Individual, Social, and Communication Factors which Affect Farmer's Participation in Irrigation Network Management in Sahand Dam, Iran

Appropriate management of irrigation networks in the country requires an active participation of farmers in WUAs where different factors affect the participation level in this regards. The aim of this correlational-descriptive study is to investigate the components that influence the farmers’ participation in irrigation network management of the Sahand Dam. The research tool was a questionnaire which its validity was confirmed by experts and by conducting a pilot study, and calculation of Cronbach's alpha higher than 7.0 for the composite indicators. The statistical population consists of all members of the three WUAs in the Sahand Dam Basin (N=34), which based on Krejcie and Morgan sampling table, 30 candidates were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data was collected by personal interviews in the villages and analyzed through the SPSS20 software. The results show that 73.3 percent of members had a medium and lower level of participation and their participation had a significant negative correlation with their age, family size, and years of agricultural experience. However, there was a significant positive correlation with their educational degree, social participation, social trust, social cohesion, usage of related information, usage of extension communication, and their knowledge of WUAs. Regression analysis show that the three variables of social cohesion, social trust, and age were responsible for 76.2 percent of participation variance. According to the results, with an increase in social capital among WUA members, the level of their participation in the management of water resources will be increased.