Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research

Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research

Determining The Factors Affecting Farmers Water Conservation Behavior In Selsele Township: Application Of The Norm Activation Model

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
fatemeh rahimifayzabad 1
masoud yazdanpanah 2
Masoumeh forouzani 2
saeed Mohammad Zadeh 2
1 KHouzestan Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University
2 Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University
10.22059/ijaedr.2016.59710
Abstract
Concerns regarding the depletion of natural resources in general, and water scarcity in particular, has stimulated the development and implementation of some policies aimed at changing farmers' behavior in terms of conserving water. In this regard, government has recently begun to invest on researches supporting the technical solutions on conserving water in the agricultural sector as the biggest consumer. However, the success of this policy is depending on farmer side in terms of adoption and behavior through a voluntary action.  The present study uses the norm activation model (NAM) as a theoretical basis to predict the personal norm and behavior regarding water conservation through a survey on 360 farmers selected using a multistage, stratified random sampling method in Selsele Township. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire.  After preparing the questionnaire and ensuring its validity by experts, its reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach's alpha ​​for the variables investigated through a pilot study. Findings revealed that, two variables influenced on the personal norm toward water conservation namely ascription of responsibility and self-efficacy. Water conservation behavior, also was significantly determined by personal norm. Therefore, it is suggested that by increasing the awareness level coupled with the responsibility of farmers towards water issues, their ethical commitment on performing appropriate conservation behaviors would be strengthened. Also, delegating enough authority to farmers as well as providing facilities for maintenance, repairing and rehabilitation of water distribution networks and irrigation equipment can motivate farmers and encourage them to conserve water resources.
Keywords
Key words: "Norm Activation Model
"water conservation
"voluntary action
" Selsele
  1. Abrahamse, W., Steg, L., Gifford, R., & Vlek, C. (2009). Factors influencing car use for commuting and the intention to reduce it: A question of self-interest or morality? Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behavior, 12(4), 317-324.
  2. Appelgren, B., & Klohn, W. (1999). Management of water scarcity: a focus on social capacities and options. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Part B: Hydrology, Oceans and Atmosphere, 24(4), 361-373.
  3. Balali, M., R., Keulartz, J., & Korthals, M. (2009). Reflexive water management in arid regions: the case of Iran. Environmental Values, 18(1), 91-112.
  4. Bamberg, S. (2013). Changing environmentally harmful behaviors: A stage model of self-regulated behavioral change. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 34, 151-159.
  5. Bamberg, S., & Möser, G. (2007). Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: A new meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behavior. Journal of environmental psychology, 27(1), 14-25.
  6. Bayard, B., & Jolly, C. (2007). Environmental behavior structure and socio-economic conditions of hillside farmers: a multiple-group structural equation modeling approach. Ecological Economics, 62(3), 433-440.
  7. Burton, M., Marsh, S., & Patterson, J. (2007). Community attitudes towards water management in the Moore Catchment, Western Australia. Agricultural systems, 92(1), 157-178.
  8. Clark, W.A., Finley, J.C., (2007). Determinants of water conservation intention in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. Soc. Nat. Resour. 20 (7), 613-627.
  9. De Groot, J. I., & Steg, L. (2009). Morality and prosocial behavior: The role of awareness, responsibility, and norms in the norm activation model. The Journal of social psychology, 149(4), 425-449.
  10. Dungumaro, E.W., and Madulu, N.F. (2003). Public participation in integrated water resources management: the case of Tanzania. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 28(20-27), 1009-1014.
  11. Harland, P., Staats, H., & Wilke, H. A. (2007). Situational and personality factors as direct or personal norm mediated predictors of pro-environmental behavior: Questions derived from norm-activation theory. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 29(4), 323-334.
