Volume 1, Issue 1 (1-2026)
Economy and Food Security 2026, 1(1): 91-100 |
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Hosseini S, Sharapour M, Rahmani Firuzjaee A. (2026). The Role of Social Capital on the Attitudes of Agricultural Water Consumers (Case Study: Sari City). Economy and Food Security. 1(1), 91-100. doi:10.61882/efs.2025.44
URL: http://efs.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-44-en.html
URL: http://efs.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-44-en.html
1- Green Effective Higher Education Institute, Mazandaran, Amol, Iran
2- Department of Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
3- Department of Sociology, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran
2- Department of Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
3- Department of Sociology, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran
Abstract: (17 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: Today, the issue of water supply is recognized as one of the most fundamental and strategic challenges facing human societies. Rapid population growth, urban expansion, the development of industrial and mining activities, and increasing demand for agricultural production have led to a significant rise in water consumption across various sectors, including household, industrial, mining, and agricultural uses. This increasing consumption, coupled with the limitations of renewable water resources and their uneven distribution, places additional pressure on water supplies, and any disruption or challenge in the water supply domain can result in widespread consequences and irreparable damage to economic, social, and environmental sectors. In this context, water scarcity is considered one of the three main global crises, alongside food and energy crises, and its persistence can threaten food security, ecosystem sustainability, and even the socioeconomic stability of countries. Therefore, sustainable water resource management is not limited to technical and engineering solutions but requires serious attention to human, social, and institutional dimensions. Global experiences have shown that ignoring social factors in planning and managing water resources significantly reduces the effectiveness of policies and implementation programs. Among these factors, the role of social phenomena and variables is particularly important in addressing water scarcity and other environmental issues. One of the most significant of these variables is social capital, which, through the enhancement of mutual trust, collective participation, social networks, and norms of cooperation, can facilitate optimal water consumption management and increase public responsibility in the protection of water resources. By enabling collective action and improving interactions among stakeholders, social capital plays a key role in the success of policies and programs for water resource management.
Methods: In this study, the role of social capital as one of the most important social variables influencing water crisis management and environmental issue mitigation was examined in relation to the attitudes and behaviors of water consumers in the agricultural sector. The primary focus of the research was on farmers in Sari County, with the aim of analyzing the various dimensions of social capital and assessing its impact on water consumption patterns and the level of responsibility among water resource users. Given the significant share of the agricultural sector in water consumption, investigating the social factors that influence the behavior of consumers in this sector is of particular importance. From a methodological perspective, this research was descriptive and employed a survey-based approach. The study population consisted of all farmers in Sari County, which, according to official statistics obtained from the County’s Agriculture Jihad Organization, totaled 45,128 individuals working across 81,138 hectares of agricultural land. To obtain a representative sample of the population, the sample size was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table, resulting in a sample of 381 participants. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire, which, after undergoing the necessary validation processes, was confirmed for content and construct validity as well as reliability. The results indicated that the questionnaire was a trustworthy and accurate tool for the study. Finally, a multivariate regression model was employed to analyze the collected data and examine the impact of social capital components on the attitudes and behaviors of agricultural water consumers, allowing the relationships among variables to be explained in a precise and scientific manner.
Results: The findings of this study indicated that social capital had a significant impact on water conservation behavior among agricultural water consumers. In other words, increasing the level of social capital among farmers could lead to improved behavioral patterns in terms of optimal water use and the protection of water resources. The results demonstrate that various components of social capital, including social trust, collective participation, social networks, and norms of cooperation, play a decisive role in shaping farmers’ attitudes and protective behaviors toward water resources. Furthermore, statistical analyses revealed that the dimensions of social capital had a significant effect on both the behavioral intention and actual behavior of consumers regarding agricultural water conservation in Sari County. This indicates that social capital not only influences farmers’ willingness and intention to conserve water but also directly affects their practical behavior in water usage. Results from the multivariate regression model showed that the independent variables of the study collectively explained 24 percent of the variance in water conservation intention and 34 percent of the variance in actual water conservation behavior, indicating an acceptable explanatory power of the research model. Overall, the findings underscore that strengthening social capital can serve as an effective strategy in policymaking and water resource management programs, particularly in the agricultural sector, and can play a crucial role in promoting conservation behaviors and achieving the sustainability of water resources.
