Introduction
A systemic approach to watersheds, from the stage of measurement and data collection to the creation of water structures and their exploitation, requires a comprehensive approach to see all the components of the system. In the integrated management of water resources, it is necessary to see the needs of the stockholders and the sustainability of water resources together with the knowledge of the intertwined components of the natural system, which can provide sustainable management for optimal exploitation.
In order to properly implementation of the use of water resources and achieve its goals, it is necessary that the stakeholders have serious participation from the beginning of announcing the need for irrigation projects and plans and the use of water resources during the implementation and exploitation, in order to carry out social studies. In this regard, the non-unification of agricultural lands and on the other hand, the integration of the irrigation network (which requires a single decision to divide and distribute water) creates a conflict that cannot be operationalized except by creating interaction between the user and the governance system. In such an approach, production cooperatives and water pumping can facilitate the optimal use of water resources or at least not hinder the implementation of the project.
Materials and Methods
In this paper, considering the importance of water management in rural development, the opportunities and challenges of managing the exploitation of irrigation networks in Kermanshah province were investigated. Among the existing exploitation systems, rural production cooperative companies were prioritized by evaluating positive and negative factors using PRA and SWOT models. For this purpose, the stakeholders of each village were asked to introduce people to the social facilitators of the project as representatives of all the stakeholders. In the field investigations and interviews conducted with selected trustees, the most important effective cases in the networks covered by this research were identified. Based on the SWOT model, five basic strategies were defined and different strategies were prioritized using the QSPM matrix. The option of handing over the stages of planting, holding and harvesting to cooperative production companies was placed as the priority of the strategies (in the form of a temporary contract)
Results and Discussion
The results showed that due to the existing weaknesses, the predicted capacity of these networks for the development of the rural economy and the creation of a suitable basis for handing over the government management of water distribution networks to the private sector have not been done. Rural production cooperative companies, with the necessary trust and delegation, adjust the weak points and strengthen the irrigation network exploitation mechanism in line with the development of rural production and improvement of the local economy.
Conclusions
During the conducted interviews, the operators in a general response to the discussed matters believe that by creating user organizations in the form of production cooperatives and trust and delegation of authority, they will adjust the weaknesses and empower the strong points in the operation. In addition, considering that one of the basic challenges in modern irrigation networks is the integration of the irrigation system and the smallness (non-integration) of the agricultural land, the respondents emphasized the need for an integrated approach in the management of the networks, especially operationalizing them. They considered volume delivery of water and control and compliance with the cultivation pattern and saving limited water resources beyond the local decision-making system and emphasized on strengthening the institutional capacity along with expanding the powers of rural production cooperatives.