scholarly journals The Policy of Irrigation Water Pricing in Pakistan: Aims, Assessment and Needed Redirections

1993 ◽  
Vol 32 (4II) ◽  
pp. 809-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ghaffar Chaudhry ◽  
Syed Abdul Majid ◽  
Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry
Keyword(s):  
Income Distribution ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Water Pricing ◽  
Cost Recovery ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Water Charges ◽  
Use Efficiency

Pakistan operates the world's largest well-articulated irrigation system. Individual farms receive water from the gravity flow of a massive network of canals, distributaries and watercourses fed by the Indus River and its tributaries. In recent years public tubewells have become an additional, though somewhat limited, source of irrigation water. The canal system, which has been in operation for more than 100 years, is believed to have become too obsolete to cater for the needs of modern agriculture and is, therefore, in desperate need for rehabilitation. But resource-poor Pakistan cannot undertake the rehabilitation work on its own, and must depend on foreign loans or at least ensure full recovery of annual operation and maintenance (0 and M) expenditures [Chaudhry (1985); Duane (1975) and Hotes (1984)]. Apart from generating investment funds, the cost recovery, with higher water charges, would also lead to greater water-use efficiency and an equitable income distribution at the farm level [Chaudhry (1985) and Hotes (1984»). Can this all be accomplished by simply raising water charges? In this paper, we have attempted to answer this question. To answer the question systematically, we have divided the paper in five sections. The current state of Pakistan's irrigation system, water charges and cost recovery is discussed in Section 2. Section 3 deals with possible impact of rising water charges on cost recovery, investments, efficiency of water use and income distribution under the current system of water pricing. Section 4 presents policy alternatives that would ensure an effective cost recoyery, greater water-use efficiency and a more equitable distribution of farm income. Section 5 presents the summary and conclusions of the paper.

scholarly journals Strategies for Improved Water Use Efficiency (WUE) of Field-Grown Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under a Semi-Arid Climate

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Michelon ◽  
Giuseppina Pennisi ◽  
Nang Ohn Myint ◽  
Francesco Orsini ◽  
Giorgio Gianquinto
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Lactuca Sativa ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Arid Climate ◽  
Lactuca Sativa L ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Irrigation Levels ◽  
Semi Arid

Water use efficiency is a main research target in agriculture, which consumes 70% of global freshwater. This study aimed at identifying sustainable water management strategies for the lettuce crop in a semi-arid climate. Three independent experiments were carried out on a commercial variety of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by applying different irrigation levels based on crop evapotranspiration (ETc), estimated through both the Hargreaves–Samani and Penman–Monteith equations. In the first experiment, one treatment was also guided by soil moisture sensors. In the second and third experiments, a factorial combination was used, combining the different irrigation levels with two soil mulching treatments, namely soil without mulch, and soil mulched with dried rice straw residues. The application of different irrigation levels significantly affected plant growth, yield, and physiology. Both the adoption of sensors for guiding irrigation and the application of mulching with straw promoted higher yield. As the irrigation water level was reduced, the WUE (water use efficiency) increased. WUE was also increased by covering the soil with mulch. The experiments point out that accurate management of irrigation water using a drip irrigation system associated with soil mulching increases yield and improves the WUE of lettuce crops in the Central Dry Zone, Myanmar.

A survey of water use efficiency on irrigated dairy farms in northern Victoria

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Linehan ◽  
D. P. Armstrong ◽  
P. T. Doyle ◽  
F. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Survey Period ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Water Right ◽  
Use Efficiency

Water use efficiency (WUE) in irrigated dairy systems has been defined, in this paper, as the amount of milk (kg milk fat plus protein) produced from pasture per megalitre of water (irrigation plus effective rainfall). A�farm survey was conducted for the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons in the Goulburn Irrigation System (GIS) and Murray Irrigation System (MIS) when the irrigation water allocated to irrigators in the GIS was low (100–120% of water right compared with the MIS which was 130 and 200% of water right). These data were analysed in conjunction with information collected on the same farms in the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons when the irrigation water allocated to irrigators in both systems was above 150% of water right (Armstrong et al. 1998, 2000). The aim of the survey was to determine if the management decisions made by dairy farmers in seasons of low irrigation water allocations had an impact on WUE.Milk production averaged across the 2 irrigation systems increased significantly over the 5-year period (57 540–75 040 kg milk fat + protein per farm). Over the same period the amount of irrigation water applied (GIS�7.6 ML/ha, MIS 9.2 ML/ha) and the milking area (GIS 72 ha, MIS 73 ha) remained constant. The amount of concentrates fed per cow (GIS 650–1100 kg DM, MIS 480–860 kg DM) and per farm (GIS 119–228 t DM, MIS�72–157 t DM) increased, but pasture consumption (GIS 8.9–9.5 t DM/ha, MIS 9.1–9.7 t DM/ha) did not increase significantly over the survey period. Therefore, the increase in milk production appeared to come primarily from an increase in supplementary feeding rather than an increase in pasture consumption, resulting in no significant change in WUE in either system (GIS 66 kg milk fat + protein/ML, MIS 61 kg milk fat + protein/ML).The survey results indicate that despite varying water allocations in the 2 major irrigation systems in northern Victoria, milk production on farms in both systems increased while changes in WUE could not be detected by the methods used. This suggests tactical options to increase WUE in response to short-term changes in water allocation were either difficult to implement or not a priority in a business sense.

scholarly journals Water Retention Techniques under Crop’s Root Zone a Tool to Enhance Water Use Efficiency and Economic Water Productivity for Zucchini

