Management of Land, Water, Material and Technical Resources and Their Efficient Use in Agriculture

This article describes in detail the management of land, water, material and technical resources and their efficient use in agriculture. Keywords: Land resources, water resources, indicators of land and water efficiency, Land monitoring and state land cadastre, capitalization of land resources.

Effects of Various Irrigation and Fertilizer on Water Efficiency and Tomato Yield (Solanum lycopersicum) in Alfisols

<p>Investing in irrigation is very important and strategic in the context of water supply for agriculture. Therefore, this study aims to identify the most efficient irrigation technique and type of fertilizer to maximize the yield of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) in Alfisols. This study was a greenhouse pot experiment with a factorial completely randomized design with two factors consisting of four irrigation techniques (pottery, drip, 75% ETc manual, and 100% ETc manual) and types of fertilizers (without, organic, inorganic, mixed fertilizer). The results showed that pottery irrigation had the highest Nitrogen content in the soil and saved up to 50% water compared to 100% ETc. On the other hand, drip irrigation uses water of 75% ETc with similar plant yield results. The pottery irrigation was the most efficient irrigation method for growing tomato than 75% ETc manual irrigation, and 100% ETc manual irrigation with mixed fertilizers (I4P3) was the highest on tomato yield.</p>

The Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus in the Mediterranean: Current Issues and Future Challenges

The Mediterranean is an area where the balance between water demand and abstractions vs. water availability is often under stress already, as demonstrated here with the Water Exploitation Index. In this work, model estimates on how different proposed measures for water resources management would affect different indicators. After a review of the current water resources status in the Mediterranean and the definition of indicators used in this study, aspects interlinked with water in the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus are briefly discussed, focusing on problems linked with water scarcity and depletion of groundwater resources as well as with climate change projections. Subsequently, the proposed measures for water efficiency are detailed—irrigation efficiency, urban water efficiency, water reuse and desalination—that might be effective to reduce the growing water scarcity problems in the Mediterranean. Their effects that result from the LISFLOOD model, show that wastewater reuse, desalination and water supply leakage reduction lead to decreased abstractions, but do not affect net water consumption. Increased irrigation efficiency does decrease consumption and reduces abstractions as well. We deduct however that the current envisaged water efficiency measures might not be sufficient to keep up with the pace of diminishing water availability due to climate change. More ambition is needed on water efficiency in the Mediterranean to keep water scarcity at bay.

Driving Force Analysis of Agricultural Economic Growth Related to Water Utilization Effects Based on LMDI Method in Ningxia, Northwest China

Agricultural economy is usually studied by total factor analysis, while it is uncertain what factors affect agricultural production in the perspective of water utilization. The aim of this study was to investigate driving forces of agricultural economy related to water utilization effects in Ningxia during 2007 to 2017. The logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method was selected to decompose the driving forces of agricultural production value. Results showed that the agricultural production value increased significantly in 2007–2017 in all of Ningxia and in each city. In terms of the whole region, the effect of agriculture water efficiency played a leading and positive role in the increase of the agricultural production value. The effects of water stress, water utilization structure, and water resource endowment all showed a negative driving force, while population exerted a positive effect. For five cities, the effect of agriculture water efficiency and water utilization structure showed no spatial difference; whereas the other effects expressed different driving forces between cities in the northern plain area and southern hilly area due to varied natural conditions and agricultural activities. The results of this research suggested that the first and foremost strategy of agricultural development and water resource management in Ningxia should be to promote water-saving irrigation and optimize agricultural structure.

Mobilising the public to reduce household water use in Essex and Suffolk Water

The south-eastern region of the UK is facing water scarcity due to population growth and insufficient rainfall to meet household water demand. One of the regulatory requirements for water utilities is customer engagement to increase water efficiency. This chapter aims to identify key barriers to delivering engagement activities promoting household water efficiency and opportunities for improving practices in Essex & Suffolk Water (ESW) – a UK water utility operating in areas of serious water stress. A reflection is made on the water utility's Every Drop Counts (EDC) home visit campaign, an annual household water efficiency initiative, with particular focus on insights from its face-to-face delivery during Asset Management Plan 6 (AMP6, 2015−2020). The pilot of the EDC campaign's virtual initiative comprising of 66 virtual home visits is examined, with focus on drawing out lessons learned as Asset Management Plan 7 (AMP7, 2020−2025) begins during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Whilst the virtual home visit campaign was found to reach a broader customer base, save financial and environmental costs, and address the season and place constraints typically posed by the face-to-face campaign, fewer water saving devices were installed per property (4.4) compared to the face-to-face campaign (6.4), and calculating measured water savings was impossible due to customers failing to take water meter readings independently during the COVID-19 lockdown. Face-to-face home visits should therefore not mean an end to virtual home visits and vice versa, but rather serve as a twin-track strategy for delivering the campaign. Key strategies that emerged as improving face-to-face home visits in ESW include increasing the use of customer insight; varying the frame for water efficiency communications; improving the face-to-face engagement strategy; enhancing knowledge training; and creating feedback mechanisms between water efficiency managers and plumbers on the frontline. To better maximise virtual home visits, it is recommended that the behavioural change aspect of water efficiency education is delivered as a key and complementary aspect of appointments, and customers are better supported to self-install a wider range of water saving devices. This chapter bridges the gap between water management theory and practice by providing a better understanding of how practitioners are putting concepts into action on the ground and by so doing, contributes to building a learning culture in the global water sector.