  12. Hosseinzad, J., & Kazemiyeh, F. (2013). The Role of Water Resources Management in Agricultural Development of Tabriz Plain. Iranian. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 44(3), 369- 377. (In Farsi).
  13. Hu, L., and Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation modeling, 6(1): 1-55.
  14. Lynne, G. D., Franklin Casey, C., Hodges, A., & Rahmani, M. (1995). Conservation technology adoption decisions and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of economic psychology, 16(4), 581-598.
  15. Michailidis, A., Koutsouris, A., & Nastis, S. (2011). Adoption of sustainable irrigation practices in water scarce areas. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 17(5), 579-591.
  16. Mohammadi, Y., SHaaban Ali Fami, H., & Asadi, A. (2009). Farmers water management skills: Zarindasht county of Fars province. Journal of agricultural sciences and natural resources, 5(1), 97- 107. (In Farsi)
  17. Nori, H., Jamshidi, A., Jamshidi, M., Hedayati Moghadam, Z., & Fathi, E. (2013). Analysis of Cultural and Social Factors Influencing Farmers' Attitudes towards Water Management (Case study: Shirvan and Chardavol County). Iranian. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 44(4), 645- 655. (In Farsi)
  18. Onwezen, M. C., Antonides, G., & Bartels, J. (2013). The Norm Activation Model: An exploration of the functions of anticipated pride and guilt in pro-environmental behavior. Journal of Economic Psychology, 39, 141-153.
  19. Roudi-Fahimi, F., Creel, L., & De Souza, R. M. (2002). Finding the balance: Population and water scarcity in the Middle East and North Africa. Population Reference Bureau Policy Brief.
  20. Sarmad, Z., Bazargan, a., & Hejazi, A. (2000). Research methods in the behavioral sciences. Tehran: Agah Publications. 149- 151. (In Farsi).
  21. Schwartz, S. H. (1977). Normative influences on altruism. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 10, 222-280.
  22. Sharif zadeh, M., kamkar haghighi, A.A., ahmandvand, M., roudari, A., &  amiri, Z. (2010).  Farmers and Agricultural Water Distribution Styles: A Case Study of Doroodzan Dam Irrigation Network, Fars Province. Iranian. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 41-2(2), 181- 191. (In Farsi).
  23. Steg, L., & De Groot, J. (2010). Explaining prosocial intentions: Testing causal relationships in the norm activation model. British Journal of Social Psychology, 49(4), 725-743.
  24. Tal, I., Hill, D., Figueredo, A., Frías, M., & Corral, V. (2006). An evolutionary approach to explaining water conservation behavior. Medio Ambiente y Comportamiento Humano, 7(1), 7-27.
  25. Trumbo, C.W., O’Keefe, G.J., (2005). Intention to conserve water: environmental values, reasoned action, and information effects across time. Soc. Nat. Resour. 18(6), 573-585.
  26. Wauters, E., Bielders, C., Poesen, J., Govers, G., & Mathijs, E. (2010). Adoption of soil conservation practices in Belgium: an examination of the theory of planned behavior in the agri-environmental domain. Land Use Policy, 27(1), 86-94.
  27. Yang, H., Reichert, P., Abbaspour, K. C., & Zehnder, A. J. (2003). A water resources threshold and its implications for food security. Environmental science & technology, 37(14), 3048-3054.
  28. Yazdanpanah, M., Hayati, D., Hochrainer-Stigler, S., & Zamani, G. H. (2014a). Understanding farmers' intention and behavior regarding water conservation in the Middle-East and North Africa: A case study in Iran. Journal of environmental management, 135, 63-72.
  29. Yazdanpanah, M., Hayati, D., Thompson, M., Zamani, G. H., & Monfared, N. (2014b). Policy and Plural Responsiveness Taking Constructive Account of the Ways in which Iranian Farmers Think About and Behave in Relation to Water. Journal of Hydrology. 514, 347-357.
  30. Yazdanpanah, M., Hayati, D., & Zamani, G. H. (2012). Investigating Agricultural Professionals’ Intentions and Behaviors towards Water Conservation: Using a Modified Theory of Planned Behavior. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, 9(1), 1-2.
  31. Yazdanpanah, M., Hayati, D., Zamani, G. H., Karbalaee, F., & Hochrainer-Stigler, S. (2013a). Water management from tradition to second modernity: an analysis of the water crisis in Iran. Environment, development and sustainability, 15(6), 1605-1621.

Yazdanpanah, M., Thompson, M., Hayati, D., & Zamani, G. H. (2013b). A new enemy at the gate: Tackling Iran’s water super-crisis by way of a transition from government to governance. Progress in Development Studies, 13(3), 177-194.

Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Volume 47, Issue 2
Autumn 2016
Pages 379-390