Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered Framework
This study uses an Integrated Agent-Centered (IAC) framework to investigate the socio-psychological drivers of Iranian farmers’ unsustainable groundwater management practices. Empirical land use change analysis of US Geological Survey Landsat satellite images of the Jaz-Murian wetland region for 199...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Environments |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/10/12/216 |
| _version_ | 1797381100674220032 |
|---|---|
| author | Omid M. Ghoochani Hamed Eskandari Damaneh Hadi Eskandari Damaneh Mansour Ghanian Matthew Cotton |
| author_facet | Omid M. Ghoochani Hamed Eskandari Damaneh Hadi Eskandari Damaneh Mansour Ghanian Matthew Cotton |
| author_sort | Omid M. Ghoochani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study uses an Integrated Agent-Centered (IAC) framework to investigate the socio-psychological drivers of Iranian farmers’ unsustainable groundwater management practices. Empirical land use change analysis of US Geological Survey Landsat satellite images of the Jaz-Murian wetland region for 1990, 2010, and 2022, is combined with community surveys conducted with randomly selected farmers in five townships within the region (n = 356). Visual analysis reveals dramatic increases in agricultural land coverage, diminished water bodies, and increased salt lands over the 32-year sampled period. We use survey data to explain the socio-psychological drivers of unsustainable groundwater use that lead to these adverse environmental changes. In the IAC survey analysis, we find that variables for “expectation” and “subjective culture” have a negative influence on pro-environmental “intention”. “Intention” and “habit” have a positive influence and “contextual factors” have a negative influence on the drivers of “unsustainable water use behavior”. We conclude that situational influences, habitual process, intentional process, and normative processes must be considered together to alleviate pressure on wetland ecosystems. Policy makers must provide effective agricultural extension training, deliberative dialogue amongst farmer networks, well-governed local water markets and financial support to shift farmer short-termist economic gain-thinking towards socially-supported pro-environmental habits over the longer term. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:47:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2bb7249a79124a6d86008d8ebed665fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3298 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:47:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environments |
| spelling | doaj.art-2bb7249a79124a6d86008d8ebed665fa2023-12-22T14:07:40ZengMDPI AGEnvironments2076-32982023-12-01101221610.3390/environments10120216Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered FrameworkOmid M. Ghoochani0Hamed Eskandari Damaneh1Hadi Eskandari Damaneh2Mansour Ghanian3Matthew Cotton4Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Khuzestan, Mollasani 6341773637, IranFaculty of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Daneshkadeh Avenue, Karaj 77871-31587, IranFaculty of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Daneshkadeh Avenue, Karaj 77871-31587, IranAgricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Khuzestan, Mollasani 6341773637, IranCentre for Social Innovation, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UKThis study uses an Integrated Agent-Centered (IAC) framework to investigate the socio-psychological drivers of Iranian farmers’ unsustainable groundwater management practices. Empirical land use change analysis of US Geological Survey Landsat satellite images of the Jaz-Murian wetland region for 1990, 2010, and 2022, is combined with community surveys conducted with randomly selected farmers in five townships within the region (n = 356). Visual analysis reveals dramatic increases in agricultural land coverage, diminished water bodies, and increased salt lands over the 32-year sampled period. We use survey data to explain the socio-psychological drivers of unsustainable groundwater use that lead to these adverse environmental changes. In the IAC survey analysis, we find that variables for “expectation” and “subjective culture” have a negative influence on pro-environmental “intention”. “Intention” and “habit” have a positive influence and “contextual factors” have a negative influence on the drivers of “unsustainable water use behavior”. We conclude that situational influences, habitual process, intentional process, and normative processes must be considered together to alleviate pressure on wetland ecosystems. Policy makers must provide effective agricultural extension training, deliberative dialogue amongst farmer networks, well-governed local water markets and financial support to shift farmer short-termist economic gain-thinking towards socially-supported pro-environmental habits over the longer term.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/10/12/216Integrated Agent-Centered frameworksustainable water behaviorsgroundwater extractionland-use change |
| spellingShingle | Omid M. Ghoochani Hamed Eskandari Damaneh Hadi Eskandari Damaneh Mansour Ghanian Matthew Cotton Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered Framework Environments Integrated Agent-Centered framework sustainable water behaviors groundwater extraction land-use change |
| title | Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered Framework |
| title_full | Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered Framework |
| title_fullStr | Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered Framework |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered Framework |
| title_short | Why Do Farmers Over-Extract Groundwater Resources? Assessing (Un)sustainable Behaviors Using an Integrated Agent-Centered Framework |
| title_sort | why do farmers over extract groundwater resources assessing un sustainable behaviors using an integrated agent centered framework |
| topic | Integrated Agent-Centered framework sustainable water behaviors groundwater extraction land-use change |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/10/12/216 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT omidmghoochani whydofarmersoverextractgroundwaterresourcesassessingunsustainablebehaviorsusinganintegratedagentcenteredframework AT hamedeskandaridamaneh whydofarmersoverextractgroundwaterresourcesassessingunsustainablebehaviorsusinganintegratedagentcenteredframework AT hadieskandaridamaneh whydofarmersoverextractgroundwaterresourcesassessingunsustainablebehaviorsusinganintegratedagentcenteredframework AT mansourghanian whydofarmersoverextractgroundwaterresourcesassessingunsustainablebehaviorsusinganintegratedagentcenteredframework AT matthewcotton whydofarmersoverextractgroundwaterresourcesassessingunsustainablebehaviorsusinganintegratedagentcenteredframework |