sistan and Baluchistan province) and their application in traditional medicine. Journal of Islamic and Iranian Traditional Medicine, 6(1): 89-96. http://jiitm.ir/article-1-467-fa.html

- Ghaderzadeh, H., Salimi, S. and Hajirahimi, M., 2023. Barriers to the expansion of standardization of agricultural products with an emphasis on health economics: A case study in Kurdistan province of Iran. Agricultural Economics and Development, 31(2): 57-74. https://doi.org/10.30490/aead.2023.357520.1414

- Ghanbari Shirsavar, A., 2019. Economic advantages of growing Rosa damascena in Iran. I.R.o.I.B. Political Vice-President of the Department of Political Research, Tehran, 11p. (In Persian) https://eghtesadsabzonline.ir/?p=40822

- Heidarzadeh Rizi, S., Mohammadi, H., Shahnushi, N. and Karbasi, A., 2015. Evaluation of factors affecting the marketability of medicinal plants (Case study: Mentha). Agricultural Economics, 9(3): 125-139. https://www.iranianjae.ir/article_13788.html?lang=en

- Hosseini, N., Zinati Fakhrabad, H. and Jahanbakhsh, N., 2018. Investigating the effective components in the livelihood sustainability of the villagers of Neishabour. Abstracts of the Second National Conference on Iran Sustainable Rural Development, Kharazmi University, Tehran, 7 February: 561-570. https://civilica.com/doc/923186/

- Javadzadeh, M., 2019. Determining the effective factors on willingness of farmers for growing roselle in the villages of Sistan and Baluchestan province. Iranian Medicinal Plants Technology, 2(1): 15-33. https://mpt.areeo.ac.ir/article_120143.html?lang=en

- Kashfi Bonab, A., 2008. Relative economic advantage of cultivation and trade of medicinal plants in Iran and its value in world markets. Commercial Surveys, 8(44): 67-78. https://sid.ir/paper/467356/fa

- Kooshki, F., Rostami, F. and Mirakzadeh, A., 2020. An investigation into risk resources of medicinal plants in Kermanshah province (Case study: Mentha piperita). Agricultural Extension and Education Research, 1(13): 15-30. (In Persian) https://sanad.iau.ir/fa/Article/825517

- Mahmoudi Surestani, M., 2015. Mechanization role in the development of medicinal and aromatic plants: emphasis on harvesting machines. 2^th National Conference on Agricultural Mechanization and New Technologies, Khozestan, 10 May: 321-333. https://www.sid.ir/paper/894417/fa

- Maleksaeidi, H., Jalali, M. and Eskandari, F., 2021. Challenges threatening agricultural sustainability in the west of Iran. Viewpoint of Agricultural Experts. Sustainability, 13(6): 3537. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063537

- MirMohammad Sadeghi, S.O., Alipoori, E. and Alipour, A., 2019. Investigation of climatic adaptation of regions for Rosa damascena cultivation using network analysis method (Case study: Isfahan province). Environment and Water Engineering, 5(3): 264-275. https://doi.org/10.22034/jewe.2019.191420.1324

- Nakhaei, F. and Darabi Mohebi, M.A., 2023. Principles and basics of storage and packaging of medicinal plants and agricultural products. Abstracts of the 5^th National Conference on Sustainable Development in Agricultural Sciences, Natural Resources and Environment of Iran, Tehran, 18 May: 257-269. https://civilica.com/doc/1693633

- Niromand, P. and Rizvandi, M., 2015. Technology of medicinal herbs and challenges in Iran, providing solutions. 5^th Conference of Recent Research in Science and Technology, Kerman, 14 June: 432-449. https://civilica.com/doc/531324

- Nwafor, I., Nwafor, C. and Manduna, I., 2021. Constraints to cultivation of medicinal plants by smallholder farmers in South Africa. Horticulturae, 7(12): 531. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7120531

- Omrani, M., Farajzadeh, Z. and Dahmardeh, M., 2009. Analyzing poverty determinants and welfare changes among rural households of Sistan district. Agricultural Economics Research, 1(2): 21-42. https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/jaem/Article/1160407

