Irrigation Post-Modernization. Farmers Envisioning Irrigation Policy in the Region of Valencia (Spain)

During the last three decades, like many other Mediterranean states, Spain has intensively promoted the modernization of irrigation, focusing mainly on the introduction of pressurized irrigation systems. Following 30 years of investment, a shift in irrigation policies is needed to solve some of the deficiencies in this modernization process and to incorporate new measures to cope with upcoming challenges generated by international markets, climate change and other social and economic processes. This paper describes and analyses the results of participatory research carried out with the water user associations in the autonomous region of Valencia, in order to define post-modernization irrigation policies. A survey and 24 local workshops involving 304 water user associations were conducted during the irrigation season of 2018 in order to form an assessment of the sector and design new irrigation policies. The results show that after 30 years of important investment, the obsolescence of the infrastructure has become the current main priority, making farmers dependent on public subsidies. New necessities have also emerged, such as renewable energies and nonconventional water resources, which farmers consider indispensable in order to reduce operating costs and guarantee water supply.

A method for classifying interrelation between sectoral regulatory laws and the ‘water-energy-agriculture nexus concept’ in Brazil

We propose a method to classify the level of interrelation between the water, energy and agriculture sectoral regulatory laws and selected main characteristics of the nexus concept. This method was created to be applied with sectoral regulatory laws so a study case was conducted in Brazil. The results show that all analysed legislations have low to medium interrelation with the criteria intrinsic to the nexus concept; the policies that stood out the most, regarding the number of criteria present in their scopes, were the national irrigation policy and the desertification policy; and in order to operationalize the nexus concept in management models in the Brazilian context, adjustments and a restructuring of regulatory laws are necessary. The proposed method was able to investigate the interrelation between regulatory legislations with the characteristics of the nexus concept as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

The Role of Irrigation in the Development of Agriculture

The Srem district is home to producers of corn, oilseeds, sugar beet and tobacco, a leading region in the production of pome fruits (apples, pears) and drupes (plums, peaches, cherries) in the country and a perspective area for the development of organic plant and livestock production in protected areas. The current irrigation policy in the Republic of Serbia was not directed at systematic water use with the goal of forming an optimal structure of a market propulsive and a highly profitable agricultural production. The authors in the paper analyse the structure of agricultural production in the Srem district in Serbia and its market potentials as well as the economic effects of irrigation in light of the planned integral irrigation system construction in the Srem district in order to reflect economic benefits of irrigation and its role in the development of agriculture.

Cisterns, Waterways, and Rabbis: a Rabbinic Lens into Conflict Avoidance in the Riparian World

In the liminal spaces between concretized biblical law and a world in which “every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17:6), the Rabbinic tradition developed enactments toward the pursuit of harmony and to minimize conflict. This paper delves into the role of one such mechanism, found throughout the primary sources, in an area of irrigation policy. The article seeks to understand the topic’s contours in the arena of rhetoric vs. reality. I argue that, contrary to initial appearances, the enactment of peace under discussion has every indication of being rooted in its social, legal and natural milieus.

The Effectiveness of Urban Irrigation Day Restrictions in California

We analyze the impact of restricting outdoor irrigation using monthly data from 408 urban water suppliers in California during the final years of the 2012–2017 drought. Our estimates suggest that assigning an additional no-irrigation day per week leads to a decrease in average monthly residential water consumption by approximately 0.8 gallons per capita-day. There is substantial heterogeneity in this impact. First, the marginal effect of a stricter irrigation policy varies depending on the existing level of outdoor watering restrictions — while initial restrictions lead to considerable conservation gains, tightening these measures further does not bring additional gains unless 6 weekly no-irrigation days are implemented. Furthermore, the policy is more effective in areas where residential water use represents a larger share of total urban water consumption and areas which perform better at reaching the 25% state conservation target.

