The Impact of Farmers' Participation on the Sustainability of Groundwater Resources Consumption Behavior in Bahar County

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

2 Department of Agricultural Extention and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

Abstract

Excessive extraction of groundwater resources, negative balance, and decline in the water table of these valuable resources are among the biggest environmental challenges the country has faced in the last few decades. These challenges have had environmental, economic, and social consequences, seriously threatening the future generation's access to these valuable resources. Therefore, paying attention to the issue of water resource sustainability is of strategic importance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of farmers' participation in water resource management on the sustainability of groundwater resource consumption behavior among farmers of Bahar County in Hamedan-Iran. This study adopts a quantitative paradigm and employs a descriptive-correlational research design. For statistical estimation, regression analysis and an ordinal logit model were applied. The statistical population consisted of all farmers in Bahar County. Using Cochran's formula, the sample size was determined to be 191 individuals. Data were collected in 2024 through convenience sampling, utilizing questionnaires and interviews with 200 farmers in the region. The results of the study indicated that farmers' participation in water resource management had a positive and significant impact on improving the sustainability of their water consumption behavior. Farmers with higher levels of participation were more likely to exhibit more sustainable consumption behavior. Additionally, younger individuals, participation in educational-promotional classes, and the use of more efficient water transfer methods to the farm were associated with increased likelihood of having more sustainable consumption behavior. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended to shift towards a more participatory approach in water resources management by increasing stakeholder participation through agricultural and water users' organizations. This change in management approach and policy-making can lead to more sustainable water resource management practices.

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Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 08 June 2025

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