Abstract
In recent decades, cultural heritage-related concepts have been widely investigated, and agricultural heritage has been adopted as a concept of cultural heritage because of its contribution to livelihoods, food security, and the world economy. This consideration from 2002 to 2018 led the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop a framework known as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and to introduce global agricultural heritage sites accordingly. The GIAHS committee presented five criteria for incorporating the sites in the list of globally important agricultural heritage. Biodiversity, local awareness and techniques, socio-cultural values, food and livelihood security, and visual landscape were included in the five categories; thus, this article aims to evaluate historic farmsteads in the central Iranian regions. Historic farmsteads were thought-about an efficient agricultural production system characterized by architectural, economic, social, and cultural features in the past, the traces of which are still available. The main research subject concerns the growing destruction of farms following climate changes, the migration of owners and beneficiaries, and the lack of community knowledge about their nature. The research main goal is to introduce Iranian historical farmsteads as a globally vital agricultural heritage system. Thus, the research seeks to investigate the issue through an interpretive approach and an interpretive strategy and to use field studies and document research to respond to research questions on Iranian historical farmsteads in conjunction with global agricultural systems. This research concludes that the potentials of historical farmsteads meet GIAHS standards. The GIAHS secretariat can also identify the Iranian historic farmsteads in the first stride and then register them internationally. It will help many historical farmsteads as a large part of the Iranian agricultural heritage to be dynamically conserved. 
Keywords: Historical Farmsteads, World Agricultural Heritage, GIAHS, Iran.

Introduction
In recent centuries, traditional agricultural activities have decreased, considering numerous reasons, along with the rapid development of cities (Oosterveer & Sonnenfeld, 2011). In the meantime, preserving cultural heritage for a sustainable livelihood has received much attention as many studies on sustainable development have focused on people, the environment, and cultural heritage (Ojomo, 2010). As a result, a new concept known as agricultural heritage was added to cultural heritage. Then, in 2002, the conception of globally important agricultural heritage systems (GIAHS) was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the international arena. The first global GIAHS summit was held in 2018 after 16 years (Behzadnasab, 2019:9). GIAHS was introduced to the world not as a specific product or geographic area but as a recognized system. The National Committee of GIAHS was established in 2014 in the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture Jihad called NIAHS, investigating issues such as the irrigation of aqueducts and migration of nomadic Qashqai tribes (Joafshan-Vishkaea, 2015:18). Each GIAHS site should have a historical and contemporary aspect and can be restored and developed to the benefit of future human generations. 
Therefore, many sites with agricultural heritage potentialities in Iran can be regarded as possible candidates in the future. This article aims to focus on “historic farmsteads of central Iran” as a proposal for inclusion in the GIAHS list to evaluate them according to the five criteria mentioned above. In the central regions of Iran, especially Qom, Kashan, Niasar, Semnan, Isfahan, Meibod and Yazd, these farmsteads have two physical and functional characteristics, but some criteria for their implementation have already been established (Raie, 2017:230). Historic farmsteads were efficient agricultural production systems of the past with architectural, economic, social and cultural features, the remains of which can still be seen today. Presently the main problem is the non-recognition of such historic farmsteads as globally recognized agricultural heritage. They are considered to be threatened by various factors, such as climate change and migration by landlords and beneficiaries. The research aims to introduce these farmsteads as a globally important agricultural heritage system. Thus, the research seeks to investigate the issue through an interpretive approach and an interpretive strategy and to use field studies and document research to respond to research questions on Iranian historical farmsteads in conjunction with global agricultural systems. 

Data
Farmsteads in the past had two functional and physical systems. These systems, which are based on lived knowledge and techniques, are experience-oriented and traditional and have caused the formation and consistency of farmsteads from the past to the present. Much data related to traditional knowledge about architecture, agriculture, civil, economic, legal, cultural, social, and political fields can be introduced and revived in the heart of Iran’s historical farmsteads.

A) Physical system
1. Order of position and formation including; Methods of choosing the location of farmsteads with two priorities of water and security (Raie, 2020: 59);
2. Order of form, including; Building a farmstead based on two forms; Agricultural castles (figures 7 and 8), and agricultural complexes concerning the security (Moradi et al., 2016: 6-13);
3. Order of Water and agriculture lands including; Methods of exploiting and extracting the water of the rivers, Qanats (figure 3), wells and springs, irrigation and water supply and the like (Tavangar Marvasti, 2015: 269);
4. Formation order of physical elements, including; Methods of construction and maintenance of dependent structures (figure 4) such as; the Lord’s and serf’s castles, reservoir, mill, caravanserai, bath, mosque, Hosseiniyeh and Selkh (Beheshti & Raie, 2016: 10).

