Feasibility of implementing "low-crop planting" plan in order to restore Jazmoryan wetland; Case Study: Jiroft County

The Jazmoryan Wetland seems to dry out due to its geographical location and construction of Bampour Diversion Dam and Jiroft Reservoir Dam on major rivers flowing to this wetland. One of the solutions proposed by some researchers to restore the aquatic environments is to fallow some parts of irrigated lands fed by water behind the dams and release these resources. Thus, the present study was done to investigate the feasibility of implementing low-crop planting plan to restore Jazmoryan wetland. Required information were collected by completing 177 questionnaires from farmers in Jiroft County. In order to analyze the factors affecting the participation of farmers in the project, a two-stage Heckman method consisting of two patterns of probit and linear regression, was used. Results of Probit pattern show that the variables of acreage, education, occupation, number of household members and income of farmers had a significant effect on their willingness to participate in the restoration of Jazmoryan wetland. While according to the results of the linear regression pattern, variables of acreage, age, education, marriage status, number of household members and income had a significant effect on the willingness of farmers to participate in the restoration of Jazmoryan wetland. According to the study, 61% of farmers were not willing to participate in the proposed plan. It is suggested that if the government is willing to implement low-crop planting project, the percentage of participation in the plan will be increased by developing appropriate lateral plans and presenting solutions which are accepted by the farmers.