Introducing Appropriate Approaches and Strategies to Attract Participation of Villagers in Implementing Natural Resource Projects using AHP and SWOT (Case study: Kharv Olya and Sofla Villages in Tabas)

Abstract

In recent years, Iranian rural community has faced many challenges, including water scarcity, unemployment and migration. Successful implementation of natural resource projects can solve a lot of problems for villagers. In the other hand, successful implementation of natural resource projects in various levels such as operation and maintenance requires local participation. The factors affecting on maximum participation must be identified and should be considered in planning. This research was conducted to identify approaches and strategies for attracting public participation in implementation of natural resource projects using Analytical Hierarchical Processing (AHP) and SWOT. Criteria, approaches, strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats were determined by Delphi method. Data were collected using a questionnaire as a main research tool. The results of the questionnaire analysis showed which the socioeconomic criteria with a final weight of 0.648 has the most impact among the three criteria (Education and awareness, individual and socio-economical). The participation in the project operation with a final weight of 0.25 is the most important and most effective type of people participation among the different types of participation. Based on SWOT model the best participatory strategy in the research area is utilizing opportunities using strengths (Employment generation projects for residents and development of irrigated fields with 0.82 and 0.78 weights, respectively). Accordingly the optimal management strategy in relation to participation is an aggressive strategy (utilizing opportunities using strengths).

Keywords

• natural resources projects
• participation
• analytical hierarchical processing
• swot
• kharv olia & sofla