Document Type : Research Paper
Kurdistan Province, located in the Zagros region in western Iran, comprises 18 hydrological units. In recent years, signs of water scarcity have been observed in several parts of the province. One of these hydrological units, coded 1308 and situated in the plains of Qorveh and Dehgolan, is currently facing water scarcity and an imbalance between water supply and demand. At first glance, Kurdistan Province appears to possess integrated and cohesive primary production resources in the agricultural sector and may not seem vulnerable to natural hazards or water shortages. However, empirical evidence suggests otherwise. There is a significant disparity between the eastern and western parts of the province in terms of water and soil resources. According to official reports from the Kurdistan Management and Planning Organization (2021), 86% of the province’s agricultural land, but only 17% of its water resources, are located in the eastern part. In contrast, the western part contains 14% of the agricultural land but holds 87% of the relatively abundant water resources, which are largely inaccessible due to steep slopes and limited arable land. Furthermore, based on the Standardized Precipitation–Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), which is used to measure drought intensity, most counties in Kurdistan Province have experienced drought over the past decade (National Drought Monitoring Center, Iran Meteorological Organization, 2023). More than 90% of the area of Qorveh and Dehgolan counties—the focus of this study—has been affected by drought conditions.
The water scarcity situation in the study area has led governmental authorities to declare the plains of Qorveh and Dehgolan prohibited zones for the reallocation of water to both agricultural and non-agricultural activities over the past two decades. The consequences of the water crisis have included a decline in groundwater levels, saline water intrusion, and increased risks to agricultural lands and crop water supply.
Since 2005, the Ministry of Energy has implemented the Groundwater Balance Plan in Kurdistan Province through 15 projects. Under the Water Adaptation Plan for the target years 2025–2026 (1404–1405 in the Iranian calendar), 75% of the projected agricultural water-saving measures in Kurdistan Province have been allocated to Qorveh and Dehgolan counties to mitigate the water crisis. However, official reports indicate that this target has not yet been achieved.
In order to attain water-saving goals and ensure the sustainability of agricultural water resources in the region, it is essential to formulate appropriate short-term solutions and long-term strategic interventions. This study has been conducted with the aim of addressing this need.
This study was conducted within a pragmatic paradigm using a qualitative approach and employing the SWOT strategic analysis technique in a survey format. A questionnaire was used as the primary data collection instrument. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed through expert judgment (specialists in water and agriculture) and by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The required data were obtained through 98 sub-components related to the internal and external environment of water management. After verifying the accuracy of the collected data, they were entered into SPSS and Excel software for statistical analysis. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to agricultural water management were analyzed using the SWOT framework. Based on the evaluation, weighting, and relative importance of each component, the priority decision-making and policy strategies for improving water consumption were identified.
Initially, key stakeholders and individuals relevant to the research topic were identified. To enhance the accuracy of responses and obtain reliable information, efforts were made to include participants with the highest level of professional engagement in agricultural and water-related issues within the study area. Accordingly, the sample was selected from managers and specialists in agriculture, water resources, extension services, and planning within local governmental and private organizations. A purposive sampling method was employed, resulting in a statistical sample of 75 individuals, including experts, managers, and leading local farmers.
Based on the findings, strategies for improving water consumption were positioned within the SWOT matrix-ranked by evaluation score and priority-in the third quadrant (ST: competitive strategy) and the second quadrant (WO: conservative strategy). Among the 14 strategies whose priority and ranking were calculated, seven key strategies were extracted. In order of priority, these are:
Implementation of an adaptive cropping pattern
Formulation of a comprehensive water management plan
Reform of the water allocation model
Development of modern training programs
On-farm water storage
Improvement of farm management
Smart irrigation systems
Based on the research findings, the following conclusions can be drawn:
-Competitive (ST) and conservative (WO) strategies constitute the primary strategic orientations for improving agricultural water consumption in the study area.
-Water management in the region faces significant weaknesses and threats. The most prominent challenges include rising water supply costs to compensate for resource imbalance, recurrent droughts, inefficient water distribution systems, and inadequate farm-level management by farmers. Despite these challenges, there are also existing strengths and opportunities. Through cost–benefit evaluation, either competitive or conservative strategies can be adopted for the target community. The most effective actions within these strategies include: prohibition of water-intensive crops, increasing the mechanization rate, provision of modern training programs, evaluation of the effectiveness of adaptation measures, implementation of incentive mechanisms, and—most importantly—improvement of farm management practices by farmers themselves.
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Conceptualization by Khalil Kalantari and Hossein Shabanali Fami; methodology by Khalil Kalantari; Software, data collection, preparation of charts and figures and writing original draft preparation by Soleiman Ghaderi; writing- review, editing, and preparation of English text by Khalil Kalantari; Guidance and supervision by Ali Asadi. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
The data that supports the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author.
The authors express their sincere gratitude to all individuals who participated in this study.
The authors adhered to ethical research standards and avoided data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and any form of research misconduct.
The author declares that there are no conflicts of interest related to this study.
