Measurement the farmer's vulnerability and readiness for facing with drought conditions, Case: Kashmar County

This study aimed measurement the farmer’s vulnerability and readiness for facing with drought conditions in rural regions of Kashmar County. Applied research and survey method was used to collect data. The study population consisted of 8242 farmers in Kashmar County. Using Cochran formula and multi-stage sampling, 150 of them were selected as sample research. Data collection tool was a questionnaire which its validity was approved by agricultural extension and education specialists and Jihad-e-Keshawarzi experts in Kashmar County. Reliability was evaluated by conducting a pilot study and Cranach’s alpha coefficient for different parts of questionnaire including damages and losses caused by drought and farmer’s knowledge and awareness rate from methods and strategies to deal with the phenomenon of drought, respectively, were 0.78 and 0.84. The results showed that the most important of economic damages, respectively, were increasing the Forages prices in the region, increased production costs and reduce the amount of investment in production. The most important of social-psychological damages, respectively, were seasonal and permanent unemployment among farmers, family farmers migrate to other areas, and more dependent on the government and the most of environmental damages, respectively, were low level of groundwater, wells and aqueducts, dry surface and invasion of pests and diseases. There was a significant relationship between farming experience, age, number of family members, amount of agricultural activity income and level of facilities and equipment available to deal with drought respondents and their assessment of damages caused by the drought. Comparison of vulnerability levels showed that most of the damages were due to environmental damages and then is located economic and social-psychological damages.