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 44-52
Author(s):  
Ali Hassan Hommadi ◽  
Sabah Anwer Almasraf
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Trickle Irrigation ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
T1 And T2 ◽  
Membrane Sheet

 A new technique in cultivation by installing membrane sheet below the crop’s root zone was helped to save irrigation water in the root zone, less farm losses, increasing the field water use efficiency and water productivity. In this paper, the membrane sheet was installed below the root zone of zucchini during the summer growing season 2017 in open field.  This research was carried out in a private field in Babil governorate at Sadat Al Hindiya Township reached 72 km from Baghdad. Surface trickle irrigation system was used for irrigation process. Two treatment plots were used, treatment plot T1 using membrane sheet and treatment plot T2 without using the membrane sheet. The applied irrigation water, time of irrigation, soil moisture contents before irrigation were calculated and recorded daily for the two treatments plots. Values of crop yield, Field water use Efficiency and economic water productivity were discussed and compared between the plots. The obtained results indicate that field water use efficiency for the two plots, T1 and T2 were: 6.04 and 4.64 kg/m3, respectively.  The increasing value in field water use efficiency (FWUE) of plot T1 comparing with plot T2 was 30.2 %. Additionally, the value of economic water productivity of zucchini crop for plots T1 and T2 was: 20514.1 and 15031.7 ID/m3, respectively. The increasing value of the Economic water productivity (EWP) of plot T1 comparing with plot T2 was 36.5 %. The value of water saving in plot T1 was 16.7%. The reduction in frequency of irrigation at T1 was 12 %.            zucchini, water use efficiency, membrane sheet, and economic water productivity.

scholarly journals Socio-Economic Implications and Potential Structural Adaptations of the Tunisian Agricultural Sector to Climate Change

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2112
Author(s):  
Aymen Frija ◽  
Amine Oulmane ◽  
Ali Chebil ◽  
Mariem Makhlouf
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Agricultural Income ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Structural Adaptations

Climate change is expected to have serious economic and social impacts on Tunisian rural farmers. The extent of these impacts will largely depend on the level of political and structural adaptations. This study aims to evaluate the effect of increasing water shortages on agricultural income and employment. It also analyzes structural adaptation strategies implemented by farmers in response to this challenge. We have therefore developed a regionally disaggregated supply model to simulate three types of scenarios concerning (i) decreasing quantities of irrigation water at the regional level; (ii) enhanced irrigation water use efficiency; and (iii) higher production prices. Observed crop production data for 21 crops and 24 districts of Tunisia have been used. Districts have been aggregated into five regions based on bioclimatic homogeneity. Results show that climate change will lead to the reduction of irrigated areas and an increased importance of rainfed agriculture. It will also have a negative impact on farm income and employment. This negative effect can be fully mitigated by improving water use efficiency, at farm and perimeter levels, and can be reversed by offering more attractive producer prices to farmers through enhanced value chain integration.

scholarly journals Using limited irrigation water - crops or pasture?

2006 ◽  
pp. 173-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.N. Ward ◽  
J.L. Jacobs ◽  
F.R. Mckenzie
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Forage Crops ◽  
Irrigation Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Use Efficiency

The irrigation of perennial pasture and the growing of dryland summer forage crops are two common methods of increasing the supply of and nutritional value of home grown forage on dairy farms in south west Victoria. In recent years the amount and reliability of supply of irrigation water to dairy farmers in the region has decreased through drought and increased regulation. Over the last 8 years a series of studies have been conducted to investigate the most efficient use of unreliable irrigation water supplies. Perennial pasture was found to be particularly sensitive in terms of reduced productivity and water use efficiency (WUE) to poor irrigation practices. However, under good management and reliable water supply it is still likely to be the easiest and most economically efficient irrigation system. Irrigated summer forage crops were found to have a higher WUE, but responses were variable due to year to year seasonal differences. These crops were found to be more tolerant of poor irrigation management and were able to take advantage of reduced amounts of irrigation water and one off irrigations. Keywords: brassicas, forage crops, irrigated pasture, irrigation, water use efficiency.

scholarly journals Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Reduced N Fertilization on Plant Growth, Root Morphology and Water Use Efficiency of Tomato Grown in Soilless Culture

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 228
Author(s):  
Ikram Ullah ◽  
Hanping Mao ◽  
Ghulam Rasool ◽  
Hongyan Gao ◽  
Qaiser Javed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Root Surface Area ◽  
Irrigation Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Use Efficiency

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various irrigation water (W) and nitrogen (N) levels on growth, root-shoot morphology, yield, and irrigation water use efficiency of greenhouse tomatoes in spring–summer and fall–winter. The experiment consisted of three irrigation water levels (W: 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), 80%, and 60% of full irrigation) and three N application levels (N: 100%, 75%, and 50% of the standard nitrogen concentration in Hoagland’s solution treatments equivalent to 15, 11.25, 7.5 mM). All the growth parameters of tomato significantly decreased (p < 0.05) with the decrease in the amount of irrigation and nitrogen application. Results depicted that a slight decrease in irrigation and an increase in N supply improved average root diameter, total root length, and root surface area, while the interaction was observed non-significant at average diameter of roots. Compared to the control, W80 N100 was statistically non-significant in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. The W80 N100 resulted in a yield decrease of 2.90% and 8.75% but increased irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) by 21.40% and 14.06%. Among interactions, the reduction in a single factor at W80 N100 and W100 N75 compensated the growth and yield. Hence, W80 N100 was found to be optimal regarding yield and IWUE, with 80% of irrigation water and 15 mM of N fertilization for soilless tomato production in greenhouses.

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