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Abstract
One of the greatest challenges of the present and future in rural areas of central district of Birjand is providing jobs needed by a surplus workforce from agriculture sector.
Disability of agriculturl sector in absorbing surplus workforce in ensuring enough income has forced the flood of rural migrants of central districts to flow towards cities.
Therefore, generating jobs and ensuring income, especially for rural low-income groups, is an undeniable necessity. The rural industry sector within the studied district has a potential and actual ability that, by setting and developing suitable rural industries such as handicrafts (carpet weaving …) and small factory and convertible industries in the framework of industrialization process, to provide employment, increas income and welfare, decrease rural-urban migrations, and eventually reduce regional inequalities, hence rural development can be facilitated.
This study aims to explain the role and status of rural industries in industrialization process, and has focused on its outcome in the framework of permanent employment and income in order to achieve rural development in the central district of Birjand.
Key Words: Rural industries, Rural industrialization, Rural development, Birjand