The role of participatory management in empowering local communities in coping with droughts in southern Kerman province

The overall aim of this study was to examine the role of participatory management in empowering local communities in coping with drought. The statistical population of the study consisted of all villagers in Jiroft and Anbarabad in south of Kerman province (N = 75819). Using Krejcy & Morgan table, 382 of them were selected by stratified random sampling method. The main instrument of the research was a questionnaire that its validity was confirmed by a panel of experts and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α> 0.7). Data analysis was performed by SPSSwin18 software. The results showed that the rural households surveyed from the components of participatory management in an unfavorable situation, but in terms of empowerment components, are in a relatively favorable situation. In addition, Pearson correlation results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the components of participatory management and empowerment. Regression results also showed that 85.3% of the variables of the research criterion (empowerment) are predictable by predictive variables (participation in targeting, participation in decision making, participation in reducing effects and participation in change). Factor analysis results summarized the constraints of participatory management among local communities in motivational and needs-based barriers, economical and trust barriers, planning barriers, communication barriers, and informational barriers.
 

Farmers frequently cope with risks due to the uncertainty of climatic conditions. Population growth, changes in agricultural policies, environmental regulations and the degradation of natural resources such as soil and water also faced farmers with numerous challenges. Although farmers have experience in coping with a certain degree of uncertainty, increased climate variability and changes may cause severe problems. Drought in particular is a climatic disaster that creates substantial costs for farmers and affects their agricultural systems extensively. Drought is the most complex of all natural hazards, making the arid and semi-arid regions of the world vulnerable. Although drought has not been well documented, the resource-dependent sectors such as agriculture are the most vulnerable to the impact of this phenomenon. A review of the long-term annual precipitation trends indicated that drought had a worldwide return frequency of every 20e30 years. However, in the last 50 years, some countries such as Iran and Bangladesh have experienced approximately 27 and 19 drought events, respectively. Therefore, for arid and semiarid regions, drought is a recurrent feature that could lead to the loss of crop production, food shortages and starvation) if not managed appropriately. Accordingly drought impacts could be managed at macro (national), meso (local) and micro (village and household) levels. However, the micro-level management (i.e., what the farmers do in response to drought) is too important. Considering the inefficiency of drought management in the country, finding an approach that can address the damage caused by social insecurity (migration, poverty, isolation, etc.), environmental insecurity (water scarcity, soil erosion, etc.), economic insecurity (unemployment, lack of capital And so on) and it is important to improve the ability to deal with undesirable drought phenomena. Farmers frequently cope with risks due to the uncertainty of climatic conditions .Population growth, changes in agricultural policies, environmental regulations and the degradation of natural resources such as soil and water also present farmers with numerous challenges. Although farmers have experience in coping with a certain degree of uncertainty, increased climate variability and changes may cause severe problems. Drought in particular is a climatic disaster that creates substantial costs for farmers and affects their agricultural systems extensively. Drought is the most complex of all natural hazards. Making the arid and semi-arid regions of the world vulnerable. Although drought has not been well documented, the resource-dependent sectors such as agriculture are the most vulnerable to the impact of this phenomenon , respectively. Therefore, for arid and semiarid regions, drought is a recurrent feature that could lead to the loss of crop production, food shortages and starvation if not managed appropriately. According to drought impacts could be managed at macro (national), mesa (local) and micro (village and household) levels. So the role of participatory management in empowering local communities in coping with droughts in southern Kerman province.

Statistical population of this study consisted of all farmers in the city of Jiroft and Anbarabad was in the south of Kerman province (N=75819). Using Cerjci and Morgan, sample size was estimated as 382. Respondents were selected using Stratified random sampling method. For increasing reliability of the findings, 165 questionnaires distributed among farmers, ultimately 150 questionnaires completed and analyzed in SPSS software. The instrument of the study was a questionnaire which its validity was confirmed by a panel of experts and its reliability was established by calculating Chronbach's Alpha Coefficient (α>0.7).

The results showed that the rural households studied of the components of participatory management in an unfavorable situation, but in terms of empowerment components, are in a relatively favorable situation. In addition, Pearson correlation results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the components of participatory management and empowerment. Also, the results of regression showed that 85.3% of the variables of the research criterion (empowerment) were determined by the predictive variables of the research, ie, the components of participatory management (participation in targeting, participation in decision making, participation in the reduction of the effects and participation in the change And transformation) is foreseeable. In addition, the results of factor analysis summarize the constraints participatory management among local communities in motivational and needs-based barriers, economic barriers and trust, planning barriers, communication barriers, and barriers to information.
 

Regarding the failure of most of the past drought management program in the country as well as the basic ability of indigenous knowledge of villagers, it is necessary to see the ability and need in different stages of decision making in drought response programs. As it was found in this study, the extent to which participation they increase their ability to cope with drought.