Effective Factors on Rural People’s Non-Participation of Mahabad’s Dam Catchment in Watershed Management Projects

Subject Areas : Environmental policy and management

Soleiman  Rasouliazar ¹ (Department of Agricultural Management, Mahabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran.)
Saeid  Fealy ² (Department of Agricultural Management, Mahabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran)

Received: 2015-08-12 Accepted : 2015-08-12 Published : 2015-03-01

Keywords: Iran, Catchment, Non-Participation, Watershed Management, Mahabad Township,

Abstract :

The purpose of this descriptive-correlation study was to investigate effective factors on rural people’s non-participation of Mahabad’s dam catchment in Watershed Management Projects. The research instrument was structural questionnaire with close-ended questions, which its validity confirmed by panel of academic staff and reliability of questionnaire was confirmed. The target population of this study consisted of all householders who lived in Mahabad’s dam catchment (N=2458) out of them, according to Cochran's formula 175 people were selected by using cluster sampling in a simple randomization method (n=175). The descriptive results showed lack of financial ability for participating in watershed management, lack of awareness about watershed management efficiency, the long term rate of return on the investment attracted in watershed management were the main variables related to rural people’s non participation in watershed management. By applying Factor Analysis Explanatory Technique, effective factors on rural people’s non-participation in watershed management were reduced to five factors namely weakness of agricultural extension services, getting watershed management out of governmental control, no achieving success to implement another rural projects by government, and no considering local individuals or organization by government. These five factors expressed 84% of the total variance of the non-participation people on Mahabad’s dam catchment in watershed management projects. Therefore points to these factors could solve the barriers of non-participation people on Mahabad’s dam catchment in watershed management projects.

References:

1- Bagaey, M., Chizari, M., Fealy, S., & Merzaey, A. (2006). Investigation inhabits factors on nonparticipation of rural people in watershed projects (case study: Zarcheshmeh Honchan). Seminar of participatory development planning of soil and water. Semnan. Iran.

2- Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling techniques (3rd Ed.). New York: Wiley.

3- Duram, L. A. , & Brown, K. C. (1999). Assessing public participation in U.S watershed. Planning Initiatives Society and Natural Resource, 12, 455-460.

4- Darghouth, S., Christopher, W., Gambarelli, G., Styger, E. & Roux, G. (2008). Watershed Management Approaches, Policies, and Operations: Lessons for Scaling Up. Water resource board discussion page series. Paper Number 11.

5- Ghanbari, Y., & Ghodsi, J. (2008). Investigation the socio-economic effects of watershed activities on rural stakeholders in Tangkhoshk Samirom Township. Journal Research of Esfahan University, 29(1), 195-204.

6- Hematzadeh, Y., & Khaliqy, N. (2006). Investigation affective factors on non-participation of stakeholders in watershed projects (case study: Kachekn Golestan Province). Journal of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, 13(4), 88-101.

7- Hossenpour, A. (1993). Investigation necessary of participation and determining the training needs of rural rancher's farmers for contribute to soil conservation and watershed management in Hezar. In Amol Township. Unpublished Thesis in Agricultural Extension and education, Faculty of agriculture, Tarbiyat Modares University.

8- Kerr, J., Pangare, G., & Pangare, V. L. (2002). Watershed development projects in India: An evaluation. Research Report 127, International Food Policy Research Institute.

9- Mosaey, A. (2009). Investigation affective factors on non-participation of stakeholders in watershed projects (case study: Fars Province). Journal of Agricultural Extension and Economic, 2(2), 65-85.

10- Reddy, V. R., Reddy, M. G., Galab, S., Soussan, J. & Baginski, O. S. (2004). Participatory watershed development in India: Can it sustain rural livelihoods. Development and Change, 35 (2), 297-326. [DOI via Crossref]

11- Renfro, R. Z. (2004). The value of participation in development- relevance to soil and water conservation. Retrieved from http:// www. adbi.org/ files / the_value_of_participation_in_development_keynote_ final.pdf

12- Sadeghy, S. H., Sharify, F., Frotan, A., & Rezaey, M. (2004). Quanitative appraisal of watershed projects. (Case study: catchment watershed of Keshar). Journal of Research and Constriction in Natural Resources, 65, 96-102.

13- Shah, A. (2001). Who benefits from participatory watershed development? Lessons from Gujarat, India. London: International institute for Economic Development (IIED), Gatekeeper series no.97.

14- Talibpourasal, D., & Khezri, S. (2010). Investigation the land application and Sediment in the southern of Mahabad River. Journal of Rangeland and Watershed, 63 (3), 314-358.

15- Wani, S. P., Singh, H. P., Sreedevi, T. K., Pathak, P., Rego, T. J., Shiferaw, B., & Iyer, S. R. (2005). Farmer-Participatory Integrated watershed Management: Adarsha Watershed, Kothapally India.

16-Yganand, B., & Gebremedhin, T. (2006). Participatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihoods in India. Selected working paper prepared for presentation at the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meetings Orlando.