Conceptualization and Indicators of Appropriate Irrigation Systems Technology in Rural Areas Using Grounded Theory

Although technology development in villages can have undeniable benefits; In some cases, we see the reduction of the effectiveness and efficiency of technology, the waste of villagers' material resources and the villagers' pessimism towards technology used in irrigation systems. The incompatibility of technology with the time and place conditions of the villages has a prominent role in the occurrence of these damages. This research aims to explain the concept and identify indicators of appropriate technology to rural environments, with special emphasis on irrigation systems in rural areas of Taft city, using the qualitative approach of Grounded Theory technique. According to the results, the appropriateness of a technology with the village environment and its effectiveness for the agricultural sector requires the inclusion of all socio-cultural, technical-economic, physical-infrastructural and environmental aspects. The results show that technology in terms of socio-cultural aspect, should be needs-oriented while being compatible with the epistemic environment of the village and based on local knowledge. It is also in terms of technical-economic aspect necessary to be scalable, cheap, simple, controllable, durable and standard. In addition, the technology should be compatible with each plant in terms of physical infrastructure and the necessary infrastructure should be provided in the village. The results also show that the technology must be environmentally friendly, consistent with the principles of sustainability and bring the least shock and stress to the agricultural unit. In the paradigm model presented in this research, "Not considering the special conditions of villages", "Not considering the real needs of villagers" and "weakness of facilities and infrastructures" are mentioned as the causal conditions for the introduction of inappropriate technology in the villages. Also, cases such as "small ownership", "monopoly and incorrect relationships", "short life of planning in the rural system", and "weakness of the extension system in introducing appropriate technology" have played an interfering role in intensifying the current situation. This model points to the fact that if strategies such as "shaping the rural technological innovation system" are used, the cycle of generation, diffusion and utilization of appropriate technology in villages can be accelerated.