Modeling the Stakeholder Profile in Territorial Management: The Segarra-Garrigues Irrigation System, Spain

Abstract

Interest in obtaining a more accurate snapshot of irrigation management from a geographical perspective is increasingly relevant. This proposal is based on existing qualitative approaches in combination with an alternative method (the territorial irrigation management model) to identify and present key stakeholders attitudes and perceptions in the Segarra-Garrigues irrigation system in Spain. Advantages are (1) the focus on interrelations and context, (2) the applicability and extrapolation of the irrigation system, and (3) the irrigator-driven rather than researcher-driven perspective. Results revealed that there are conceptual and practical heterogeneities between the preferences of stakeholders' groups regarding water resources management, environmental protection, and agricultural challenges.

从地理视角取得更精确的灌溉管理概貌之兴趣已越来越关係重大。此一提案是根据既有的质性方法, 并结合另类的方法(领域灌溉治理模型), 指认并呈现西班牙赛加拉—加里格斯 (Segarra-Garrigues) 灌溉系统中, 主要利害关係人的态度与认知。此一方法的优势在于 (1) 聚焦相互关係与脉络, (2) 灌溉系统的适用性和推断, 以及 (3) 由灌溉者而非研究者所驱动的视角。研究结果揭露, 利害关係团体在有关水资源管理、环境保护和农业挑战的偏好之间, 存在着概念与实践的异质性。

El interés por obtener una imagen más exacta del manejo del riego desde una perspectiva geográfica es cada vez más relevante. Esta propuesta se basa en los enfoques cualitativos disponibles en combinación con un método alternativo (el modelo del manejo territorial del riego) para identificar y presentar las actitudes y percepciones claves de los interesados en el sistema de riego Segarra-Garrigues, en España. Las ventajas son (1) el foco sobre las interrelaciones y el contexto, (2) la aplicabilidad y extrapolación del sistema de riego, y (3) la perspectiva centrada más en el irrigador que en el investigador. Los resultados mostraron que hay heterogeneidades conceptuales y prácticas entre las preferencias de los grupos de interesados en lo que concierne al manejo de los recursos del agua, la protección ambiental y los retos agrícolas.

Key Words:

• governance model approach
• irrigation
• Segarra-Garrigues irrigation system
• stakeholder analysis approach
• territorial management

关键词:

• 治理模型方法
• 灌溉
• 赛加拉—加里格斯灌溉系统
• 利害关係人的分析方法
• 领域管理。

Palabras clave:

• enfoque del modelo de gobernanza
• riego
• sistema de riego Segarra-Garrigues
• enfoque del análisis de interesados
• administración territorial

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to all of the stakeholders for openly sharing all their knowledge and information.

Funding

The study was funded by the Universitat de Girona (Grant Code BE UdG 2011).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sandra Ricart

SANDRA RICART is a Collaborator Researcher in the Environment and Geographic Information Technologies research group, Department of Geography, at the Universitat de Girona, Spain 17071. E-mail: [email protected]. Her research interests include the multifunctionality of rural areas and water systems, the territorial management of irrigation from key stakeholders' attitudes, and modeling competing water uses from decision-making processes.

Anna Ribas

ANNA RIBAS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the Universitat de Girona, Spain 17071. E-mail: [email protected]. Her research interests include the analysis of socioterritorial dimensions of water and water management in the Mediterranean area.

David Pavón

DAVID PAVÓN is Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the Universitat de Girona, Spain 17071. E-mail: [email protected]. His research focus includes socioterritorial dimensions of water and its management as fluvial heritage, the historical geography of fluvial areas, and the role of large-scale hydraulic projects from time and spatial perspectives.