The Effect of Corporate Water Disclosure on Financial Performance

Natural resources crises specifically the water crises are listed in the top ten global risk in 2021. Water demand and withdrawal increase as the population rise. To mitigate water scarcity, companies disclose more on water related information as an engagement to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Motivated towards exploring the impact of corporate water disclosures, this study aims to examine effect corporate water disclosures for five years to financial performance of the sample companies. The sample companies are the electric utilities companies that listed as the top 50 market capitalisation in the sector. The water related information disclosure in this study include resource reduction policy, policy of water efficiency policy of environmental supply chain, target water efficiency and environmental management team. This study found that corporate water information disclosures including resource reduction policy and policy of water efficiency) have positive significant relationship on earnings per share (EPS). However, the target water efficiency is negatively significant with EPS which explain the behaviour of electric utilities companies all this while.

Research on Irrigation Water Efficiency of Guizhou Province Based on SFA

The measurement of farmland irrigation water efficiency is an important part of the evaluation of agricultural water saving. Since the method of econometrics research on the relationship between input and output was introduced to the evaluation of irrigation water efficiency, it has provided a new perspective for evaluating irrigation water efficiency. This study takes Guizhou in southwest China as an example, using the SFA method to calculate the technical efficiency of food production and irrigation water from 2011 to 2018, and compares the technical efficiency of irrigation water with the measured irrigation water effective utilization coefficient analysis. The analysis shows that: (1) Guizhou’s multi-year average irrigation water technical efficiency value is 0.730, and the difference between cities is large. 20.8% of the urban irrigation water technical efficiency is lower than the average level, and there is a large water saving potential; (2) The correlation coefficient between the irrigation water technical efficiency calculated by the SFA method and the measured irrigation water effective utilization coefficient is 0.804, which is highly positively correlated, and the simulation calculation validity is 70.6%; (3) The SFA method can provide an effective reference for the study of the change trend of the effective utilization coefficient of farmland irrigation water in the absence of measured data.

Water Performance Benchmarks for New Zealand: Understanding Water Consumption in Commercial Office Buildings

<p>There is an increasing amount of literature outlining the issues underlying water shortages and restrictions to come in most regions of New Zealand. The problem is not helped by rising demands and climatic changes, as well as both a lack of measured data, and a lack of any demand-side incentives. No attempt has been made to assess how the users of commercial buildings are consuming potable water. There are no benchmarks for water performance in buildings, hindering attempts to improve water efficiency. This study investigated the water use in 93 Auckland and Wellington commercial office buildings. The data collected from both survey level water audits (on-site investigations, historic billing analysis) and full water audits (water monitoring), were used to develop market-based water performance benchmarks, and a Water Efficiency Rating Tool (WERT). This was done to understand water consumption in these buildings, and to determine the feasibility of using performance based data for the development of a water benchmarking system. The principal results were in the form of both a benchmarking index system, and the WERT. The benchmarking study found that Net Lettable Area (NLA) was the most statistically and pragmatically appropriate driver for water use. lt also found that, due to the distinct difference in tariff structures and incentives between Auckland and Wellington, different benchmarks for the two regions (Auckland 'Typical' use 0.76m³ / m² / year, and Wellington 'Typical' use 1.03m³ / m² / year) were required. The WERT calculates a building Water Use Index (WUI- m³ / m² / year) , estimates its end-use disaggregation, and provides recommendations through outlining the financial viability of implementing specific water efficiency measures. This tool utilised six design criteria to ensure target market usability: accuracy (demonstrated at ±8. 5%) ; relevance and realism; practicality; promotion of understanding and action; objectivity; and effective communication. Further recommendations included satisfying some of the many knowledge gaps present in the New Zealand water industry concerning office building water use. These included: introducing a national legislative or standard document providing guidelines on demand-side management of water; investigation into changing tariff structures to include a volumetric charge for all building types to increase individual awareness and education of water use; research into the durability of water meters; and expanding the research to include other New Zealand regions.</p>

Water Performance Benchmarks for New Zealand: Understanding Water Consumption in Commercial Office Buildings

<p>There is an increasing amount of literature outlining the issues underlying water shortages and restrictions to come in most regions of New Zealand. The problem is not helped by rising demands and climatic changes, as well as both a lack of measured data, and a lack of any demand-side incentives. No attempt has been made to assess how the users of commercial buildings are consuming potable water. There are no benchmarks for water performance in buildings, hindering attempts to improve water efficiency. This study investigated the water use in 93 Auckland and Wellington commercial office buildings. The data collected from both survey level water audits (on-site investigations, historic billing analysis) and full water audits (water monitoring), were used to develop market-based water performance benchmarks, and a Water Efficiency Rating Tool (WERT). This was done to understand water consumption in these buildings, and to determine the feasibility of using performance based data for the development of a water benchmarking system. The principal results were in the form of both a benchmarking index system, and the WERT. The benchmarking study found that Net Lettable Area (NLA) was the most statistically and pragmatically appropriate driver for water use. lt also found that, due to the distinct difference in tariff structures and incentives between Auckland and Wellington, different benchmarks for the two regions (Auckland 'Typical' use 0.76m³ / m² / year, and Wellington 'Typical' use 1.03m³ / m² / year) were required. The WERT calculates a building Water Use Index (WUI- m³ / m² / year) , estimates its end-use disaggregation, and provides recommendations through outlining the financial viability of implementing specific water efficiency measures. This tool utilised six design criteria to ensure target market usability: accuracy (demonstrated at ±8. 5%) ; relevance and realism; practicality; promotion of understanding and action; objectivity; and effective communication. Further recommendations included satisfying some of the many knowledge gaps present in the New Zealand water industry concerning office building water use. These included: introducing a national legislative or standard document providing guidelines on demand-side management of water; investigation into changing tariff structures to include a volumetric charge for all building types to increase individual awareness and education of water use; research into the durability of water meters; and expanding the research to include other New Zealand regions.</p>