Rangelands are considered among the most important and extensive renewable natural resources of the country. In addition to their fundamental role in maintaining environmental quality, they play a significant role in livestock production as well as in the production of medicinal and industrial plants. The primary objective of this study is to examine the socio‑economic factors influencing local communities’ willingness to produce and cultivate medicinal plants within rangeland ecosystems, with particular emphasis on the Azadshahr Carbon Sequestration Project area.
Methods: A survey research method was employed in this study. Data were collected through interviews and structured questionnaires. The statistical population consisted of local communities residing in the Azadshahr Carbon Sequestration Project area. The sample size was estimated at 324 respondents using Cochran’s formula, and random cluster sampling was applied. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and SHAZAM software packages.
Results: The results of the study indicated that factors such as participation in training courses, membership in cooperatives, encouragement to cultivate through observation (observational learning), awareness of medicinal plant cultivation skills, and knowledge and utilization of local medicinal plants had a positive and statistically significant effect on increasing the likelihood of local communities’ willingness to cultivate and produce medicinal plants. Furthermore, a positive and significant correlation was observed between respondents’ level of education and their general attitudes toward medicinal plant production.
Conclusions: Based on the research findings, strengthening training programs, increasing local communities’ participation in cooperatives, enhancing awareness and technical skills related to medicinal plant cultivation, and utilizing indigenous and local capacities of the region can play a significant role in increasing local communities’ willingness to produce and cultivate medicinal and industrial plants. Accordingly, the development of medicinal and industrial plant cultivation can be considered an effective strategy for rangeland restoration and