Journal of Agricultural Economics & Development
Iranian Agricultural Economics Society (IAES)

Group Decision-Making of Agricultural Stakeholders towards Sustainable Groundwater Resources Management: A Case Study in North Khorasan

Document Type : Research Article-en

Authors

M. Bahrami Nasab 1
A. Firoozzare 1
A. Dourandish 2
M. Sabouhi 1
M. Ghorbani 3

1 Department of Agricultural Economics, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Center for Remote Sensing and GIS Research, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jead.2025.91123.1320
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 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.

Keywords

Agricultural water management
Decision-making
Farmers role
Stakeholder participation
Water conservation strategies
Subjects

©2025 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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  • Receive Date 07 December 2024
  • Revise Date 12 January 2025
  • Accept Date 18 January 2025
  • First Publish Date 18 January 2025

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