Village and Development

Village and Development

Feasibility Study of establishing the Water User Associations Based on IAD Pattern: A Case Study of Mehraban Sofla Sub-District in Kabudarahang County of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
H. Balali 1
N. Hashemi-Amin 2
1 Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
2 PhD Candidate in Agricultural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
10.30490/rvt.2020.342150.1199
Abstract
This study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of establishing a water user association using the Ostrom method in Mehraban Sofla sub-district in Kabudarahang County in Hamedan province of Iran and it was conducted in a descriptive-analytical method. In addition to library studies and regular observations, a questionnaire was used as the main tool for collecting field data. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the relevant professors and experts; and to evaluate its reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used, which was 0.90. The statistical population consisting of 107 farmers in this sub-district was selected by simple random sampling. Statistical tests were performed using SPSS23 and LISREL 8.8 software. The results showed that all the rules were necessary for the formation of an association of water users; however, among them, cost-benefit and information were the most necessary rules required in the mentioned sub-district where at present, the institutional basis for establishing a water association was not ready. Therefore, it was suggested that by identifying the existing capacities in Mehraban Sofla sub-district, non-agricultural businesses be developed in order to provide various sources of income in parallel with agriculture, as well as trainings to prevent the digging of illegal wells in the studied sub-district should be provided in order to protect groundwater and also to encourage farmers to cultivate cultivars with less water needs and to use modern irrigation methods in order to increase the productivity of water resources. In addition, the results showed that the attitude towards the water user association had a significant relationship with the desire to join it; therefore, it was suggested that by holding educational and extensional classes and using educational videos and local media such as provincial radio and other information resources to raise the level of awareness and knowledge of farmers about the benefits of participation, the grounds for their cooperation and assistance in water resources management be provided.
Keywords
Water User Association
Ostrom Method
Institutional Structure
Mehraban Sofla (Sub-District)

Subjects

  1. Abdelgalil, E. and Bushara, A.I. (2018). Participation of water users associations in Gash spate system management, Sudan. Water Science, 32(1): 171-177.
  2. Aydogdu, M., Karli, B., Yenigun, K. and Aydogdu, M. (2015). The farmers’ views and expectations to the Water User Associations; GAP–Harran plain sampling, Turkey. Global Advanced Research Journal of Agricultural Science, 4(1): 033-041.
  3. Bahramloo, R. (2017). Current status of groundwater resources and the role of agricultural operators in their sustainable use (a case study in Kaboudraang and Malayer plains). Water Management in Agriculture, 4(1): 29-38. (Persian)
  4. Benson, D., Jordan, A., Cook, H. and Smith, L. (2013). Collaborative environmental governance: Are watershed partnerships swimming or are they sinking? Land Use Policy, 30(1): 748-757.
  5. Börger, T., Beaumont, N.J., Pendleton, L., Boyle, K.J., Cooper, P., Fletcher, , . . . Austen, M.C. (2014). Incorporating ecosystem services in marine planning: the role of valuation. Marine Policy, 46: 161-170.
  6. Clement, F. and Amezaga, J. (2013). Conceptualising context in institutional reforms of land and natural resource management: the case of Vietnam. International Journal of the Commons, 7(1): 140-163.
  7. Dehimavi, A. and Ahvazian, H. (2008). Investigating the results of designing and implementing the process of transferring irrigation management to Water User Association in Khuzestan Water and Electricity Organization. Paper Presented at the Second National Conference on Irrigation and Drainage Network Management,, Ahvaz.
  8. Facon, T. (2000). Improving the irrigation service to farmers: a key issue in participatory irrigation management. Paper Presented at the Asian Productivity Organization Seminar on Organizational Change for Participatory Irrigation Management.
  9. Farzaneh, M., Bagheri, A. and Momeni, F. (2016). Institutional analysis of groundwater resources system in Rafsanjan area with system dynamics approach. Iranian Water Resources Research, 12(2): 67-82. (Persian)
  10. Goetz, R.U., Martínez, Y. and Xabadia, À. (2017). Efficiency and acceptance of new water allocation rules: the case of an agricultural water users association. Science of The Total Environment, 60(1): 614-625.
