Response to water crisis: How do Iranian farmers think about and intent in relation to switching from rice to less water-dependent crops?

Abstract

In response to the severe water crisis in Iran, the Iranian government has changed its approach to the management of the country’s water resources in different sectors from supply-side to demand-side management–an approach that relies on reducing water demand. In this regard, due to the high consumption of water in the agricultural sector, switching from rice cultivation that requires large amounts of water, to less water-intensive crops were considered a priority for the country, and the government banned the cultivation of rice as a water conservation policy. It is however very difficult for a government or any other power to enforce such a measure as it must be voluntarily accepted by end users (i.e., farmers) to be successful. Therefore, the success of this policy largely depends on what the public think of such measures. As such, it is crucial for policymakers to know how farmers think and behave in terms of these policies. The aim of this research is to accrue empirical evidence about farmers’ intention toward changing the rice cropping system. To achieve our goal, we used a social-psychological theory known as the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior. A sample of 250 rice growers in southwest Iran was selected. Structural equation modeling showed that farmers’ intention to change from rice cultivation to another crop is determined by personal norms, beliefs about their role and emotional considerations.