STAKEHOLDER VIEWS ON THE MIRAAB SYSTEM FOR PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT OF MODERN IRRIGATION SCHEMES IN IRAN

Rural reforms in Iran have changed the land holding regime, cropping pattern, and market system. A study of stakeholder views on the modern Dez and Moghan irrigation schemes has suggested farmers and extensionists agree that the existing canal management is not sufficiently responsive to the new challenges of agriculture in the post-reform era, and that a more participatory management structure could help resolve the problems in water delivery. Iran already has a long-standing and successful model for participatory farmer management in the millennia-old Miraab system (Shaarebin) used for managing the Karezes and Qanats in the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. This would appear to be a suitable model on which to build. The survey responses indicated that all three stakeholder groups (farmers, extensionists and water agency staff) would support the implementation of a management structure based on the Miraab system. All three groups indicated they thought that the government would support such a change. Detailed interviews, however, suggested that farmers and extensionists thought some water agency staff would resist its implementation as a threat to their existing authority. The research confirmed the importance of consulting different stakeholder groups, who might have different attitudes and perceptions of the problems and potential solutions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Stakeholder views ، Participatory management ، Mirhaab ، Iran