Identifying the relative importance of cultivating medicinal plants

The agricultural sector and related industries are the main foundations of different countries’ economies, particularly developing countries. The cultivation of medicinal plants is one of the attention-taking sub-sectors of agriculture. Iran, having a proper climatic and geographical condition is considered a homeland of a wide range of medicinal plants. The position and role of medicinal plants in sustainable management, and the increasing importance of that, especially in the macro dimensions of economic development, environment, health, employment, food security, and genetic resources in the national and global arena, is such that today, the process of deepening, resuscitation and its role, especially in the supply of medicine, can be considered as one of the indicators of development in the world. According to the studies carried out, the relative importance of cultivating medicinal plants on livelihood, which is the main purpose of this study has not been considered so far. The validity and reliability of the research tool were assessed and confirmed. The findings of regression showed an effect of 42% of the cultivating medicinal plants on the livelihood of villagers. The importance priority was identified as 1) saffron, 2) barberry, 3) cumin, and 4) jujube cultivation, respectively. Considering the effect of cultivating medicinal plants on the livelihood of rural people on the one hand, and the export of the above-mentioned products in the international market on the other hand, would be necessary for supplying these plants under scientific and legal criteria in the market. To expand and institutionalize the culture of processing and packaging of medicinal plants, executive policies are required to be planned. This can play a significant role in reducing environmental pollution.