Document Type : Research Paper

Extended Abstract

Objectives

    One of the fundamental challenges of the current century is the crisis of limited access to freshwater resources for the growing population of the planet, which has brought about widespread social, economic, political, security and environmental consequences. Food production for the growing population accounts for the largest amount of water resource consumption. Therefore, the agricultural sector, as the largest consumer of water resources, should be the focus of attention for correcting and adjusting the current trend of water resource consumption. Due to geographical conditions, inefficient management and excessive and unreasonable extraction of groundwater in many study areas, including the Hamedan-Bahar plain, Iran is facing a crisis of water resource shortage and endangering the sustainability of this vital resource. Considering the concept of sustainability and sustainable development, which refers to preserving resources for future generations, the current trend of groundwater consumption shows that the consumption behavior of farmers is contrary to the concept of sustainability. One of the new approaches in water resource consumption and demand management is the participation of stakeholders, especially farmers, in the process of planning, decision-making, policy-making, monitoring, and implementation of management programs. The present study, by focusing on the relationship between farmers' participation and the sustainability of groundwater resource consumption behavior, is trying to fill this research gap. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of farmers' participation in water management on the sustainability of groundwater resource consumption behavior among farmers in Bahar County, Hamadan Province.Frame the problem or question and its context.

Method

    This study is applied in purpose and survey-based in data collection, adopting a quantitative paradigm with a descriptive-correlational methodology using logistic regression analysis. Data were collected via a questionnaire, with the statistical population comprising farmers in Bahar County, Hamadan Province, Iran. Based on Cochran's formula, the sample size was determined to be 191; however, to ensure robustness, interviews were conducted with 200 farmers. Convenience sampling was employed due to the unavailability of a complete sampling frame, which rendered random sampling impractical (Kolstoe et al., 2022). The data collection tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire. Farmers' participation in water resource management was assessed using an 8-rung participation ladder (manipulation, therapy, informing, consultation, placation, partnership, delegated power, and citizen control), measured through 28 items. Agricultural water-use sustainability was evaluated using a Likert scale with 21 items. The questionnaire’s face and content validity were confirmed by a panel of experts in Agricultural Extension, Rural Development, and Agricultural Economics at Bu-Ali Sina University. Reliability, assessed via Cronbach’s alpha, yielded coefficients of 0.79 for “farmers’ participation in groundwater management” and 0.90 for “water-use sustainability behavior”. Given the five-dimensional nature of the dependent variable, data analysis was performed using ordinal logistic regression in STATA 17.

Results

    Farmers in the region showed an average or above-average level of willingness to participate, with 41.2% agreeing or completely agreeing with the defined participation items, while nearly 42% neither agreed nor disagreed. In terms of water-use sustainability, the majority (65%) were classified within the "medium sustainability" category, while only 3% demonstrated "high sustainability" behaviors. Conversely, a significant minority (32%) exhibited "low sustainability" practices. The results of the logit model revealed that variables such as "amount of farmers' participation in water resources management," "participation in educational-extension classes," and "method of transporting water to the farm" were significant with a positive sign. This indicates that an increase in these variables leads to a higher probability of farmers exhibiting more sustainable behavior. Additionally, the results showed that younger farmers tend to demonstrate more sustainable consumption behavior.

Conclusions

    Based on present research showing the positive impact of farmers' participation in sustainable water use, the government should shift from a top-down approach to one that increases farmers' involvement in decision-making, management, implementation, and monitoring of water resources. Establishing agricultural and water users' organizations, promoting membership, and engaging them in decision-making are effective strategies for enhancing water resource management. These organizations must also be granted sufficient authority. Additionally, given research indicating that young farmers exhibit more sustainable behavior, it is advisable to encourage young people to return to rural areas by bolstering the rural economy and establishing welfare facilities. Offering training programs, particularly those focused on sustainable water resource utilization, should also be prioritized.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed equally to the conceptualization of the article and writing of the original and subsequent drafts.

Data Availability Statement

If the study did not report any data, you might add “Not applicable” here.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participants of the present study.

Ethical considerations

The authors avoided data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and misconduct.

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.