Smart control of agricultural water wells in western Iran: Application of the Q-methodology

Smart meters have been promoted around the world as a way to support smart farming, sustainable water resource management, and increased crop productivity. Despite this promotion, farmers, particularly small-scale farmers, are not widely adopting smart meter installation. Therefore, this study employed Q-methodology to examine farmers’ perceptions from Islamabad-e-Gharb township (Kermanshah Province, Iran) toward smart meter installation on agricultural water wells. This research is a semiqualitative study, and for this reason, 21 participants were selected through a purposeful sampling method. Based on the results of Q-factor analysis, farmers’ perceptions toward the installation of the meter were categorized as three heuristic patterns including the utility of smart meter installation (variance = 34%, eigenvalue = 7.08), social and cultural inefficiency of installing smart meters (variance = 32%, eigenvalue = 6.74), and reducing income from agriculture (variance = 4.15%, eigenvalue = 19.76). Installing a smart meter (21: +4), and, indeed, pricing irrigation water are considered as management solutions for sustainable water resources management (2: +3). This number (21: +4) means, for example, people with this item (21) in the first group should pay attention to the water conservation implementation plans. Most farmers had the same opinion regarding the items such as the high cost of providing smart meters and the compulsory change from traditional to mechanized irrigation. Therefore, farmers have a common perception of the sustainable management of water resources and role of smart meters. Despite water scarcity, farmers feel they have no right to demand more water as it would mean less water for others, which would be against the principles of sustainable water management. Identifying these different perceptions can directly affect policy-making in the area of smart meter agricultural water wells. It could create policies for each one, thereby, increasing the impact of extension and reducing costs.