Zahra Hosseinpur; Mohammad Hossein Menhaj; Mohammad Kavoosi-Kalashami
Volume 5, 17(3) , December 2015, , Pages 104-91
Abstract
Over the past two decades, due to the global water scarcity, the role of WUAs in the farmers’ participation in the agricultural water resources management has received much attention. The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the factors affecting the participation of the WUAs members ...
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Over the past two decades, due to the global water scarcity, the role of WUAs in the farmers’ participation in the agricultural water resources management has received much attention. The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the factors affecting the participation of the WUAs members in the agricultural water management of Esfarayen County during 2014-2015. The statistical population included all members of two WUAs Esfarayen County (N: 2440) among which 335 people were selected as the statistical population size using Cochran’s formula, then the sample was identified using stratified sampling method. The Validity of the questionnaire was supported by the experts’ views, and the reliability of research tools was obtained by doing a preliminary test through completing 30 questionnaires and the Cronbach’s alpha value was obtained 0.88 using SPSS. Data analysis was performed using SPSS20 and Excel2010. To examine the relationship between the independent and dependent variables, the Spearman correlation analysis test, the Cramer’s coefficient test, the Gamma coefficient and the chi-square test were used. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between the studied economic factors (farmers’ income level, acreage owned by farmers, water prices), volume of water used, types of irrigation systems, and farmers’ individual characteristics including education level and gender, and the variable of the level of farmers’ participation in the WUAs. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between age and the level of members’ participation.
