Factor analysis of water resources governance in the agricultural sector and its effect on the political geography of Iran

Document Type : مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

Authors

• Majid Gholami ¹
• Rahim Golbarani ²
• Afsaneh Malekhoseini ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Territorial Governance Department, Faculty of Governance, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

² M.A. in Economic Sciences,, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

³ PhD in agricultural extension and education, Razi University of Kermanshah. Kermanshah, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/pg.2023.80857.1198

Abstract

The lack of optimal management of water resources as the main input of the agricultural sector is a major challenge on the way to realizing sustainable agriculture in the political geography of Iran.Various solutions have been proposed for this serious challenge, all of which go back to reforming the governance process in water resources management in Iran.Based on this, the aim of the current research is to investigate the challenges of water governance in the agricultural sector of Iran.The present research method is a qualitative and quantitative combined method in solving the problem.The statistical population includes experts and experts in the issue of water governance in the agricultural sector, who were selected through non-probability sampling in a targeted manner. 90 researcher-made questionnaires, which were the result of face-to-face interviews with 7 experts in the field of water governance in the agricultural sector of the country, were distributed among the studied community, and after collecting them, 83 questionnaires were analyzed.The collected data were analyzed in two parts of descriptive statistics (prevalence, mean, standard deviation) and inferential (exploratory factor analysis) with Spss-14 software.Based on the results of the research, the challenges of water governance in Iran's agricultural sector were summarized in six factors that explained 60.35% of the total variance. Social challenges contributed the most (25.63) and natural and human challenges contributed the least (4.46) in explaining the variance of the variables under investigation.Also, considering the participatory nature of governance and the results of this research on social challenges, it was suggested that the roles and powers of the actors involved in water governance should be carefully determined and the capacity building of the stakeholders should be seriously put on the agenda.

Keywords

• Agriculture
• water governance
• challenge
• water management.Political geography of Iran

