Agricultural Economics
M. Bahrami Nasab; A. Firoozzare; A. Dourandish; M. Sabouhi; M. Ghorbani
Abstract
Groundwater is a vital resource for agriculture in arid regions which its over-extraction has led to significant challenges of declining water levels and increased scarcity. This study addresses the urgent need for sustainable groundwater management by employing an inclusive group decision-making approach ...
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Groundwater is a vital resource for agriculture in arid regions which its over-extraction has led to significant challenges of declining water levels and increased scarcity. This study addresses the urgent need for sustainable groundwater management by employing an inclusive group decision-making approach involving diverse stakeholders, with a focus on farmers. Overlooking the participation of farmers in the decision-making approach led to ineffective policies. Utilizing Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, specifically the fuzzy Shannon entropy and Fuzzy TOPSIS techniques, the research prioritizes strategies for reducing groundwater consumption in the Safi-Abad region of North Khorasan, Iran. Qualitative data from stakeholder interviews provided insights into the challenges and opportunities related to groundwater use, revealing two primary strategies: (i) transitioning to low water-demand crops; and (ii) adopting modern irrigation systems. These approaches not only promise significant reductions in water usage but also support sustainable agricultural practices. The findings highlighted the importance of stakeholder collaboration in implementing effective water management policies, ensuring responsible resource use, and securing long-term viability. This study served as a model for future research, advocating for mixed methods integrating qualitative and quantitative analyses to inform policy recommendations and improve water resource management.
M. Bahrami Nasab; A. Dourandish; M.R. Kohansal
Abstract
Determining the optimal pattern for growing crops in accordance with the availability of the resources and risk factors as well as the uncertainty of agriculture sector would help the farmers, managers and economic planners in selecting the type of the product and the level of cultivation. Fuzzy programming ...
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Determining the optimal pattern for growing crops in accordance with the availability of the resources and risk factors as well as the uncertainty of agriculture sector would help the farmers, managers and economic planners in selecting the type of the product and the level of cultivation. Fuzzy programming model with Interval programming approach is used in this study to determine the optimal cultivation pattern in the Esfarayen county while taking terms of uncertainty into consideration. The required data were gathered via 128 questionnaire and interviews with the farmers of the region as simple random sampling in 2013. Using different levels of Alpha cut in the model made the whole parameter-related fuzzy data to access the optimization process fractionally. Models assessments results with perspective to optimistic and pessimistic conditions in accordance with various Alpha cuts show the benefit increases in optimistic conditions while decreasing in conservative ones due to the increase in the level of uncertainty and risk or expansion of fluctuations periphery due to smaller Alpha cuts. Forage maize, Red beans and wheat in most case scenarios are economical as well as optimum crops for cultivation. In order to improve the farmers’ money-making situation along with optimal usage of production sources, encouraging and supportive policies to be performed by Agriculture- Jehad (Ministry of Agriculture) of Northern Khorasan or the Esfarayen county is recommended.