  11. Gunchinmaa, T. and Yakubov, M. (2010). Institutions and transition: does a better institutional environment make water users associations more effective in Central Asia? Water Policy, 12(2): 165-185.
  12. Hassabou, A.H.M. and El-Gafy, I.K. (2007). Assessment indicators for water users’ associations in Egypt. E-WAter, Official Publication of the European Water Association (EWA), 2: 1-14.
  13. Hayati, D., Rezaei Moghadam, K. and Ebrahimi, E. (2011). Recognizing the economic benefits of attracting public participation in the development of irrigation and drainage networks. Economics and Agricultural Development, 24(3): 371- 383. (Persian)
  14. Heyd, H. and Neef, A. (2004). Participation of local people in water management: evidence from the Mae Sa watershed, northern Thailand. International Food Policy Research Institute.
  15. Howlett, M., Ramesh, M. and Perl, A. (2009). Studying public policy: policy cycles and policy subsystems (Vol. 3). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  16. IPRCIRI (2010). Law of the Fifth Five-Year Development Plan of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2011-2015. Islamic Parlement Research Center of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IPRCIRI).
  17. Kalantari, K. (2010). Data processing and analysis in socio-economic research. Tehran: Farhang-e Saba. (Persian)
  18. Kay, R., Alder, J., Brown, D. and Houghton, P. (2003). Management cybernetics: a new institutional framework for coastal management. Coastal Management, 31(3): 213-227.
  19. Kazbekov, J., Abdullaev, I., Manthrithilake, H., Qureshi, A. and Jumaboev, K. (2009). Evaluating planning and delivery performance of water user associations (WUAs) in Osh province, Kyrgyzstan. Agricultural Water Management, 96(8): 1259-1267.
  20. Kijne, J., Barron, J., Hoff, H., Rockstroma, J., Karlberg, L., Growing, J., . . . Wichelns, D. (2009). Opportunities to increase water productivity in agriculture with special reference to Africa and South Asia. Stockholm Environment Institute, Project Report-2009.
  21. McGinnis, M.D. (2011). An introduction to IAD and the language of the Ostrom workshop: a simple guide to a complex framework. Policy Studies Journal, 39(1): 169-183.
  22. Mirzaei, A., Mirdamadi, S.M., Hosseini, S.M. and Sajjadi, A. (2011). Influence of extension tools and information resources on Golestan farmers' participation in water user cooperatives. Cooperatives, 23(5): 128-143. (Persian)
  23. Momeni, M. and Faal-Ghayoomi, A. (2017). Statistical analysis using SPSS. Tehran: New Book Publishing. (Persian)
  24. Nelson, D.E. (2004). Performance indicators for irrigation canal system managers or water users associations. 18th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage, Montréal, Vol. 1B, pp. 1-12.
  25. Ngirazie, L.A., Bushara, A.I. and Knox, J.W. (2015). Assessing the performance of water user associations in the Gash Irrigation Project, Sudan. Water International, 40(4): 635-646.
  26. Nigussie, Z., Tsunekawa, A., Haregeweyn, N., Adgo, E., Cochrane, L., Floquet, A. and Abele, S. (2018). Applying Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development framework to soil and water conservation activities in north-western Ethiopia. Land Use Policy, 71: 1-10.
  27. North, D.C. (1990). Institutions, institutional change and economic performance. Cambridge University Press.
  28. Omid, M.H., Eskandari, Gh.H., Shabanali Fami, H. and Akbari, M. (2010). Problems analysis of water user associations (WUAS) in the irrigation management transfer (IMT) process; the case of: Tajan, Varamin and Moghan Water User Associations. Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research, 40(2): 167-176. (Persian)
  29. Ostrom, E. (2005). Doing institutional analysis digging deeper than markets and hierarchies. In: Handbook of new institutional economics (pp. 819-848). Springer.
  30. Ostrom, E. (2009). Understanding institutional diversity. Princeton University Press.
  31. Ostrom, E. (2011). Background on the institutional analysis and development framework. Policy Studies Journal, 39(1): 7-27.
  32. Pittock, J., Cork, S. and Maynard, S. (2012). The state of the application of ecosystems services in Australia. Ecosystem Services, 1(1): 111-120.
