Investigation of the Agricultural Water Management Mechanisms in Zarindasht County, Fars Province, Iran

Abstract

Problem statement: Both sequential droughts and lack of water optimal consumption in Zarindasht county, have created scarcity problem that caused agricultural yield’s loss in this county. So according to lack of optimal consumption of agricultural water in this county, the main purpose of this study was to investigate agricultural water management mechanisms in three fields of irrigation sources, water transfer and in farm water consumption level. Approach: This study was a sort of survey studies. Questionnaire was used to collect data and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha of 0.83, 0.72 and 0.85 in three fields of irrigation resources, water transfer and in farm water consumption level respectively. Questionnaire’s validity was also confirmed by professors of agriculture training department of Tehran University and experts were related to water management. Statistical population of this study consisted of 4648 individuals of Zarindasht farmers. Using Cochran’s formula, sample size was estimated about 150 individuals. To select the samples, the multi-step sampling method was used. Results: The results of priority setting of the agricultural water management mechanisms revealed that most of important mechanisms of agricultural water management such as "feeding underground water", "farmers’ participation in providing the expenses of electronically wells", "setting systems of determining the permissible Debby" in field of irrigation resources and " participation in different fields" as an important mechanism in the field of water transfer channels and also "using agricultural swages", "land consolidation and consolidation" in water consumption level are the last priorities of farmers point of view. Furthermore, the result of agricultural water management mechanisms’ factor analysis indicated the existence of six factors in irrigation resources field that most important factor was the factor of agricultural knowledge increase. In channels field, five factors were stated that most important of them was channels management. Five other factors were identified in farm water consumption level that the most important one was paying attention to training and extension. Conclusion: To achievement agricultural water management, some management mechanisms such as land consolidation, promotion of farmers’ awareness through extension and education methods, canals management and farmers participation to conservation of irrigation networks, were necessary.