Evaluation and Prioritization of Socio-Economic and Policy-Institutions Issues and Challenges in Sustainable Development of Pressurized Irrigation Systems in Iran

Sustainable development of pressurized irrigation systems is a key to mitigate the crises of water scarcity، mainly because of more demand for food، in Iran. However، despite the importance of the issue، little areas of lands are equipped with the pressurized irrigation systems and still there are long way to reach to the desired level. Moreover to the different technical، technological، and infrastructure problems and challenges associated with the sustainable development of pressurized irrigation systems in Iran، socio-economic and policy –institution issues and problems are among the important cases. Therefore، the objective of this research project was to systematically identify the socio-economic and policy–institution problems، issues، and challenges associated with the sustainable development of pressurized irrigation systems in Iran. The methodology of the program was fully participatory، with the participation of representatives of different stakeholders in the water and the agriculture in general، and the experts، and resource persons in pressurized irrigation enterprise of the country in specific. The ISNAR approach was used here. The experts were gathered and participated in the different brain storming meetings to identify the relevant problems، issues، and the challenges. The research outputs were mainly in the form of problem trees. However the identified problems were also prioritized، based on their importance، and some related strategic pivots were also developed finally. Based on the results، the main socio-economic and policy –institution problems hindering sustainable development of pressurized irrigation systems in Iran could be categorized in the following categories: Economic and finance problems (including national economy، costs to the beneficiaries، banking and finance and credit issues)، socio-cultural problems (including socio-cultural basis and capacity building، inefficiencies in adoption of the systems، and weaknesses in agricultural production systems)، policy and institutions issues (including organizational and human resource structures weaknesses، and problems associated with the policy and planning، inefficiencies in motivation of beneficiaries willingness toward the acceptance and adoption of the systems). Quantity basis، the economic-finance، socio-cultural، and policy-institution problems were totally 88 cases، and based technical discussions and comments of the stakeholders assigned into different selected categories. From the strategic aspects، results of this research indicated that the following strategies should be implemented in the country for the sustainable development of pressurized irrigation from socio-economic and policy institutions aspects: 1) More involvement of the private sector in pressurized irrigation systems development and hence disengagement from the government 2) More attention to energy savings in the systems، considering growing demand of energy and energy prices increase to happen in near future 3) Selection of economic criteria in prioritizing development of pressurized irrigation systems in different regions، and 4) More focus of research studies and plans on measures for economic justification of using pressurized irrigation systems in small farms.