Key factors affecting people's willingness to participate in water resource protection in the agricultural Ba River Basin – in the highlands of Vietnam

ABSTRACT Willingness to participate (WP) in community-based management depends on various factors such as a sense of community, perceptions, beliefs, and demographic characteristics. This study first evaluates the WP of locals (n = 100) in water management in the Ba River Basin – Highlands of Vietnam, where ethnic minority groups are living and working in the agricultural sector. The multivariable linear regression model is applied to explain WP through the factors including the sense of community (SC), dependance on river water (DW), perceptions of current water resource management (PW), level of income (IN), gender (GE), education levels (ED), and place of residence (PR). The results showed that the final regression model explains 67.9% of the variation in WP levels (R2 = 0.679, p < 0.001). The variables SC and PW had a significant level of p < 0.001, while the figures for DW and IN were 0.018 and 0.012 (p < 0.05), respectively, and the p-value of PR was 0.008 (p < 0.01). However, gender and education levels were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) in this model. Sense of community and perceptions greatly influence community participation. To boost willingness, periodic training and campaigns are needed. Additionally, improving legal frameworks can encourage greater community involvement in water management programs.