A POLÍTICA NACIONAL DE IRRIGAÇÃO E O USO DE AGROTÓXICOS NO BRASIL: CONTAMINAÇÃO E INTOXICAÇÕES NO CEARÁ

A ampliação do mercado e o incentivo ao uso de agrotóxicos vêm ocorrendo de forma sistemática no Brasil. O País tornou-se o maior consumidor de agrotóxicos do mundo desde 2008, suscitando diversas consequências para a sociedade e o ambiente. O objetivo deste artigo, nesse sentido, é analisar a relação entre o uso de agrotóxicos e a Política Nacional de Irrigação no Brasil, no contexto da mundialização do capital na agricultura, evidenciando sua espacialização em áreas de perímetros irrigados do Ceará, mais especificamente no Baixo Jaguaribe, leste do referido estado. Compreende-se que as problemáticas decorrentes do uso de agrotóxicos intensificaram-se no Baixo Jaguaribe após a implantação da Política Nacional de Irrigação, favorecendo o avanço do agronegócio. O estudo baseia-se em pesquisas bibliográficas, trabalhos de campo e mapeamentos a partir de dados oficiais. A análise mostra a necessidade de reavaliar as políticas públicas e as legislações atuais que incentivam o uso de agrotóxicos, dentre as quais a política de irrigação e a legislação referente à pulverização aérea, frente aos danos causados ao ambiente e aos sujeitos sociais do campo e da cidade. A efetivação de políticas públicas que priorizem a agricultura camponesa e agroecológica torna-se imprescindível no Brasil, pela possiblidade de relação mais saudável com a natureza e por fortalecer a justiça social no campo. Palavras-chave: Intoxicações. Agrotóxicos. Política Nacional de Irrigação. Campesinato. Agronegócio. THE NATIONAL IRRIGATION POLICY AND THE USE OF PESTICIDE IN BRAZIL: CONTAMINATION AND POISONING IN CEARÁAbstract: The expansion of the mart and the incentive to the use of pesticides have been occurring systematically in Brazil. Since 2008 the country has become the largest consumer of pesticides in the world, resulting in consequences for both, society and the environment. The aim of this article is to analyze the use of pesticides and how it relates to the National Irrigation Policy in Brazil, in the context of the globalization of capital in agriculture, showing its spatialization in areas of irrigated perimeters in the state of Ceará, specifically in the Lower Jaguaribe watershed, in the state’s east region. It is understood that the problems arising from the use of pesticides were intensified in Lower Jaguaribe after the implementation of the National Irrigation Policy, which favored the advance of agribusiness. The study is based on literature research, field work and mapping from official data. The analysis shows the need to re-evaluate public policies and current legislation that encourage the use of pesticides, including irrigation policy and legislation on aerial spraying, and its damages to the environment and to the affected population in the countryside and in urban areas. The implementation of public policies that prioritize peasant and agroecological agriculture becomes essential in Brazil, due to the possibility of achieving a more balanced interaction with nature and to reinforce social justice in the countryside.Keywords: Poisoning. Pesticides. National Irrigation Policy. Peasantry. Agribusiness. LA POLÍTICA NACIONAL DE RIEGO Y EL USO DE PESTICIDAS EN BRASIL: CONTAMINACIÓN E INTOXICACIONES EN EL CEARÁResumen: La ampliación del mercado y el incentivo al uso de pesticidas vienen ocurriendo de forma sistemática en Brasil. El país se convirtió en el mayor consumidor mundial de pesticidas desde 2008, lo que produce diversas consecuencias para la sociedad y el medio ambiente. En ese sentido, el objeto del presente artículo es analizar la relación entre el uso de pesticidas y la Política Nacional de Riego en Brasil, en el contexto de mundialización del capital en la agricultura, demostrando su espacialización en áreas de los perímetros regados de la provincia Ceará, más específicamente en el Baixo Jaguaribe, al este de dicha provincia. Se comprende que los problemas que resultan del uso de pesticidas se intensificaron en el Baixo Jaguaribe tras la implementación de la Política Nacional de Riego, que favorece el avance del agronegocio. El estudio se basa en investigaciones bibliográficas, trabajos de campo y mapeamientos con base en datos oficiales. El análisis muestra la necesidad de reevaluar las políticas públicas y las legislaciones actuales que incentivan el uso de pesticidas, entre las cuales se encuentra la política de riego y la legislación referente a la pulverización aérea, frente a los daños causados al ambiente y a los sujetos sociales del campo y de la ciudad. La efectividad de políticas públicas que prioricen la agricultura campesina y agroecológica es imprescindible en Brasil, ya que posibilitará una relación más sana con la naturaleza, así como audará a fortalecer la justicia social en el campo.Palabras clave: Intoxicaciones. Pesticidas. Política Nacional de Riego. Campesinado. Agronegocio.

