Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

THE ARTIFICIAL FEEDING OF QANâT: AN APPROACH TOWARD SATISFACTION AND THE REDUCTION OF VILLAGERS’ MIGRATION MOTIVATIONS (CASE STUDY: BAKHAZR COUNTY), IRAN

Lesani Mohammad Taghi1 and Jafari Hamid

Abstract

In Iran, the reduction of Qantas water supplies has encountered most villagers’ social and economic activities with challenges. Due to water shortage, they leave their home and village and migrate to large cities to work as workers or do other activities. In some villages of Bakhazr County, Khorasan-e Razavi Province, earthen dams have been constructed to feed qanâts and springs since 65 years ago. The main objective of this study is to see how these earth dams affect rural development including villagers’ satisfaction and the reduction of their migration motivation. Objective-wise, this study is an applied research. Yet, in nature and method, it is a descriptive-analytical research. This is carried out using document (library) research and filling out questionnaire (survey). Results show that feeding qanâts through constructing earth dam leads to villagers’ satisfaction and reduction of their migration motivations.