B) Functional system
1. Order of ownership and exploitation, including; types of ownerships, customary law for planting and harvesting, the terms of exploitation between the lord and the “Diwan”, methods of assigning real estate and land, endowed farmsteads (Lambton, 1966: 250; Foran, 1999: 57; Pollak, 1982: 351; Sheikh Al-Hakmaei, 2009: 9 and Safinejad, 1989: 43);
2. Social and demographic order, including; compilation of the social pyramid of the farmstead by the lord, methods of selecting serfs and residents of the farmstead from tribes far and near the farmstead, settlement methods and living standards in castles attached to the farmstead and the like (Tavangar Marvasti, 2015: 298- 305 and Yaghmaei, 1990: 296);
3. Order of economy and livelihood, including; Methods of collection and audit of taxes and tributes by Diwan and lord, rules of income generation, selling and sending products, communication between the lord and serfs and the like (Taleb & Anbari, 2008: 153- 155). 
 
Discussion
The FAO provided five criteria for identifying agricultural heritage systems worldwide; biodiversity, traditional knowledge and technology, socio-cultural values, food and livelihood security, and visual landscape. This research investigates the locality of Iranian historical farmsteads in conjunction with agriculture heritage criteria. Regarding the first criterion, there is a significant relationship between historical farmsteads and agro-biodiversity. The presence of water in different regions diversifies agricultural products, livestock and poultry.
Planting of damask rose and the production of rosewater in Niasar farmstead, as well as straw oil extraction in Nahchir farmstead in Isfahan, can be cited as good examples in this regard. Concerning the criterion of local knowledge, the farmsteads are said to be based on living experiences and old knowledge. These problems are recognized in terms of two physical and functional characteristics. The third criterion deals with cultural values and social entities at the farmsteads. Fixed population rates and the presence of a group of beneficiaries and stakeholders suggest that farmsteads have achieved sustainability with the collaboration of these groups of people over time. The fourth criterion concerns food and livelihood security. Historical farmsteads have, at various periods, been regarded as economic and production businesses for people, landlords and the government, making significant contributions to the agro-tourism sector. The fifth criterion evaluates the farmsteads’ landscapes. The population, physical environment, and agricultural lands can all be used, to illustrate the natural, cultural, and historical landscapes of central Iranian regions. Landscapes are presented on both an internal and external scale.

Conclusion
The study concludes that the historical farmsteads in Iran significantly met the five criteria after carefully examining them. In addition to their historical significance, historic farmsteads continue to exist today and contribute to food and agricultural security in various places. They have gradually adapted to their surroundings, producing assorted products based on cultural and economic values while retaining and increasing agro-production knowledge and practices.
Local residents and stakeholders have worked together in this regard throughout time to maintain the farmsteads. Farmsteads have been a product of continuous human presence in the environment, creating cultural, historical, agricultural, and visual landscapes. The GIAHS secretariat can first identify historic farms in the central regions of Iran and then have them registered globally using executive guidelines. It makes it possible to study a variety of vital and previously disregarded farm data, leading to their dynamic conservation based on location and time needs.

Abstract
Nusratabad Farmstead was built in 1264 AH by Aqamirza Nasrullah Sadr al-Mamalik around Qom and was dedicated to his two male children. This farmstead was active until the Pahlavi period and after that, the remains of the farmstead called Sadri castle were registered in the list of national monuments of Iran in 2001 with the number 4868. there are written documents such as historical maps and endowments related to the year 1270 AH about this farmstead. The mentioned documents provide useful information about the characteristics of the farmstead and qualities such as why it is made, the formation process, various physical elements and agricultural products. The research problem is the low familiarity of the communities with the subject of “farmsteads architecture” and also the possibility of reviving Nusratabad and Sadri Castle in the future. The aim of this study is to introduce a Qajar farmstrad and to achieve them two questions are asked: 1. What are the physical and functional characteristics of Nusratabad Farmstead? 2. What was the role of these characteristics in the survival of Nusratabad farmstead? this study tries to approach the subject with an interpretive approach and historical interpretive strategy and uses the three main formats of document research, interviews and field studies. Studies show that Nusratabad farmstead has two physical and functional characteristics and their subsystems. Positioning, formation of physical elements and farmsteads monitoring methods are related to its physical characteristics and the functional characteristics of Nusratabad farmstead also refer to the type of crops, social pyramid and related cultural issues. The architecture of Nusratabad Farmstead have been the product of a combination of physical and functional characteristics over time and Sadr al-Mamalik was able to protect the farmstead with these measures and hand it over to the current supervisors.
Keywords: Nusratabad Farmstead, Sadri Castle, Agricultural Heritage, Qom.

