Advancing Sustainable Water Governance in Agriculture: Insights from a Delphi Study in Iran’s Lake Urmia Basin

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Latif Haji
Negin Fallah Haghighi
Department of Technology Development Studies (DTDS), Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
Challenges facing water, sustainable agriculture, and food security highlight the need for effective water governance. This study used the Delphi technique to identify practical steps for sustainable water governance in the agricultural basin of Lake Urmia. 17 experts from academic, organizational, and local backgrounds were purposefully selected through snowball sampling. Three Delphi rounds were conducted (17, 17, and 14 participants, respectively), with consensus defined as at least 70% agreement. The study uniquely applies Delphi to the hydro-social context of Lake Urmia basin, combining insights from diverse experts. Consensus was reached on 51 indicators across six components, emphasizing “Integrated and basin-based policy-making”, “Establishing and developing participatory structures”, “Institutional monitoring, transparency, and accountability”, “Innovative sustainability-oriented directions”, “Education, extension, and development of sustainable agricultural practices” and “Justice-centered, rule of law and legal strategies”. Limitations include the small sample size and the potential challenge of generalizing findings beyond the studied basin. These results provide a foundation for future water management decisions and public awareness initiatives.

Keywords

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 February 2026