Vulnerability Analysis of Farmers in the Roodasht Region, Iran

Over the past years, climate change and water resources depletion have resulted in extreme water shortage and ongoing desertification in Roodasht, a region in Central Iran highly dependent on agriculture and harbouring a fragile ecosystem. Consequently, tensions between different water users have increased. In order to develop and implement feasible approaches for sustainable land use that help stakeholders in preventing or reversing land degradation and using water resources efficiently, a vulnerability assessment was necessary. Using Fussel’s vulnerability approach, 16 factors for assessing the vulnerability of farmers to water scarcity in Roodasht have been classified. The main aspects of their vulnerability are (1) their exposure to poor and uncertain water availability, (2) low agricultural production with low efficiency in water use and land management and little diversification of products, (3) high risk of farmer pauperization with limited investment capacities and a risk of abandoning agriculture followed by migration, (4) inhibited regional entrepreneurship restricting development of local employment options and markets, and (5) poor efforts on environmental conservation in the region. As a result, there is a high risk of further desertification and social conflicts. Access to economic resources, promotion of collaborative networks, access to knowledge and information, and access to infrastructure and technology could be drivers of an adjusted land use policy in the region.