Background: Ending poverty in all its forms is the first of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Kermanshah, as a border province, faces unfavorable conditions in terms of poverty and deprivation. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing poverty reduction in Kermanshah Province using a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach.
Methods: A questionnaire assessing the mutual influences of poverty-reduction drivers was distributed among experts, including faculty members of Razi University and professionals from relevant organizations. A fuzzy cognitive map was constructed using FCM EXPERT software, and the degree of influence, centrality, and ranking of variables were determined using R and Mental Modeller software.
Results: The findings indicated that unemployment reduction and income increase had the highest levels of influence and susceptibility, while income increase and promoting a culture of participation held the highest centrality. According to the ranking index, the most critical factors affecting poverty reduction in the province were identified as unemployment reduction, income increase, and enhancement of participatory culture.
Conclusion: Boosting production and leveraging comparative advantages such as tourism and health tourism can enhance employment and income. Additionally, vocational training, the establishment of cooperatives, and government support for businesses can create financial and skill synergies, contributing effectively to poverty alleviation.