Evaluation of Variables Affecting People's Participation in Soil Pasture and Watershed Management Projects (Case Study: Kouskabad Watershed in Khorasan Razavi)

The degree of public participation in development programs is a major determinant of success or failure of the programs, but the factors which make people participate still remain unknown. Many studies have developed numerous and sometimes different views concerning the dimensions of participation. The present study is designed to analyze people's participation in soil and water resources management programs by using the framework of social exchange theory.
Regarding the importance of the watershed plans on one hand and extensive effects of these plans in the rural regions on the other hand, the main purpose of this descriptive – corrective survey is to identify and analyze the effect of watershed plans implemented in Kushk-Abad village in Khorasan Razavi province. The basic purpose of this study is to analyze the factors influencing rural people’s participation in National Resource Projects for Sustainable Management of Watershed Management Program (WMP) in Kardeh Dam Basin.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK : The framework of this study is based on social exchange theory. The central idea of social exchange theory is that the exchange of social and material resources is a fundamental form of human interaction. This theory basically asserts that people develop attitudes toward other people and things in the context of anticipated personal benefits and costs to be derived from contacting with them. Activities that generate net benefits will tend to be perceived positively, while those activities that generate net losses will tend to be perceived negatively. Social exchange theory poses that all human relations are formed by the use of a subjective cost-benefit analysis and the comparison of alternatives. For social exchange theorists, when the costs and benefits are equal in a relationship, then, that relationship is defined as equitable. The notion of equity is a core part of social exchange theory.
The statistical population includes head of households who dwell in Kardeh village and participated in this project. The statistical population of this study consisted of all the heads of households of Kushk-Abad village (N= 1250). Based on Kerjcie and Morgan Table, a sample of 200 person was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected from face-to-face interviews with respondents based on a structured questionnaire. The main instrument of the survey was a questionnaire whose validity was established by an experts’ panel consisting of specialists in natural resources extension. It's reliability was established by calculating Coronbach’s alpha coefficient for measuring level of rural people’s participation in WMP. A pilot study was conducted to establish reliability of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used for the main scale of questionnaire, which scored more than 0.85, confirming its appropriate reliability. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS win18 software.
The findings of research showed that household size, times of traveling to town, level of participation in previous projects, awareness of plan goals, awareness of degradation impacts of natural resources, need to social solidarity, contact with technical experts, and visiting sample projects are positively and significantly (p