Effective factors on Hashtgerd farmers’ participation rate in water optimum utilization

Abstract

In current situations, quantitative and qualitative reduction of water resources has become global crisis. This subject has created many problems in Iran's agriculture sector. In this research, effective factors on participation rate of farmers in Hashtgerd regarding optimum Utilization of irrigation networks are studied. The statistical population included all 1500 farmers in Hashtgerd city. A total of 306 farmers were studied using Morgan table method. Internal and external validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts. Reliability was measured by using Bayesian Cronbach's alpha (max = 95%; min =78%) as estimated by R codes. Results show that there is a significant relationship among social participation, technical knowledge, social confidence, and instructive variables in the 1% level of confidence and between education, governmental support, informing, and modern irrigation methods in the 5% level with participation rate of farmers in optimum utilization of irrigation network. Also, social participation, technical knowledge, social confidence and instructive variables, education, governmental support, informing, and modern irrigation methods were entered in multivariable regression using Step-Wise method, which finally resulted in 46% of variable changes regarding these seven factors. The results of the regression indicated that the two variables, namely educational factors and History of Membership in Water User Associations (x2) are the most important predictors of Farmers' Participation rate in Water Optimum Utilization.