Role of Rural Organizations in Water Resources Management: A Case Study in Pistachio Producing Areas in Kerman Province, Iran
Subject Areas : Pistachio
Mohammad Abdolahi Ezzatabadi
1
,
Reza Sedaghat
2
1 - Ph.D. on Agricultural Economics, Assistant Professor on Research, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Pistachio Research Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Rafsanjan, Iran
2 - Ph.D. on Agricultural Economics, Assistant Professor on Research, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Pistachio Research Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Rafsanjan, Iran
Keywords: Non-Governmental Organizations, Institutional Structure, Intermediate organizations, Water crisis,
Abstract :
Inappropriate water governance, which has been known as a variable to explain the water crisis in many parts of the world, needs to examine the institutional structures and required reforms. In the present study, the effectiveness and possibility of applying of five rural local organizations, as intermediate organizations for water resources protection in Anar and Rafsanjan areas, Kerman province, Iran, were investigated. These organizations are included as;villagecouncils, Basij (non-governmental branch of Iranians military forces), agricultural production cooperatives, mosque board of trustees, and agricultural well curator. Here, in this research, we applied a survey method, and the research tool was two types of questionnaires which must be completed by farmers and organization managers. As the first step, the validity and reliability of questionnaires were determined. For first purpose, i.e., the determination of validity, the questionnaires were sent to a numbers of researchers, farmers, and organizations’ managers, and their received opinions were considered. For the second purpose, i.e., the determination of reliability of the questions, the Cronbach's alpha was calculated, which was about 0.83 (in a good and acceptable level). A sample of 1099 pistachio producers was selected. To measure the effects of socio-economic factors on rural local organizations efficiency, multivariate regression and the analysis of variances (ANOVA) were also applied. The final results indicated that none of these five organizations, solely, can be considered as an intermediate organization for water protection. Therefore, a formal or informal combination of the mentioned organizations might be enough efficient to improve the water resources protection factors.
Abdolahi - Ezzatabadi M, Mohammadi - Mohammadabadi A, Mirzaie S, Abareghi GH (2015) Investigation of ethics and religion roles on protection of water resources in pistachio orchards in Anar and Rafsanjan areas. Final Report of Research Project, Pistachio Research Institute of Iran [In Persian].
Abdolahi-Ezzatabadi M, Sedaghat R, Moazenpour-Kermani M, Hoseinifard SJ, Hokmabadi H, Basirat M, Mirzaie S, Abareghi GH, Mohammadi M (2014) The study of inputs' temporal management on productivity increasing in pistachio orchards in Anar and Rafsanjan areas. Final Report of Research Project, Pistachio Research Institute of Iran [In Persian].
Ahmad A (2000) An institutional analysis of changes in land use pattern and water scarcity in Dak Lak province, Vietnam. Nordic Conference on Institutions, Livelihood and the Environment: Change and Response in Mainland Southeast Asia, 27-29 September, Copenhagen.
Ekhlaspour R (2015) Collective management of water resources. Publisher, Fanoos of Kerman, 162 pages. [In Persian].
Fischhendler I (2008) Institutional conditions for IWRM: The Israeli case. Ground Water 46(10), 91-102.
Hashemi SM, Kinzig A, Abbott JK, Eakin H, Sedaghat R (2020a) Exploring farmers’ perceptions about their depleting groundwater resources using path analysis: implications for groundwater overdraft and income diversification. Hydrogeology Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-020-02190-2.
Hashemi SM, Kinzig A, Eakin H, Sedaghat R, Abbott JK (2020b) Embedding farmers’ groundwater use in the context of their livelihoods: farmers’ perspectives on social-ecological stressors, causes, and solutions. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology: https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2020.1787277.
Maria Salth R, Dinar A (2005) Water institutional reform: Theory and practice. Water Policy. 7, 1-19.
Menared G, Maria Salth R (2011) The effectiveness of alternative water governance arrangements. In: Towards a Green Economy, Mike Young (editor).
Merdasi Gh, Yazdanpanah M, Forouzani M, Baradaran (2018) Application of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in analysis of agricultural systems: A case study of Shushtar County of Iran. Village and Development. 21(1), 1-23.
Theesfeld I (2010) Institutional challenges for national groundwater governance: Policies and issues. Ground Water. 48(1), 131-142.