Conclusion: Social capital, as an influential social variable, plays a crucial role in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of water consumers in the agricultural sector. The findings of this study indicate that various dimensions of social capital, including trust, collective participation, and a spirit of cooperation, have a significant impact on both the intention and actual behavior of farmers regarding water conservation. These dimensions were able to explain a substantial portion of the variance in these variables. Therefore, enhancing social capital can serve as an effective strategy for sustainable water resource management and the improvement of conservation behaviors among farmers, playing a key role in mitigating the water crisis and protecting the environment.
Background: Today, the issue of water supply is recognized as one of the most fundamental and strategic challenges facing human societies. Rapid population growth, urban expansion, the development of industrial and mining activities, and increasing demand for agricultural production have led to a significant rise in water consumption across various sectors, including household, industrial, mining, and agricultural uses. This increasing consumption, coupled with the limitations of renewable water resources and their uneven distribution, places additional pressure on water supplies, and any disruption or challenge in the water supply domain can result in widespread consequences and irreparable damage to economic, social, and environmental sectors. In this context, water scarcity is considered one of the three main global crises, alongside food and energy crises, and its persistence can threaten food security, ecosystem sustainability, and even the socioeconomic stability of countries. Therefore, sustainable water resource management is not limited to technical and engineering solutions but requires serious attention to human, social, and institutional dimensions. Global experiences have shown that ignoring social factors in planning and managing water resources significantly reduces the effectiveness of policies and implementation programs. Among these factors, the role of social phenomena and variables is particularly important in addressing water scarcity and other environmental issues. One of the most significant of these variables is social capital, which, through the enhancement of mutual trust, collective participation, social networks, and norms of cooperation, can facilitate optimal water consumption management and increase public responsibility in the protection of water resources. By enabling collective action and improving interactions among stakeholders, social capital plays a key role in the success of policies and programs for water resource management.
Methods: In this study, the role of social capital as one of the most important social variables influencing water crisis management and environmental issue mitigation was examined in relation to the attitudes and behaviors of water consumers in the agricultural sector. The primary focus of the research was on farmers in Sari County, with the aim of analyzing the various dimensions of social capital and assessing its impact on water consumption patterns and the level of responsibility among water resource users. Given the significant share of the agricultural sector in water consumption, investigating the social factors that influence the behavior of consumers in this sector is of particular importance. From a methodological perspective, this research was descriptive and employed a survey-based approach. The study population consisted of all farmers in Sari County, which, according to official statistics obtained from the County’s Agriculture Jihad Organization, totaled 45,128 individuals working across 81,138 hectares of agricultural land. To obtain a representative sample of the population, the sample size was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table, resulting in a sample of 381 participants. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire, which, after undergoing the necessary validation processes, was confirmed for content and construct validity as well as reliability. The results indicated that the questionnaire was a trustworthy and accurate tool for the study. Finally, a multivariate regression model was employed to analyze the collected data and examine the impact of social capital components on the attitudes and behaviors of agricultural water consumers, allowing the relationships among variables to be explained in a precise and scientific manner.
Results: The findings of this study indicated that social capital had a significant impact on water conservation behavior among agricultural water consumers. In other words, increasing the level of social capital among farmers could lead to improved behavioral patterns in terms of optimal water use and the protection of water resources. The results demonstrate that various components of social capital, including social trust, collective participation, social networks, and norms of cooperation, play a decisive role in shaping farmers’ attitudes and protective behaviors toward water resources. Furthermore, statistical analyses revealed that the dimensions of social capital had a significant effect on both the behavioral intention and actual behavior of consumers regarding agricultural water conservation in Sari County. This indicates that social capital not only influences farmers’ willingness and intention to conserve water but also directly affects their practical behavior in water usage. Results from the multivariate regression model showed that the independent variables of the study collectively explained 24 percent of the variance in water conservation intention and 34 percent of the variance in actual water conservation behavior, indicating an acceptable explanatory power of the research model. Overall, the findings underscore that strengthening social capital can serve as an effective strategy in policymaking and water resource management programs, particularly in the agricultural sector, and can play a crucial role in promoting conservation behaviors and achieving the sustainability of water resources.
Conclusion: Social capital, as an influential social variable, plays a crucial role in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of water consumers in the agricultural sector. The findings of this study indicate that various dimensions of social capital, including trust, collective participation, and a spirit of cooperation, have a significant impact on both the intention and actual behavior of farmers regarding water conservation. These dimensions were able to explain a substantial portion of the variance in these variables. Therefore, enhancing social capital can serve as an effective strategy for sustainable water resource management and the improvement of conservation behaviors among farmers, playing a key role in mitigating the water crisis and protecting the environment.
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