Explaining the Attitudes and Behavioral Intention of Farmers toward Water Users’ Cooperatives in South of Karkhe Nur River

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to explain the farmer’s attitudes and behavioral intention toward membership in water users’ cooperation in the South of Kharkhe Nur River in the Khuzestan province. This study used a mixed method. All farmers who their fields located in the South of Kharkhe Nur River (Area of construction, equipping and modernization of land of Dezh) considered as statistical population. In the qualitative sector, the researchers used depth observation in about 14 months in the research area and tried to have an accurate cognition about the area’s context. Then, according to the result of qualitative research and also literature review a researcher made questionnaire was designed, which its validity and reliability confirmed by expert’s panel and cronbach’s alpha coefficient respectively. The data described and analyzed using SPSS V20. The results revealed that the farmers have positive attitudes towards water users’ cooperation and there was potential for establishing of the cooperation in the region. Also the results revealed that there was a positive association between attitude and behavioral intention of the farmers towards membership in the water users’ cooperatives.

Keywords

• attitude
• behavioral intention
• water users’ cooperation
• development unit of dezh