- Pourmeidani, A., Tavakoli Neko, H. and Ghamghami, M., 2021. Zoning the plains of Salt Lake catchment for cultivation of four medicinal plant species based on climatic and hydrological indicators. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research, 37(1): 162-177. https://doi.org/10.22092/ijmapr.2021.128229.2659

- Rasoulzadeh, M., Mazhari, M. and Rohani, H., 2021. Investigation competitive advantage of two medicinal plants. Iranian Medicinal Plants Technology, 3(2): 85-100. https://doi.org/10.22092/mpt.2021.354532.1076

- Rastagari, H. and Nouripour, M., 2016. Analyzing the influence of information and communication technology on agricultural supply chain products (The case of central district of Falavarjan County). Agricultural Extension and Education Research, 9(2): 21-34. https://sid.ir/paper/189968/en

- Riahi, V., Javan, F. and Qaderi, F., 2017. Effects of drought on population instability and rural migrations of Zabol County. 13^th Congress of the Iranian Geographical Society, Tehran, 21 June: 545-562. https://civilica.com/doc/860418

- Ruttan, V., Eicher, C.K. and Staatz, J.M., 1998. Models of agricultural development: 155-162. In: Eicher, C. and Staatz, J., (Eds.). International Agricultural Development. Johns Hopkins University Press, 632p. https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/1800/international-agricultural-development

- Saaty, T.L., 2008. Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process. International Journal of Services Sciences, 1(1): 83-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJSSCI.2008.017590

- Salamon, I., Kryvtsova, M., Stricik, M. and Otepka, P., 2021. Significance of medicinal plants in medzibodrozie region, east-southern slovakia, for the socio-economic stability of rural areas: 849-868. In Ekiert, H.M., Ramawat, K.G. and Arora, J., (Eds.). Medicinal Plants: Domestication, Biotechnology and Regional Importance. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 907p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74779-4_26

- Shabanali Fami, H., Savari, M., Motaghed, M., Mohammadzadeh nasrabadi, M., Afshari, S. and Baghaee, M., 2020. Formulating and analysis of adaptation strategies of farmers to drought conditions in Isfahan province using TOWS matrix. The Journal of Spatial Planning and Geomatics, 24(1): 21-47. http://hsmsp.modares.ac.ir/article-21-35076-en.html

- Shiri, A., Mohammadyar, S. and Akbari, P., 2017. To investing the role of human sources training and extension in Thymus vulgaris performance improving in west part of Iran. Journal of Agricultural Education Administration Research, 9(41): 16-27. https://doi.org/10.22092/jaear.2017.107611.1282

- Singh, P.A., Bajwa, N., Chinnam, S., Chandan, A. and Baldi, A., 2022. An overview of some important deliberations to promote medicinal plants cultivation. Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 31: 100400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmap.2022.100400

- Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution. 2013. The national document of medicinal plants and traditional medicine. Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, Tehran, 31p. https://itma.ir/upload/other/170776321003.pdf

- Udemezue, J.C. and Osegbue, E.G., 2018. Theories and models of agricultural development. Annals of Reviews and Research, 1(5): 00134-00137. http://dx.doi.org/10.19080/ARR.2018.01.555574

- Varmzyari, H., Rostami, F., Samadi, M. and Baniasadi, M., 2016. Analysis of obstacles and solutions of pro poor development of agricultural industries in Iran. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 47(2): 479-498. (In persian) https://doi.org/10.22059/ijaedr.2016.59723

- Zhang, H.L., Dang, Y.P. and Li, L., 2023. Farming system: A systemic solution to sustainable agricultural development. Farming System, 1(1): 100007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.farsys.2023.100007

Feasibility of developing cultivation of selected medicinal plants in the rural areas of Zabol county

References

References

Volume 41, Issue 3 - Serial Number 125September 2025Pages 373-392

Volume 41, Issue 3 - Serial Number 125
September 2025
Pages 373-392