Farmers’ Behavior toward Membership in Water User Associations (WUAs) in Iran: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

In many countries today, irrigation systems have been transferred to the water users associations. This study aimed at analyzing farmers’ behavior toward membership in water users associations based on the theory of planned behavior. This research was designed as a descriptive-correlation survey. All farmers from the two villages, Lishter and Kheir Abad, the city of Gachsaran, Iran, who were under the cover of Lishter irrigation and drainage network (N=572) formed the population for this study. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table and a proportional stratified random sampling technique 230 farmers was selected (n=230) from the population. The main research tool was a questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts of faculty members of Agricultural Extension and Education at Tarbiat-Modares University and Rural Development department at Yasuj University. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated at pre-test stage for different parts of the questionnaire ranging from 0.650-0.922. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 19 software. Results revealed that two variables, tendency and perceived behavioral control, had direct and meaningful effect on the farmers’ behavior for membership in water users associations. The variables of tendency and subjective norms had the most direct and indirect effect on the farmer’s behavior, respectively. In sum, tendency, perceived behavioral control and subjective norms had the causal effect on the farmers’ behavior toward membership in water users associations.