Assessing the Priority and Effectiveness of Strategies to Water Productivity Promotion and Comprehensive Development of Agricultural Sector in Development Programs: A Case Study of Qazvin Province of Iran

Assessment of the different strategies implemented in agricultural sector makes it possible to recognize the shortcomings of national development process. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the priority and effectiveness of two strategies including water productivity promotion (WPP) and comprehensive development of the agricultural sector (CDA) in the first to fifth Iranian development programs in Qazvin province of Iran. The required data were collected through archival research, meta-analysis and case study. The statistical population the field study included the experts and specialists, in the agricultural sector of the province, who were selected through purposive sampling. The results of the SWOT analysis conducted during 2019-2020 showed that in both WPP and CDA sub-sectors, weaknesses had a higher priority than strengths; also, threats were ranked higher than opportunities. Furthermore, the research findings indicated the great importance and medium effectiveness of the strategies such as planning to increase water transfer efficiency, agricultural water resources management, increased production and reduced costs, aligned agricultural activities with sustainable development, increased agricultural sector’s share in monitory and capital markets, and increased livelihood security of producers. Finally, determining standards for qualitative water productivity, participatory planning and developing educational programs and extension services were recommended to enhance the productivity of water resources; in addition, continuous monitoring and evaluation of development processes, investigating development barriers and considering effective solutions such as smart agriculture and multifunctional agriculture might lead to CDA in the development programs.