The economic-social effects of Menarid international project on the environmental index of desertification (case study of Hamoun Shahr, Sistan)

Pasture and Watershed Management Group

Dissertation for Master's Degree in Desertification

Abstract

Menarid International Project is the first multi-land project that seeks to establish partnership and organizational cohesion at the three levels of people, governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations for the purpose of sustainable land management with an emphasis on sustainable management of natural resources. is running in the region. Considering the necessity of accurate knowledge of the efficiency and compatibility of the project with the regional conditions, the evaluation of the project's performance and its environmental effects, and the attitude of the residents of the region regarding the effects of this project, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the economic-social effects of the Menarid International Project on the environmental index of desertification, from the perspective of the residents of the pilot villages in the Hamunshahr site of Sistan. Four pilot villages in the project were selected as a statistical sample, and the sample size was selected using the Best survey software formula, 147 (and for more accuracy, 150) households by simple random sampling. The information obtained was analyzed through SPSS statistical software. The results of the environmental effects of the project were positive and significant through T mean difference tests and Anova at the 5% test level, for all parameters except the housing condition. The effect of the project implementation was significant through a significant chi-square test at a confidence level of 99% for the livelihood and income index under the economic variable at a low level and the employment and investment indicators at a medium level, the health and welfare index under the social variable at a high level, literacy and education, migration and participation at a medium level. Also, the desertification index under the environmental variable was found to be moderately significant.  The socio-economic effects of the project on the desertification index of the region were tested using the Pearson correlation test method and the results of the correlation matrix for the indicators of employment, investment, livelihood and income, literacy and education and participation showed a positive and significant relationship at the 1% test level, a positive and significant relationship for the health and welfare index at the 5% test level, and an inverse and significant relationship for the migration index at the 1% test level. The results of the multiple regression show that the indicators of investment, literacy and education, and livelihood and income have had the greatest impact on the dependent variable i.e. desertification in the region. The results of this research make it clear the effectiveness of economic and social factors on the participation of residents and the success of environmental projects, therefore, it is absolutely necessary to study and pay attention to the economic and social issues of residents in order to restore and develop the natural resources of the region.

Key words: sustainable development, Menarid, dealing with the desert (desertification), public participation, Hamunshahr.

Chapter 1

Introduction and Generalities

1-1- Introduction

In relation to the social and economic issues of desertification, we must accept the fact that the current issues and problems of desertification and desertification in Iran are not only technical and technical problems, but also structural, social and possibly political issues. In the vast area of ??the desert, there is the most connection with rural communities, therefore, understanding the social and economic structure of the rural community is considered one of the achievements of studies and projects. The situation of rural communities in social and economic fields has its own characteristics. The relationship of this community with its surrounding environment over time has led to the emergence of special relations and customs at the village level, which are different depending on the environmental conditions in different areas, therefore, in any program that is related to a rural community, it is necessary to know the social, economic and cultural structure of the village and its performance, and without paying attention to it, any plan will not only not be successful, but will also cause disharmony and disturb the traditional social and economic structure of the village. The desertification activities of the last few decades are somewhat indicative of this fact, because in most of the plans that have been implemented so far, less attention has been paid to the social and economic status of the people, so that the people have been in conflict with the natural resources. In this context, the vacuum caused by cultural weakness, especially the culture of natural resources, must be filled in some way. In addition, legal measures against those who encroach on natural resources should be implemented with determination for every segment of the society.

According to experts, from the point of view of environmental conditions, the world today is facing four serious and major problems, including the increase in air pollution, water pollution, destruction of the ozone layer, and land destruction or desertification. Among the above four problems, the problem of desertification is more important, because on the one hand, our country is exposed to this phenomenon due to special climatic conditions and geographical location, and on the other hand, this problem is a common pain of third world countries (Sultanieh, 2013). Desertification is the concept of land destruction or reduction of biological power in dry, semi-arid and dry and semi-humid areas under the influence of two categories of natural and human factors (Abdinjad 2016). Logo (2000) also introduced desertification as the poverty of the ecosystem in dry, semi-arid and semi-humid areas and considers this poverty to be the result of indiscriminate human activities and drought. This phenomenon is actively developing and has had a serious impact on the life of many people, especially the villagers. This situation is due to various reasons, including the lack of proper exploitation of natural resources in arid and semi-arid regions, increasing population, implementation issues, lack of understanding of the culture of natural resources, and so on. has emerged For many years, the relevant institutions have been trying to solve this problem, but unfortunately, they have been less successful. In this context, if people's participation in the revitalization of the land is not paid attention to, spending the allocated budgets will certainly not be very successful. The results of various studies show that the government will not be able to control the growth of the desert unless proper investment is placed on the participation of villagers in the field of desertification at the top of plans and activities. It is obvious that attracting this participation is not an easy task and it should be researched from different angles and the effective factors in attracting participation in this field should be investigated, because identifying these factors precedes the implementation of any kind of work to control the desert. Today, all efforts towards human development are aimed at reducing threats and increasing opportunities. In developed countries, the formation of NGOs [1] (Non-Governmental Organizations) is one of the obligations and in every work and project, the contribution of government organizations, people and NGOs should be clear. As a result, it is possible to participate in the preservation of natural resources, but it is a complex and comprehensive participation that cannot be taken lightly. The collective structure, the past and present conditions of the people and the psychological layers must be taken into account and the considered model must be flexible and conform to the current conditions, not one-sided and not designed without knowledge of the research environment, and the pathology of each of the sides of the triangle (government, people and NGOs) must be well established (Report 1 of Yaran Mehr Development, 2013). It is a scientific resource. Information sources regarding the nature, extent and severity of natural resource destruction in different regions of the country are limited and the tendency is to focus on the visible signs of land destruction rather than addressing its main causes. Collecting and harmonizing information from different sources and departments is a big limitation due to the complexity and scope of the content. In addition, the integration of economic-social and environmental issues makes it difficult to deal with sustainable development. In relation to the sustainable management of natural resources in Iran and combating desertification, initiatives and measures have been taken, but these initiatives are mainly at the local level and the documentation of work processes and teachings has not been done or has been very weak. As a result, access to information and successful experiences that could be exploited for new projects and initiatives is not easily accessible. On the other hand, the lack of integrity and comprehensiveness of the conventional development models causes a crisis in the stability of the land, threat and destruction of natural resources, injustice and instability in economic productivity, environmental problems, health challenges, erosion, biological death, water crisis, nitrate crisis, increase of greenhouse gases and disruption of ecological balances in the land. For this reason, instead of emphasizing the transfer of services, physical and hardware measures and the transfer of newer technologies, the promotion of skills in the implementation of participatory management based on the information cycle plays a major role in new strategies for achieving sustainable development, which is realized with the aim of empowering and consciously involving local communities, especially in the rural sector and small farmers, within the framework of research and development operations.

Paying attention to the three major social capitals 1, physical 2 and human 3 is very effective in local planning.