Investigating the effects of climate change, drought, and agricultural sector policies on the trend of the water poverty index in Iran

Abstract

Since climate change, intermittent droughts with various severities, poor management and uncontrolled abstraction of water resources, and inattention to the balance of these resources have caused the water crisis in recent decades, it is vitally important to study the water scarcity, its changes in the future, and the effect of climate change and drought on the scarcity through appropriate management policies in the agricultural sector. To achieve this goal, the present study selected the Fasa plain in Iran and calculated its water poverty index (WPI) from 2008 to 2018 using parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. Also, the study calculated the correlation coefficient between the WPI and climate change and drought in the study area. It then evaluated the effects of water resources management policies in the agricultural sector on the poverty index. The results showed that water consumption had the greatest weight in calculating the WPI. The WPI has fluctuated between 0.297 and 0.678 in the Fasa plain, and the worst situation of water poverty was experienced in 2014. Despite its insignificance, the downward trend in the WPI showed that water resources management has become more unfavorable over time. Finally, it was concluded that the WPI in the Fasa plain was more dependent on drought than on climate change in the short term. Therefore, managing water resource consumption in this plain is vitally important, especially in drought conditions. The results also showed that reducing water consumption in the agricultural sector can significantly improve the WPI. Therefore, solving the water crisis in this plain, given the drought conditions and its future trend, requires policies improving water-use efficiency in the agricultural sector.

Developing and Analyzing the Agricultural Water Poverty Index in West Iran

“…The score of this component is low among different counties which indicates the fact that in different counties of the province there are no appropriate social and institutional infrastructures for the efficient use of available water resources. This is consistent with the findings by Forouzani, Karami, Zibaei and Zamani [39], Yazdi, et al [53], and Forouzani, Karami, Zamani and Moghaddam [32]. In the Capacity component, the greatest effect is made by the "Real Capital" indicator.…”

“…The results of the calculation of the sub-component of the "Human and Social Capital" also indicate that Bahar with a score of 76. 53 and Hamedan with a score of 57.93 had good social and human capital for optimal water resources man-agement. The Environment component is the fifth and last component of the AWPI.…”

Research on urban water security based on water poverty theory: a case study of lower yellow river cities

“…The state of the water infrastructure and the city's water supply capacity are represented by the access subsystem. Based on monetary, educational, and health considerations, the capacity subsystem represents city dwellers' capability to manage water resources (Yazdi et al 2022). Urban governance and social development depend on the general health of the city's economy (Xiao et al 2022).…”

Implementing Agricultural Policies: Driving Sustainable Growth in the Farming Sector in Indonesia

“…To address these challenges and promote sustainable growth, the implementation of effective agricultural policies becomes crucial. Agricultural policies encompass a range of interventions, including regulations, incentives, subsidies, and support programs, aimed at improving productivity, enhancing competitiveness, and fostering sustainable practices within the farming sector (Malekian et al, 2017;Noorollahi et al, 2021;Ridha et al, 2017;Yazdi et al, 2022). By implementing such policies, countries can create an enabling environment for agricultural development and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.…”