  33. Playán, , Salvador, R., Bonet, L., Camacho, E., Intrigliolo, D.S., Moreno, M.A., . . . Zazo, T. (2018). Assessing telemetry and remote control systems for water users associations in Spain. Agricultural Water Management, 202: 89-98.
  34. Potts, T., Burdon, D., Jackson, E., Atkins, J., Saunders, J., Hastings, E. and Langmead, O. (2014). Do marine protected areas deliver flows of ecosystem services to support human welfare? Marine Policy, 44: 139-148.
  35. Qiao, G., Zhao, L. and Klein, K. (2009). Water user associations in Inner Mongolia: factors that influence farmers to join. Agricultural Water Management, 96(5): 822-830.
  36. Ramirez Vallejo, J. (2011). Managing agricultural water. Universidad de los Andes: Bogota, Columbia.
  37. Rijsberman, F.R. (2006). Water scarcity: fact or fiction? Agricultural Water Management, 80(1-3): 5-22.
  38. Rudd, M.A. (2004). An institutional framework for designing and monitoring ecosystem-based fisheries management policy experiments. Ecological Economics, 48(1): 109-124.
  39. RWCH (2018). Prohibition of development of groundwater exploitation in Gol-Tappeh Plain of Hamadan province of Iran. Hamadan: Regional Water Company of Hamadan (RWCH). Available at http://www.hmrw.ir/SC.php?type=staticandid=75. (Persian)
  40. Schumacker, R.E. and Lomax, R.G. (2009). A beginner's guide [Introduction] to structural equation modeling. Translated by V. Ghasemi. Tehran: Jame'eh-shenasan. (Persian)
  41. Sanchirico, J.N., Eagle, J., Palumbi, S. and Thompson, B.H. (2010). Comprehensive planning, dominant-use zones, and user rights: a new era in ocean governance. Bulletin of Marine Science, 86(2): 273-285.
  42. Sojasi Gheidari, H., Shayan, H. and Noorbakhsh Razmi, Z. (2014). Analysis of the entrepreneurial role of non-agricultural activities in improving the quality of life of the villagers. Space Economics and Rural Development, 2: 55-76. (Persian)
  43. Sun, S., Wang, Y., Liu, J., Cai, H., Wu, P., Geng, Q. and Xu, L. (2016). Sustainability assessment of regional water resources under the DPSIR framework. Journal of Hydrology, 532: 140-148.
  44. Todman, J. and Dugard, P. (2007). Approaching multivariate analysis: a guide for psychology. Psychology Press.
  45. Totakhaneh, Y., Aghapour, Y. and Rezafani, G. (2008). Attitude on limitations and challenges of water users and solving methods in Sofi Chay Irrigation And Drainage Network. Tehran, Iran: Iranian National Committee of Irrigation and Drainage. (Persian)
  46. Uysal, Ö.K. and Atış, E. (2010). Assessing the performance of participatory irrigation management over time: a case study from Turkey. Agricultural Water Management, 97(7): 1017-1025.
  47. Valman, M. (2013). Institutional stability and change in the Baltic Sea: 30 years of issues, crises and solutions. Marine Policy, 38: 54-64.
  48. Wang, J., Huang, J., Zhang, L., Huang, Q. and Rozelle, S. (2010). Water governance and water use efficiency: the five principles of WUA management and performance in China. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA), 46(4): 665-685.
  49. Yadavar, H., Kouhestani, H. and Kharazi, Sh. (2017). Introducing applied solutions for farmers' participation in irrigation management transfer (case Study of Ghale-Chay Irrigation and Drainage Network). Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 48(2): 355-368. (Persian)
  50. Yercan, M., Dorsan, F. and Ul, M. (2004). Comparative analysis of performance criteria in irrigation schemes: a case study of Gediz river basin in Turkey. Agricultural Water Management, 66(3): 259-266.
  51. Yousefi, F. (2018). Assessment of institutional structure and factors affecting water market creation in Hamadan-Bahar Plain. Bu-Ali Sina University, School of Agriculture. (Persian)
  52. Zema, D.A., Nicotra, A., Mateos, L. and Zimbone, S.M. (2018). Improvement of the irrigation performance in Water Users Associations integrating data envelopment analysis and multi-regression models. Agricultural Water Management, 205: 38-49.