An analysis of farmers’ perception about drought management solutions in small-scale farming units: A Case in Isfahan province

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Hosain ُShababali Fami ¹
• Mahsa Motaghed ¹
• Mahnaz Mohammadzadeh Nasrabadi ²
• Samira Afshari ³
• Mosayeb Baghaee ⁴

¹ Department of Agricultural Management and Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

² Department of Natural Source and Agricultural Development , Faculty of Agriculture, University of Payame Noor, Iran.

³ Department of Agricultural Development, Bu-Ali Sina University of Hamadan. Iran.

⁴ Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension, Mentor and Trainer of Social Facilitation. Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

Keywords

• Drought management
• Esfahan
• Factor analysis
• Small-scale exploitation

20.1001.1.20084838.1402.54.1.1.6

Main Subjects

• Agricultural Economics, Extension and Education, Development, , ....

Extended Abstract

Objectives

Drought and water scarcity are considered great threats to the farmer's life. In rural areas, where the livelihood of most people is agriculture and the main input in agricultural activities is water, drought has negative consequences such as the destruction of the rural economy. It reduces villager’s resilience and ultimately ends to the destruction of the quality of rural life. Without appropriate management, drought conditions lead to many negative socio-economic consequences. Therefore, adopting appropriate management practices to increase drought adaptive capacity of farmers to reduce related socio-economic problems is inevitable. Out of different categories of farming systems, small-scale units are more susceptible to drought and need to enhance their resilience. Esfahan is one of the provinces across the country that has experienced severe drought condition. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the level of farmer’ drought management ability in small-scale farming units to cope with drought negative consequences in Isfahan province as perceived by farmers.

Methods

The statistical population of the study included all small-scale farmers in Isfahan province (N=166030) who have been exposed to drought conditions. Using Morgan-Kerjeci table, the sample size was determined as equal to 394 farmers and a two-stages sampling technique i.e. stratified and simple random sampling methods was applied to reach the respondents for the data collection through interview. The main tool for data collection was a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed.

Results

 The results showed that the most important management practices applied by farmers to adapt to drought are "enhancing information about drought and ways to deal with it", "better management of agricultural water" and "timely irrigation", "planting windbreaks plants like poplar around the fields” and "seasonal migration to the neighboring areas for income." To categorize the drought management practices, factor analysis was used and a total of five factors was identified viz., irrigation management and moisture conservation; proper management of agricultural operations; household economy’s optimization; strengthening communication and information and revisiting and adjusting social affairs. The extracted factors explained 52.852% of the variance changes, and in the end, based on the research findings, suggestions were made to increase farmers’ ability to mitigate drought and climate change negative consequences.

Discussion

 As per the findings some recommendations are advised to enhance the managerial ability of small-scale farmers to better manage the drought conditions. Farmers need to better exploit precipitations, improve water transfer canals, use low tillage methods for preserving soil moisture and adopt pressurized irrigation techniques. Moreover, they have to get involved in water policy formulation and get supported by farming conservation technologies. Apart from water management, farmers should be trained on good crop farming management practices at the farm level. For example, they should take the following technologies into account: using drought-resistant crops, diversifying cropping patterns, better waste management, adopting agroforestry operations like windbreak plant cultivation, and revitalizing indigenous knowledge. To improve a farmer’s managerial ability for drought control, their income source should be diversified. Non-farming activities have the potential to lower migration and enhance employment opportunities. With better economic power, farmers can cope with drought severe side effects. In addition, with better digital literacy and access to information technology, farmers will be able to get workable knowledge and experience from other farmers under drought conditions. Community development is also a means to enhance farmers’ capability in small scale farms to actively control the severity of drought consequences on their life.