Introduction
Historical farmsteads have been seen in two forms so far; the first form is called “Agriculture castles” in which the castle is the axis of the farmstead and the residence of the farmstead dwellers and usually Agriculture lands and gardens were gradually formed outside the castle.
But the second form is “Agriculture complexes” in which the elements of the farmsteads are seen as a small village and a concentrated fabric in cooperation with each other and the farmsteads dwellers lived in a place other than the castle.
Nusratabad farmsteads was built with the model of Agriculture castle and centered on Sadri Castle in 1264 AH by Aqamirza Nasrullah Sadr al-Malik and the date of its endowment dates back to 1270 AH. The mentioned properties is now located at the end of Hazrat Masoumeh Boulevard, at the old road from Qom to Saveh and Sadri Street. From this farmstead and the Agriculture castle related to those two maps have been seen so far: a); The main and first map is made of fabric and has dimensions of 216 × 88 cm, in which the qanat and four mills of Nusratabad farmstead in the old plain and the western and eastern fronts of Qom river are also shown. This map is currently available to heirs and is not available. B); The second or monitoring plan is made of fabric with dimensions of 70 × 257 cm, which was prepared during the construction of the castle in 1264 AH. (Mohseni, 2014:203) This map is mentioned in Madame Dieulafoy ‘s travelogue and will be discussed in this article. The research problem is the low familiarity of the communities with the subject of “farmsteads architecture” and also the possibility of reviving Nusratabad and Sadri Castle in the future. The aim of this study is to introduce a Qajar farmstead. Rereading these documents can acquaint the scientific community with the architectural pattern and social and cultural characteristics of a Qajar farmsteads. For this reason, it is tried based on three formats; Document research, interviews and field studies to answer research questions. this research approaches the issue with its interpretive approach and historical interpretive strategy.

Identified Sites
The available documents show that the owner of the farmstead, Sadr al-Malik, was originally from Taleqan but her ancestors had migrated to Ardabil. During the reign of Mohammad Shah Qajar, Sadr al-Malik was in a good position in terms of relations with the court as well as religious relations with the people and he had built this farmstead for the development of property and qanat as well as economic exploitation. After building the castle, he selected people from the Zandieh tribe and settled as slaves in the Sadri Farmstead Castle (Arbab, n.d.: 51). According to the calculation of Afzal-ol-Molk, their number reached 40 to 50 families and between 200 to 250 people (Afzal Al-Molk, 2017: 88). The tribe was responsible for maintaining and producing on the farmstead and cultivating summer and winter crops. There are currently two historical maps of this farmstead: a; Main and first map b; Second map and monitoring. In the historical map, the two elements of the castle and the refrigerator can be clearly seen. According to the plan, Sadri Castle had a fort and twelve main and secondary towers, qanats, buildings and interior spaces. In addition, the remains of a historic bath can now be seen in the castle, which were not drawn on the castle monitoring map and may have been added to the complex later. This map describes other spaces under construction such as mills, baths, caravanserai, mosques and qanats. These features with the details stated in Tables 1 and 2 are the result of reviewing the documents studied in different sections of the research and it can be considered as physical and functional characteristics of Nusratabad farmstead. The contents of these tables show that the architecture of the farmstead was a function of social, economic, cultural, security, environmental and climatic issues that manifested themselves in different ways in historical periods.

Conclusion
This study has concluded that Nusratabad farmstead has two physical and functional characteristics and their subsystems. Positioning, formation of physical elements and field monitoring methods are related to its physical characteristics. Based on this, Nusratabad farmstead was built in the Qajar period with a short distance from Qom and Water resources and security have played a role in its location. Sadr al-Malik was able to build a large farmstead with elements such as an Agriculture castle, caravanserai, mosque, mill, qanat, bath and refrigerator and settle some of the Zandieh tribe. The functional characteristics of Nusratabad Farmstead also refer to crops, social pyramid and related cultural issues. Accordingly, the formation of Nusratabad farmstead started with good intentions and then economic exploitation has been given priority. Sadr al-Malik was able to achieve a monitoring program in by designing architecture, monitoring plan, determining the type of endowment operation and setting up the endowment letter. In a way that has been continued by his supervisors until now. Therefore, the architecture and composition of Nusratabad Farmstead have been the product of a combination of physical and functional characteristics over time.

Acknowledgment
We would like to thank the managers of the Sadri Castle(Ghal-eh Sadri) complex, especially Mr. Hamed Sadri and Younes Sadri.

Observation Contribution
The authors have contributed equally to the compilation of the paper.

Conflict of Interest
There is no conflict of interest.