The Role of Social Capital on Water Users' Participation in Irrigation and Drainage Network: The Case of Lishter Plain

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Rural development Management, College of Agriculture, Yasouj University

2 M.Sc. student, Department of Rural development Management, College of Agriculture, Yasouj University

Abstract

Research on factors reinforcing and facilitating participation is an inevitable part of regional and sectorial development programs. Answer to the question that which factors really influence participation, will help the planners to design more effective development programs. In this study, the relationships between social capital and water users’ participation in irrigation and drainage management and exploitation were analyzed. Survey research method with pre-designed questionnaire was used in the study area named Lishter plain. The validity of the questionnaire was verified using face validity procedure and the reliability score of the questionnaire was calculated between 0.73 to 0.90 using Cronbach's Alfa coefficients. The sample consisted of 190 farmers that were selected based on stratified random sampling technique. The results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between social capital and farmer’s participation, while the relationship between social capital and cooperatives membership was also significant but negative. Regression analysis showed that independent variables such as social capital, cooperatives membership, farming experience and attitudes towards official organizations explain about 33 percent of the variation of dependent variable (participation).

Keywords

Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal
Volume 8, Issue 1
November 2012
Pages 53-71

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