Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Tahmine Dehghani ¹
• Fatemeh Khayat ²
• Bijan Nazari ³
• Abdolmajid Liaghat ⁴

¹ Ph.D. Graduate, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.Karaj, Iran.

² Ph.D. Student, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, IranKaraj, Iran.

³ Associate Professor, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

⁴ Corresponding Author, Professor, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Extended Abstract
Introduction
       Given Iran’s location in an arid and semi-arid region and a decline of 211 ± 34 billion cubic meters in total water storage between 2003 and 2019, reforming agricultural water management and distribution practices has become essential. In this context, volumetric agricultural water delivery can contribute to more accurate water accounting, improved transparency, and more efficient water management. This study aimed to assess the policy, technical, social, and implementation dimensions of volumetric agricultural water delivery in Iran and to identify the major barriers, prerequisites, innovations, and success factors from the perspectives of 69 experts and stakeholders, including researchers (30.4%), consultants (18.8%), Ministry of Energy specialists (18.8%), Ministry of Agriculture Jihad specialists (17.4%), and farmers or water users’ association representatives (14.5%), selected through purposive snowball sampling.
Methodology
       Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire consisting of 16 items covering four dimensions—policy, technical, social, and implementation—and six priority-oriented questions. The questionnaire items were measured using a five-point Likert scale. The collected data were analyzed using the Friedman test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and Chi-square test. A significance level of 0.05 was considered for statistical inference.
Main Findings
       The findings revealed that the most frequently identified challenge facing volumetric agricultural water delivery in Iran is management and institutional weakness, rather than a lack of technical equipment. The highest mean score was related to water users' association participation (4.43), while the lowest was related to coordination among responsible organizations (1.95). Increasing water productivity (38%) was identified as the primary objective, management weakness (58 %) as the most important barrier, water users' association participation (29%) as the most critical prerequisite, a national smart water monitoring system (48%) as the most frequently selected proposed innovation, and monitoring and effective enforcement of laws (23%) as the most important success factor. Additionally, 84% of respondents assessed the future of volumetric agricultural water delivery as unchanged, concerning, or very concerning.
Conclusion
       Respondents’ assessments indicate that the main challenge of volumetric agricultural water delivery in Iran is institutional and managerial weakness, not merely technical limitations. Success requires a holistic governance approach that simultaneously strengthens inter-organizational coordination, empowers water users' associations, develops smart monitoring systems, and ensures legal enforcement. The unchanged-to-very-concerning outlook reported by approximately 84% of respondents indicates that without fundamental institutional reforms and implementation improvements, the sustainable implementation of volumetric agricultural water delivery—and its goals of enhanced productivity and equitable water distribution—will face serious obstacles. A gradual, participatory, and evidence-based implementation strategy is therefore recommended.
 Conflict of Interest
       The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Funding
       This research was conducted without receiving financial support from any specific organization or institution.
Data Availability
       All relevant information and results are presented in the article.
Author Contribution

D. : Study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, and initial drafting of the manuscript. F. Kh. : Contribution to study design, methodological review, and scientific editing of the manuscript. B. N. : Contribution to study design and research supervision, interpretation of findings, and scientific review of the manuscript. A. L. : Scientific supervision of the research, contribution to study design, interpretation of results, and final review of the manuscript.

Acknowledgement
The Institute of Environmental Water and Soil Research at the University of Tehran sincerely thanks all research participants for their valuable cooperation and for providing their views, which greatly contributed to the completion of this study.

Keywords

• Irrigation Networks
• Irrigation Water Management
• Participatory Management
• Stakeholder Viewpoint
• Water Governance

Main Subjects

• Irrigation network management