A POLÍTICA NACIONAL DE IRRIGAÇÃO E O USO DE AGROTÓXICOS NO BRASIL: CONTAMINAÇÃO E INTOXICAÇÕES NO CEARÁ

A ampliação do mercado e o incentivo ao uso de agrotóxicos vêm ocorrendo de forma sistemática no Brasil. O País tornou-se o maior consumidor de agrotóxicos do mundo desde 2008, suscitando diversas consequências para a sociedade e o ambiente. O objetivo deste artigo, nesse sentido, é analisar a relação entre o uso de agrotóxicos e a Política Nacional de Irrigação no Brasil, no contexto da mundialização do capital na agricultura, evidenciando sua espacialização em áreas de perímetros irrigados do Ceará, mais especificamente no Baixo Jaguaribe, leste do referido estado. Compreende-se que as problemáticas decorrentes do uso de agrotóxicos intensificaram-se no Baixo Jaguaribe após a implantação da Política Nacional de Irrigação, favorecendo o avanço do agronegócio. O estudo baseia-se em pesquisas bibliográficas, trabalhos de campo e mapeamentos a partir de dados oficiais. A análise mostra a necessidade de reavaliar as políticas públicas e as legislações atuais que incentivam o uso de agrotóxicos, dentre as quais a política de irrigação e a legislação referente à pulverização aérea, frente aos danos causados ao ambiente e aos sujeitos sociais do campo e da cidade. A efetivação de políticas públicas que priorizem a agricultura camponesa e agroecológica torna-se imprescindível no Brasil, pela possiblidade de relação mais saudável com a natureza e por fortalecer a justiça social no campo. Palavras-chave: Intoxicações. Agrotóxicos. Política Nacional de Irrigação. Campesinato. Agronegócio. THE NATIONAL IRRIGATION POLICY AND THE USE OF PESTICIDE IN BRAZIL: CONTAMINATION AND POISONING IN CEARÁAbstract: The expansion of the mart and the incentive to the use of pesticides have been occurring systematically in Brazil. Since 2008 the country has become the largest consumer of pesticides in the world, resulting in consequences for both, society and the environment. The aim of this article is to analyze the use of pesticides and how it relates to the National Irrigation Policy in Brazil, in the context of the globalization of capital in agriculture, showing its spatialization in areas of irrigated perimeters in the state of Ceará, specifically in the Lower Jaguaribe watershed, in the state’s east region. It is understood that the problems arising from the use of pesticides were intensified in Lower Jaguaribe after the implementation of the National Irrigation Policy, which favored the advance of agribusiness. The study is based on literature research, field work and mapping from official data. The analysis shows the need to re-evaluate public policies and current legislation that encourage the use of pesticides, including irrigation policy and legislation on aerial spraying, and its damages to the environment and to the affected population in the countryside and in urban areas. The implementation of public policies that prioritize peasant and agroecological agriculture becomes essential in Brazil, due to the possibility of achieving a more balanced interaction with nature and to reinforce social justice in the countryside.Keywords: Poisoning. Pesticides. National Irrigation Policy. Peasantry. Agribusiness. LA POLÍTICA NACIONAL DE RIEGO Y EL USO DE PESTICIDAS EN BRASIL: CONTAMINACIÓN E INTOXICACIONES EN EL CEARÁResumen: La ampliación del mercado y el incentivo al uso de pesticidas vienen ocurriendo de forma sistemática en Brasil. El país se convirtió en el mayor consumidor mundial de pesticidas desde 2008, lo que produce diversas consecuencias para la sociedad y el medio ambiente. En ese sentido, el objeto del presente artículo es analizar la relación entre el uso de pesticidas y la Política Nacional de Riego en Brasil, en el contexto de mundialización del capital en la agricultura, demostrando su espacialización en áreas de los perímetros regados de la provincia Ceará, más específicamente en el Baixo Jaguaribe, al este de dicha provincia. Se comprende que los problemas que resultan del uso de pesticidas se intensificaron en el Baixo Jaguaribe tras la implementación de la Política Nacional de Riego, que favorece el avance del agronegocio. El estudio se basa en investigaciones bibliográficas, trabajos de campo y mapeamientos con base en datos oficiales. El análisis muestra la necesidad de reevaluar las políticas públicas y las legislaciones actuales que incentivan el uso de pesticidas, entre las cuales se encuentra la política de riego y la legislación referente a la pulverización aérea, frente a los daños causados al ambiente y a los sujetos sociales del campo y de la ciudad. La efectividad de políticas públicas que prioricen la agricultura campesina y agroecológica es imprescindible en Brasil, ya que posibilitará una relación más sana con la naturaleza, así como audará a fortalecer la justicia social en el campo.Palabras clave: Intoxicaciones. Pesticidas. Política Nacional de Riego. Campesinado. Agronegocio.

