The Impact of Urmia Lake Restoration Measures on the Economic and Social Resilience of Local Communities: A case study of Aghdash Village, Miandoab County

A B S T R A C T
One of the fundamental ways to reduce the vulnerability of social systems is to enhance their resilience against disturbances and disruptions caused by ecological systems. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Urmia Lake restoration measures on the economic and social resilience of villagers in Aghdash village, located in Miandoab County, West Azerbaijan Province. A qualitative survey method was employed for data collection. To assess the attitudes of local communities, a researcher-designed questionnaire was administered to a sample of 62 individuals using the purposive snowball sampling technique. The findings revealed that, from the perspective of local communities, the efforts of the Urmia Lake Restoration Headquarters have positively influenced the social dimension by improving agricultural education and extension services, enhancing skills, promoting health and hygiene, and fostering greater cooperation among the residents of Aghdash village in support of Urmia Lake's restoration. In the economic dimension, the activities of the Urmia Lake Restoration Headquarters have effectively diversified agricultural crops among farmers and created job opportunities for the villagers of Aghdash. Based on the results of the factor analysis model, indicators such as migration, education and extension services, skill development, food security, women's employment, alternative income sources, and crop diversity were identified as suitable metrics for evaluating the resilience of local communities. To further support livelihood diversification, it is recommended to utilize a variety of educational and extension methods to enhance villagers' knowledge and skills in areas such as modifying cultivation patterns, water conservation techniques, adopting high-yield crops, and exploring alternative income-generating activities. In this context, the value chain of medicinal plants is proposed as a promising option for creating employment and providing alternative livelihoods in the region.
 
Extended Abstract
Introduction
 Iran, located within the drought belt, is highly vulnerable to losses and damages caused by drought risks. In recent years, one of the most significant natural hazards has been the drastic reduction in the water level of Lake Urmia. A key strategy to reduce vulnerability in social systems and enhance the stability of local communities in the face of environmental crises is to strengthen their resilience against disruptions and chaos in ecological systems. However, due to the lack of comprehensive evaluation and monitoring of the activities and measures implemented by the Lake Urmia Rehabilitation Headquarters across different regions, there have been varying reports and outcomes regarding the effectiveness of these efforts. Specifically, questions remain about the extent to which the actions taken by the Lake Urmia Restoration Headquarters have successfully reduced vulnerability and increased the resilience of local communities across various dimensions. In line with the need to evaluate and monitor Lake Urmia restoration activities, this research aims to assess the impact of these restoration efforts on the economic and social resilience of local communities.
           
Methodology
This research is of an applied nature, employing a descriptive, correlational, and analytical approach. A qualitative survey research method was utilized to conduct the study. Indicators for measuring the resilience of local communities were identified through exploratory interviews and a review of ethnographic references. The statistical population of the research consists of all heads of households residing in Aghdash village. Aghdash village is located in the Merhamtabad district of Miandoab city, in the West Azarbaijan province of Iran. A qualitative survey method was employed for data collection. A questionnaire was used to assess the attitudes of local communities, which was completed with a sample size of 62 individuals selected through the snowball sampling method.
 
 
 
Results and discussion
The findings revealed that, from the perspective of local communities, the efforts of the Urmia Lake Restoration Headquarters have positively influenced the social dimension by improving agricultural education and extension services, enhancing skills, promoting health and hygiene, and fostering greater cooperation among the residents of Aghdash village in support of Urmia Lake's restoration. In the economic dimension, the activities of the Urmia Lake Restoration Headquarters have been effective in diversifying agricultural crops among farmers and creating job opportunities for the villagers of Aghdash. In this regard, the indicators of crop diversity, job opportunities, entrepreneurship, employment, and alternative income sources had the highest average rankings with means of 10.50, 9.17, 8.93, and 8.70, respectively, compared to other indicators. Based on the results of the factor analysis model, indicators such as migration, education and extension services, skill development, food security, women's employment, alternative income sources, and crop diversity were identified as suitable metrics for evaluating the resilience of local communities. Although the efforts of the rehabilitation headquarters have improved several social indicators, the results indicate that social stability has not been significantly enhanced. According to field observations, the life satisfaction level among Aghdash village residents remains low, subsequently leading to increased migration to urban areas.  Drought is identified as one of the key factors contributing to the destruction of agricultural fields and the rise in migration from villages to cities. In this study, the prolonged drying of Lake Urmia is highlighted as a major cause of unemployment, increased poverty, migration, displacement of residents from villages and small towns in the surrounding region, and a rise in crime and social issues. On a positive note, the activities of the rehabilitation headquarters regarding entrepreneurship, employment indicators, and the promotion of alternative income sources have been evaluated favorably. However, in areas such as women's employment, food security, economic well-being, and tourism, the rehabilitation headquarters have been less effective, and further measures are still needed to address these economic challenges. It is suggested that long-term investments be made in line with the region's physical capacities to address these issues. Additionally, reforming the decision-making structure and providing banking facilities could strengthen the economic foundations of the villages, create diverse job opportunities, and generate alternative income sources for residents. Such measures would reduce the heavy reliance of villagers on agriculture and contribute to sustainable development.
 
Conclusion
In the context of adopting diversification strategies for livelihood resources, it is recommended that villagers enhance their knowledge and skills in areas such as modifying cultivation patterns, implementing water-saving techniques, utilizing high-yield products, and exploring alternative income-generating activities through various educational approaches. In this regard, the value chain of medicinal plants is proposed as a viable option for generating employment and providing alternative livelihoods in the region.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.