Spatial Inequalities Associated with the Development of Agricultural Sector in East Azerbaijan Province

Introduction Agriculture sector is actually known as an economic sector, as it is said that economic growth would be impossible in the absence of agriculture growth. Nowadays, by using accurate scientific researches as an inspiration source and investigating environment potentials and capabilities of every area we can achieve comprehensive agricultural development and principles. In this way, identification of development and underdevelopment levels of agricultural zones seems essential to start out to and make development planning of sustainable development. As compared to other places in our country, East Azerbaijan province has more appropriate sources of agriculture. So that about 19.2 percent of its total geographical area belongs to the cultivated lands of agricultural products. In this regard (i.e. the ratio of cultivated lands to the total geographical expansion of the area), East Azerbaijan has occupied the 12th grade of all provinces. In addition, after those provinces of Khorasan, Fars and Khuzestan, it has got the vastest cultivated lands. Investigation of combination of occupations based on the results from general census of population and housing in 1390 reveals the fact that the agriculture contribution of the province is about 21.3% which is above its average (19%) in the country. However, comparing different counties of the province we can find dramatic differences in terms of agricultural activities and its related sub-sectors. In this study, we use several indicators to investigate spatial inequalities associated with the development of agricultural sector in different counties of East Azerbaijan separated into several parts of agriculture, garden and animal husbandry and the mechanization level. Methodology Considering the subject of the study, it is an analytical- descriptive one. Different counties of East Azerbaijan Province identified based on administrative - political divisions, have been chosen as statistical population of this survey. To determine its underdevelopment level and inequalities, 28 indicators have been used in four different sectors including agriculture, garden, animal husbandry and mechanization that can be observed with reference to the statistical evidence of agricultural background in East Azerbaijan. In this survey, the method of factor analysis in SPSS environment has been used to identify modulation index and its factors to be used as input in numerical taxonomy method. Finally, using hierarchical clustering method, these counties were classified according to the factor of clustering development rankings. This part of information was later appeared as a plan in the environment of GIS software. Indicators consist of: (1) Agriculture indicators: The ratio of irrigated lands to the total area of lands, method of operation by vine crops, forage crops, vegetables and cucurbits, industrial products, cereals, grains, irrigated and rain-fed wheat, irrigated and rain-fed barely. (2) Garden indicators: method of operation by garden products, dried fruits, stone fruits, granulated and pome fruits. (3) Mechanization indicators: the ratio of tractors, electro pumps, motor pumps, combine, tiller and distributed fertilizer to agricultural lands. (3) Animal husbandry indicators: The ratio of sheep and lamb, large animals, meat production, chicken production, egg production and milk production to the rural population. Discussion and Conclusion Using statistic reports of agricultural activities in East Azerbaijan Province in 2010, we could make the standardization process of 28 indicators in the forum of four main parts consisting of 11 indicators in agriculture sector, 5 in garden sector, 6 in mechanization sector and other 6 in husbandry sector. Factor analysis was done on each of these sectors in the environment of SPSS software that reduced them into 3,1,2,2 factors in the same order that were later used as inputs of the numerical taxonomy method. Classification of the counties was done based on development rankings of each sector. Finally, the statistical method of cluster analysis was applied to the counties of the province to be gotten classified in four clusters by identifying homogeneous cities. Counties found in the first class include Malekan, Bonab, Miyane, then in the second class: Shabestar, Maraghe, BostanAbad, Tabriz, Oscoo, Azarshahr, Ajabshir, in the third class: Sarab, Hashtrood, Ahar, Marand, Haris, and finally in the fourth class: Jolfa, Varzaghan, Kalibar and Charoimagh. Agriculture is an economic sector itself, as it is said that economic growth would be impossible in the absence of agriculture growth. Nowadays, by using accurate scientific researches as an inspiration source and investigating environment potentials and capabilities of every area we can achieve comprehensive agricultural development and principles. A remarkable, tremendous difference can be found in agricultural activities of different areas and counties of the province. East Azerbaijan is made of a half developed western and a half underdeveloped eastern part. The half developed western consists of great centers of population with a high rate of civilization, medium and large industrial centers, main centers of service activities and a large amount of agriculture and garden products. Whereas, in eastern half despite its mineral-tourist potentials, agriculture still continues in its traditional form of rain fed with industrial workshops which are small and scattered and small villages of low population in the suburb of small towns. Developed counties are provided with strong communication networks, especially in the route of railways or in the nearby area. On one hand there are low land slopes in the west of the province and on the ther hand vast and fertile plains like Tabriz and Maraghe have changed the place to a natural absorption for doing more activities on. While the Eastern half is mountainous with more potentials in livestock and animal husbandry than the Western part.