Farmers’ Social Responsibility to Sustainable Use of Water in Bilevar Plain: Multi-Groups Analyses

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, , College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education , College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

3 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, and Lecturer at Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract

Strengthening the farmers’ social responsibility behavior (FSRB) to sustainable use of agricultural water has been known as an essential component in achieving sustainable agriculture goals. In this regard, scholars have more focused on the behavioral models and neglected the fundamental role of multigroup socio-cultural characteristics in explaining the FSRB. Hence, the purpose of this empirical study which its data were collected by a researcher-made questioner was investigating the farmers’ social responsibility about sustainable use of water according to some of their most important demographic characteristics in Bilevar plain, Kermanshah, Iran (N= 3500). The stratified random sampling method was used to select statistical population in Razavar and Mian Darband districts (n= 263). The reliability and validity of the research tool was confirmed by experts’ panel and as well as using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, average variance extracted (AVE), Composite reliability (CR), and rho-A statistics. Results of the second-order factor analysis indicated that among multiple dimensions of social responsibility, economic responsibility (0.695) has largest contribution in explaining FSRB. The results of the ANOVA analysis showed that there is a significant difference between farmers’ social responsibility to sustainable use of water according to their annual incomes; So that with the increase in the farmers' income, their responsibility decreased significantly. Finally, the result of the univariate variance analysis showed that despite positive and significant effect of farmers’ attitude on their social responsibility behavior to sustainable use of water, its interactive effect with the farmers income don’t have a significant effect on their actual behavior.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Extended Abstract

Objective

It is not surprising if soon water will become the most valuable commodity in the country’s economic growth. Therefore, its sustainable exploitation can largely guarantee the economic growth and as a result political independence of a country. However, evidence in Iran indicates allot of crisis such as decreasing in agricultural productivity, scarcity of groundwater, increase in vulnerability of rural communities, and unsustainability in the ecosystems which many of them rooted in the lack of responsibility among farmers to sustainable use of water. Accordingly, the farmers social responsibility in sustainable use of water became a new research stream among scholars around the world. During this time, they have more focused on the behavioral models and emphasis on components such as attitude, knowledge, social norms, values and so on in explaining individuals’ behaviors. This is even though demographic characteristics can play a fundamental role in explaining farmers' behavior which scholars have paid little attention to them. Therefore, the purpose of this study is investigating the farmers’ social responsibility in sustainable use of water according to some of their most important demographic characteristics. A researcher-made questioner was used for data collection. Finally, data were analyzed using Smart-PLS 3.0, Excel 2019, and IBM-SPSS 2022 software.

Methods

As the findings of the study provide a comprehensive view of socio-cultural characteristics affecting farmers social responsibility behavior which change agents can use of them in their action plan to achieving sustainable agriculture, the study is an applied study in its nature. Data of this non-experimental research were collected via survey in a certain period (2022-2023). A researcher-made questionnaire was used to data collection which its reliability and validity confirmed by experts’ panel, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, average variance extracted (AVE), Composite reliability (CR), and rho-A statistics. The statistical population included of farmers in Bilevar plain, Kermanshah, Iran (N= 3500). From them, 251 farmers were selected as statistical sample using stratified random sampling method in Razavar and Mian Darband districts.

Results

Finding of second-order factor analysis showed that the economic responsibility with loading 0.695 has the largest contribution in explaining farmers social responsibility to sustainable use of water, followed by humanistic responsibility (with loading 0.674), ethical responsibility (with loading 0.595), and legal responsibility (with loading 0.405).

The results of the independent t-test with assuming equality of variances indicated that non-indigenous farmers in compare with indigenous farmers significantly have a lower level social responsibility in sustainable use of water. The results of the ANOVA analysis showed that there is a significant difference between farmers’ social responsibility to sustainable use of water according to their annual incomes; So that with the increase in the farmers' income, their responsibility decreased significantly. Finally, the result of the univariate variance analysis showed that despite positive and significant effect of farmers’ attitude on their social responsibility behavior to sustainable use of water, its interactive effect with the farmers income don’t have a significant effect on their actual behavior.

Discussion

     Profit seeking and acquiring more many among farmers neutralizes the significant effect of attitude on farmers social responsibility. Therefore, it can be argued that the farmers’ behavioral patterns for sustainable use of water do not always follow the mechanisms of changing beliefs, attitude, and values. In other words, beside psychological components there are many elements such as profit seeking play a fundamental role in explaining farmers sustainable-oriented behaviors. Change agents in agricultural extension sectors can use the finding of this research to driving farmers to achieve sustainable agriculture goals. 

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Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research
Volume 55, Issue 1
April 2024
Pages 15-37

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