References

1. Abolfathi, M., & Qanbari, L., (2018). Examining obstacles and solutions to realizing good governance in Iran with an emphasis on social capital at the macro level. Strategic Policy Research Quarterly, 8(59), 9-41. [In Persian]
2. Ahmadipour, Z., & Ahmadi, I., (2019). A thorough analysis of the effective factors of the failure of "water governance" in Iran. Strategic and macro policies, 8 (2019 special issue), 110-140. [In Persian]
3. Afsari, A.H.,Haji Naseri, S., Fazli, M., & Firahi, D., (2016). The data model of the Sociological Investigation Foundation of Water Governance in Urmia Lake Crisis. Strategic Public Policy Studies Quarterly, 7(25), 54-72. [In Persian]
4. Askari, S.,Kohnourd, M., & Hadavand, M., (2017). Strategic water insecurity and the role of ineffective governance in its emergence. Scientific Journal of Social Capital Management, 5(3), 477-457. [In Persian]
5. Badisar, N., Ahmadi, M.S., & Madbarnjad, A., (2019). Evaluation of good governance indicators in the water sector. Environmental Science and Technology Quarterly, 22(2), 286-275. [In Persian]
6. Cronin, A.A., Prakash, A., Sridhar, P., & Coates, S., (2016). Drinking water supply in India: context and prospects. Global Issues in Water Policy, 16, 49–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25184-4_4.
7. Dahimavi, A., Akhund Ali, Shirvanian, A.R., & Broumand Nesab, S., (2017). Extraction and weighting of indicators representing the principles of agricultural water governance in the irrigation and drainage networks of Khuzestan. Iran Water Resources Research, 14(4), 238-226. [In Persian]
8. Dehghani, S., Bani, H., Mohammad, E., & Ghalabi, M.R., (2018). Water governance in Iran: challenges and solutions. Water Engineering Quarterly, 254-239. [In Persian]
9. Doleh, F., Saifullahi, S., & Zanjani, H., (2018). Studying the contexts and means of good governance formation in contemporary Iran. Social Science Quarterly, 11(45), 154-123. [In Persian]
10. Enteshari, S., & Safavi, H., (2016). Qualitative assessment of the principles of water governance in Iran with an emphasis on the principle of transparency. the first governance and policy making conference. Tehran: Sharif University of Technology. [In Persian]
11. Gholami, M., Shahnazari, A., Mortezapour, M.R., & Shahnoorian, M.M., (2016). Solving the Sefidroud irrigation and drainage network conflict using game theory. Journal of Iran Water Resources Research, 13(3), 101-111. [In Persian]
12. Ghaemi, A., (2015). Development of environmental education model to strengthen the sustainable governance of the country's water resources with emphasis on people's participation. Quarterly Journal of Socio-Cultural Development Studies, 5(2), 133-157. [In Persian]
13. Ghaemi, A., Larijani, M., Shabiri, Seyyed Mohammad, and Sarmadi, Mohammad Reza. (2016). Presenting a conceptual model of sustainable governance in the integrated management of the country's water resources with an emphasis on education and capacity building. Journal of Water and Wastewater, 28(4), 117-112. [In Persian]
14. Government of Zambia (2008). Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Efficiency (IWRM/WE) –Implementation Plan. Volume 1: Main report (2007–2030). Ministry of Energy and Water Development, Government Printers, Lusaka.
15. Grigg, N.S., (2016). Integrater water resources management: an interdisciplinary approach. Palgrave Macmillan.
16. Hosseini Sheshtamed, F.S., Abedi Sarostani, A., & Karamatzadeh, A., (2018). Farmers' point of view towards rule of law in water governance (case study of Sabzevar city), Razavi Khorasan province. Water and sustainable development. 6(1), 102-95. [In Persian]
17. Hashemi M., (2012). Regional Solutions for Water Scarcity in WANA. West Asia and North Africa (WANA) Forum Water Scarcity Policy Brief, Amman, Jordan.
18. Hashemi, S.M., (2021). Local water governance in Iran: Implications and policy recommendations. Journal of Water and Sustainable Development, 9(1), 144-135. [In Persian]
19. Jabri, S., Mehrab Gouchani, O., & Ghanian, M., (2015). Good governance is a new approach to realize the effective management of agricultural water resources. Research Approaches in Social Sciences, No. 8, 41-33. [In Persian]
20. Jamali, S., & Abdulahi, M., (2020). legal obstacles of water governance in Iran; Looking at the law of fair distribution of water. Iran Water Resources Research, 17(3), 38-48. [In Persian]
21. Jihuni Nayini, H., (2018). Water governance and investigation of its situation in Iran, 4th International Congress on Agriculture Development. Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism of Iran, Tabriz. [In Persian]
22. Karlsson, A., (2022). Water governance. https://siwi.org/why-water/water-governance/
23. L., Hordijk, M., & Molina, T., (2011). Water governance key approaches: an analytical framework. Literature review. Chance sustains.
24. Muluneh, Tsehay W., (2021). Conceptualizing Digital Agricultural Governance. International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 10(1), 403-410.
25. Nabavi, S.S., Mostafazadeh, R., & Asiyabihir, R., (2020). Analysis of water shortage indicators and water governance network in the sixth five-year development plan of Iran. Scientific Research Journal of Irrigation and Water Engineering, 12(2), 394-413. [In Persian]
26. Navaneeth, A., Sreeda, P., Vishnu Maya, T.M., Sanusree, P.S., & Harikumar, P.S., (2021). Evaluation of the challenges in water governance through citizen's perception and Water Quality Index: a case study of a fast-growing city in India. H2Open Journal, 4 (1): 336–351.
27. O’Riordan, J., (2022). Lessons learned from water governance. Administration, 70,(2), 27–33.
28. (2011). Water Governance in OECD Countries: A Multi-Level Approach (OECD Studies on Water). OECD Publishing, Paris. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264119284-en.
29. Olsson, L., & Head, B.W., (2015). Urban water governance in times of multiple stressors: an editorial. Ecology and Society, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.5751/es-07300-200127.
30. Ostrom E., (2005). Understanding Institutional Diversity. USA: Princeton University Press.
31. Pooya, M., & Azami, M., (2017). Entrepreneurial policy strategies for transformation in water governance in Hamadan province. The 7th National Science Congress of Agricultural Extension and Education, Natural Resources and Sustainable Environment. 3 to 5 Shahrivar, Bo Ali Sina University, Hamedan. [In Persian]
32. Perlman, J.D., Veilleux, J.C., & Wolf, A.T., (2017). International Water Conflict and Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities. Water, 42(2): 105-120.
33. Poulton, C., (2010). Agricultural Services and Decentralisation in Kenya. Policy Brief 035, Future Agricultures
34. Rahmanian Kushki, M., (2018). Factor analysis of the positive consequences of water catchment organizations in the governance of local water resources. The first national governance conference, 20th of November 2018, Tehran. [In Persian]
35. Rogers, P., & Hall, A.W., (2003). Effective Water Governance Global Water Partnership Technical Committee (TEC). Global Environmental Change (Vol. 21).
36. Rijsberman, F.R., (2006). Water Scarcity: Fact or Fiction? Agricultural Water Management, 8(1): 5-22.
37. Rogers, P., & Holl, A.W., (2003). Effective water governance Stockholm. Golden Water Partnership, report No.7.1-48. https://www.gwp.org/globalassets/global/toolbox/publications/background-papers/07-effective-water-governance-2003-english.pdf
38. Rotmans, B.J., (2007). Towards transition management of European water resources. Water Resource Management, 21:249–267.
39. Salari, F., Ghorbani, M., & Malekian, A., (2014). Social monitoring of the network of stakeholders in the local governance of water resources (study area: Rezin watershed, Kermanshah city). Pasture and watershed scientific-research journal, 68(2), 287-305. [In Persian]
40. Sievers, P., (2006). Water Sector: Challenges for integrated water resources management in Zambia. Danida Water Sector Seminar, January 2006. Accra, Ghana.
41. Silima, T., (2016). Good Governance and Conflict Resolution in Africa. Journal of Public Administration and development Alternatives, 1(1): 1-14.
42. Sternlieb, F., & Laituri, M., (2015). Specializing Agricultural Water Governance Data in Polycentric Regimes. Water Alternative, 8(2): 36-56.
43. Uhlendahl, T., Salian, P., Casarotto, C., & Doetsch, J., (2011). Good water governance and IWRM in Zambia: Challenges and chances. Water Policy, 13 (2): 845–862.
44. Van Leeuwen, C.J., Dan, N.P., & Dieperinkz, C., (2015). The Challenges of Water Governance in Ho Chi Minh City. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Volume 9(2): 1–8.
45. A.T., Kramer, A., Carius A., & Geofferey, D.D., (2005). Managing Water Conflict a cooperation. Routledge.