Factors Influencing Farmers’ Participation in Irrigation Networks Management (A Case Study of Khorasan-e-Razavi Province, Iran)

The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze factors influencing farmers’ participation in irrigation networks management, with an approach to compare two groups of farmers (one in irrigation networks with WUA (Water Users' Association), and the other in networks lacking WUA). The methodological approach was a descriptive-correlational and causal-comparative study of the survey type. The target population in the study consisted of 2551 farmers involved in the irrigation networks in Khorasan-e-Razavi Province, Iran. Using stratified random sampling technique, 335 participants were chosen. Data were collected through a questionnaire and were analyzed using SPSS, V.13 software. Content and face validity of the instrument were assessed and confirmed by the faculty members of Agricultural Extension and Education, Agronomy and Irrigation Departments at Tarbiat Modarres University, and also by the Specialists Board of Agricultural Jihad Organization and Regional Water Joint-stock Company in Khorasan-e-Razavi Province. The reliability analysis was conducted and cronbach’es alpha values for the various sections of the instrument were estimated to be between 0.73 and 0.86. The descriptive findings of our study indicated that the majority of farmers’ participation in irrigation network management was approximately at an average level. The results obtained from Pearson Correlation Analysis indicated that there were significant and positive relationships between variables, namely farmers’ behavior regarding the best farm water management practices, extension contacts, communication channels, social capital components and farmers’ attitudes regarding WUA with farmers’ participation status in irrigation network management. T-test with independent samples revealed that there was a significant difference between the mean of two groups of respondents in irrigation networks with, and without WUAs in their participation in irrigation network management. Also, the classification result from forward stepwise logistic regression model analysis indicated that the most important discriminating factors of two groups of farmers who participate in WUA and Non-WUA include farmer’s age, annual income, social solidarity and the status of farmers’ participation in irrigation network management. Generally, these variables could correctly classify some 75.8% of all the subjects.