Analysis of perspectives and effective social factors in the Implementation of Productivity-oriented Cropping Pattern with using Q methodology(Case study: Qazvin Plain Irrigation Network)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Mehrdad Hassannia ¹
• Bijan Nazari ²
• abbas sotoodehnia ¹

¹ Water Engineering Department, Faculty of Agricultural and Natural Resources, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.

² Department of Water Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.

Abstract

Keywords

• Economic agriculture
• Farmer'
• s thinking
• mentality
• water resources

20.1001.1.2008479.1402.54.3.4.8

Main Subjects

• آبیاری و زهکشی

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Considering the large share of the agricultural sector in the consumed water resources, in order to deal with the water shortage crisis, paying attention to increasing the water consumption productivity is of special importance. Cropping pattern modification has been proposed as a solution, but efforts to implement cropping pattern modification policies have been largely unsuccessful. One of the most important reasons for failure to implement the cropping pattern is the uneconomical nature of the proposed model and the lack of attention to the demands of the beneficiaries. In the Qazvin plain irrigation network, the concern is that the cropping pattern is not implemented by the beneficiaries for the optimal use of the available water resources.

Methodology:

First, all the factors of non-fulfillment of the cropping pattern were collected according to the library sources and previous studies. Then, a questionnaire was designed based on the Likert scale and after analysis, the top 25 statements were selected as Q sets. To place each of the items (Q sorting), a grid containing 25 cells was designed in the shape of an inverted pyramid with a forced quasi-normal distribution. Then, the beneficiaries were sampled by purposive sampling using Q methodology. The participants were asked to distribute the Q cards based on their personal opinion (+4 complete agreement, -4 complete disagreement). The collected data were analyzed using KADE desktop software. Factors were extracted using principal component analysis. To determine viewpoints, researchers selected and flagged unique factors that could represent each viewpoint. Finally, the researchers interpreted and named each factor.

Results:

The results showed that there are four dominant perspectives among the beneficiaries, which cumulative variations explained by 45 percentage. Average reliability coefficient higher than 0.8. All perspectives had a reliability higher than 0.95, which shows that the extracted perspectives have good reliability and validity. The identified perspectives were named as follows: »Economy oriented and technical perspective«, »perspective of socio-technical dissatisfaction and agree with policy making«, »perspective of those who agree with technical, social and environmental and little attention to policy making« and »perspective of focus on policy making and paying little attention to social and technical issues«.

Conclusion:

 In this research, sampling was done by referring directly to the beneficiaries, which leads to increasing the accuracy and precision of the output results. The following suggestions are presented for the implementation of productivity-oriented cropping pattern: 1. It is suggested that in the design of the cropping pattern, a social survey should be done first from perspectives of beneficiaries. 2. It is suggested that due to the differences in perspectives of water beneficiaries, the suggested cultivation patterns are developed in a dynamic/flexible manner. 3. In terms of water tariffs and other incentive and punishment mechanisms, there should be a real distinction between the users who implement the cropping pattern and the users who do not follow the cropping pattern.