Implementation of Irrigation Policy in the Decentralized Government: A Case Study of West Java, Indonesia

The damage on irrigation networks has a substantial effect on the declining in the productivity of farming, which further implies the farmers’ welfare. One of the possible causes of such problem is related to the implementation of irrigation policy. This paper tries to analyze existing model and provide the alternative model of irrigation implementation in Indonesia through qualitative approach with a case study on West Java. In general, the existing model of irrigation implementation is still territorial based on government affairs. Therefore, the alternative model should adopt a collaborative one.

A Climate Resilient Management Practice in Rice Farming: Adoption of alternate wetting and drying in Bangladesh

The aims of the study were to investigate the adoption status of alternate wetting and drying (AWD), finding out the reasons that affect in adoption of AWD and exploring the problems in practicing AWD at farm level. Data were collected from farmers of selected two villages named Noyanagar and Dhinagar of Jhilim union under Sadar upazila (sub-district) of Chapai Nawabganj district during August, 2016. Randomly chosen 80 (40 adopters and 40 non-adopters of AWD) rice farmers were the sample drawn from a population of 600 rice farmers. For collecting quantitative and qualitative data both structured questionnaire and checklists were used. In the study area the level of adoption was at satisfactory level due to the scarcity of water especially in Boro seasons although the technique of AWD was not practiced properly. Majority (80%) of the AWD adopters received preliminary information on this technology mainly from grassroots level extension officers of DAE. Yet, more than half (60%) of the respondents did not receive any training on AWD. This is why a good number of the AWD practicing farmers (45%) had low knowledge on the technology which lowered the rate of adoption. According to the majority of the adopter farmers (92%), main reason of adoption of this technology was for saving irrigation cost. On the other hand, mismatching of existing irrigation scheme with AWD was the major barrier for the adoption according to 98% of the farmers. The existing pattern of irrigation scheme created major problems for practicing AWD as perceived by the farmers (80%). Therefore, the policy maker may rethink on the irrigation policy to rearrange this irrigation scheme. Besides,proper motivational activities should be launched by the different GOs and NGOs in collaboration with DAE to increase the rate of adoption of this water saving technology.