Farmers’ opinions regarding effective factors on optimum agricultural water management

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to identify effective factors on optimum agricultural water management based on opinions of farmers in Amlash, Guilan Province. The research design of the study was a descriptive study. The target population of this study was the farmers of Amlash in Guilan Province. The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by university faculty members and agricultural experts. The estimated reliability, using Cronbach’s Alpha, was 0.936, which was an acceptable reliability. According to the F-test result, number of travels to urban area per month, family participation in farming, information access, distance between the farms and agricultural service centers, farmer-owned farmlands, and productivity system significantly affect the optimum water resource management. Results of the factor analysis revealed that based on opinions of farmers in Amlash, six factors (mechanization, technical, economic, social, knowledge and experience) affect the optimum agricultural water management. These factors account for 71.50% of variance of effective factors in optimum water resource management.