ECONOMIC VALUATION OF SURFACE IRRIGATION WATER: SHIRE VALLEY, SOUTHERN MALAWI

Economic valuation of surface irrigation water and the factors that determine willingness to pay for such resource for sustainable purposes is not clearly defined in Malawi. This paper evaluated economic value of surface water used in irrigation and identified factors influencing farmers' decision to participate in water markets for rice and sugarcane production in Upper Shire Valley of Southern Malawi. A cross-sectional data from 310 households involved in irrigation activities was used. General Algebraic Modelling System (GAMS) was employed to determine the economic value of surface water. Craggit Double Hurdle Model and Range-WTP procedure was employed to determine factors influencing farmers' decision to participate and pay for surface water solicit the social value of the surface water. The results revealed an economic value of 480.77 Malawi Kwacha1 (MK)/m3 for surface water in the valley, but specifically pointed out that surface water value for rice and sugarcane production was MK 512.96/m3 and MK 448.58/m3 respectively. Households irrigating rice and sugarcane revealed a willingness to pay for water at MK 1.67/m3 and MK 2.87/m3 respectively. Farming as a livelihood, plot status, crop type and market prices are reported to be influencing household participation in the water market. The study recommends that: (i) Farmers must always be informed of the economic value of irrigation water and be prepared to pay for it; and (ii) The allocated land should have a well-defined period of access and crop types to be grown in the valley should be of high economic value.

Productivity analysis of the Río Bravo irrigation districts using performance indicators

Introduction: Irrigation districts (IDs) are irrigation projects that require periodic evaluation to determine performance. Objectives: To analyze the production behavior of several IDs located in the transboundary Río Bravo basin, Mexico. Methodology: Agricultural and hydrometric information was compiled, organized and analyzed for 11 IDs in the Río Bravo basin to determine production performance based on seven indicators. Results: The production value with respect to the volume of water extracted from the supply source varied from 1.1 to 9 $∙m-3, while the productivity of water extracted from the supply source varied from 0.6 a 5.7 kg∙m-3 and the production per unit of water delivered to users varied from 0.81 to 9.27 kg∙m-3. Limitations of the study: Performance indicators reflect the productivity of the irrigation area according to management of the crop, irrigation service, technological package, crop pattern, infrastructure, among other factors. Originality: Performance of IDs located in the high-water pressure area in the Río Bravo basin was analyzed based on available information. Conclusions: Several performance indicators are required to characterize integrally IDs’ productivity, With the use of hydro-agricultural indicators it is possible to implement improvement actions, where the value of irrigation water can be maximized for the benefit of producers.

Assessment of the economic value of irrigation water considering achieve main crops self-sufficiency: Case study Sharkia Governorate, Egypt

The water shortage issue may put a spotlight over most of the Middle East region and push many nations to re-planning the water resources in various respects. Providing data on water’s economic value assists policymakers make informed decisions regarding water distribution. Additionally, addressing the increasing demand for all uses and building the sustainable future of agricultural and water policies. The purpose of this article is to explore and evaluate the economic value of irrigation water in Sharkia Governorate, regarded one of Egypt’s largest provinces. It also examines how to maximize the economic value of irrigation water, taking into account the self-sufficiency of main crops. Furthermore, consideration has been given to the political demands for the allocation, management and control of water resources. The simulation software Operational, Planning and Distribution Model (OPDM) was used to simulate through the studied province the accessible water distribution and crop yield. Moreover, it is used to judge the impact of irrigation water utilization and to check gross income. Furthermore, from a technical and economic point of perspective, the distinct suggestions were contrasted. The research evaluates the present crop pattern for wheat and cotton attaining a peak economic value of 1.23 EGP/m3 and 0.98 EGP/m3 of irrigation water for wheat and cotton respectively. Moreover, it reaches 0.41 EGP/m3 for rice which considered one of the highest plants in water consumption. Finally, these findings may highlight some strategic crops future development.

Harran Ovasının Güneydoğusunda Yeraltı Suyu ile Sulama Yapılan Alanlarda Sulama Suyu Kalitesinin Belirlenmesi ve Değerlendirilmesi

Most of the non-irrigated areas in the southeast of the Harran Plain are irrigated by groundwater. The aim of this study is to determine the importance of 13 underground irrigation water sources operating in the agricultural areas of Ohali village in southeast of Harran Plain in Sanliurfa province in terms of some quality characteristics and irrigation. In this context, the waters belonging to 13 underground wells were analysed and examined in terms of irrigation water quality. According to the results of the analysis, the electrical conductivity of water samples was measured between 1127-4090 µS/cm. The SAR value of irrigation water was found to be between 1.05-3.41 and the %Na value was between 16.2% - 31.8%. In the evaluation made according to four different classification systems, in general, waters 6, 7, 8 and 9 were determined as the worst quality in all classification systems. These waters are described “unsuitable” irrigation water. Considering that the plants which have high water consumption such as cotton and corn are cultivated in the region, it is foreseen that if the necessary precautions are not taken, the salinity in the soil will increase and yield losses will be high. It is imperative that these areas, which cannot be irrigated within the scope of GAP irrigation project, be irrigated with clean water as soon as possible. However, an appropriate drainage system must be installed in the area.

The Economic Value of Irrigation Water in Wadi Zabid, Tihama Plain, Yemen

This study used crop budgets to assess the impact of declining groundwater levels on the economic value of irrigation water in the Wadi Zabid region of Yemen. The study found that returns to land and water were highly sensitive to changes in groundwater depths over time and the free availability of spate water for irrigation. Crops differed in the amounts of irrigation water applied and in their returns to land and water. Banana had the highest irrigation requirement, but also delivered the highest return to land. Banana’s return to water was greater than that of date palm and feed sorghum, but lower than that of mango and food sorghum.

The Effect of Irrigation Water Salinity on the Morphological and Physiological Traits of Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla Moq.)

Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla Moq.), which is grown as a vegetable in Turkey and well adapted to the Marmara region, was used in our experiments. Provided by a producer, chard seedlings were grown in 6 L plastic bags in a non-heated plastic greenhouse. Starting from the 4-5 true-leaf stage to harvest, sodium chloride (NaCl)-added tap water at 5 different electricity conductivity (EC) values [(0. 4 (tap water, control), 8, 16, 24 and 32 dS/m)] was used as irrigation water. The results showed that the EC of the irrigation water affected some of the morphological and physiological properties of chard. An increase in the EC value of irrigation water led to a decrease in the number of leaves, leaf weight, leaf area, plant length, root length, chlorophyll content and increase in the injury level in the leaves and leaf thickness of Swiss chard. The changes observed upon the application of irrigation water with an EC of 16 dS/m were 50% greater than those observed in the control plants, whereas irrigation water with an EC of 32 dS/m results in severe discoloration and yellowing, but the plant was still alive. Therefore, chard growing can be suggested in agricultural areas with salinity problems.

Research on an Improved Economic Value Estimation Model for Crop Irrigation Water in Arid Areas: From the Perspective of Water-Crop Sustainable Development

This paper aimed to construct an improved economic value estimation model (EVIW model) to assess the economic value of water, which plays an important role in the sustainable development of crop planting and irrigation design, especially in arid areas lacking water resources. Firstly, the current EVIW model was based upon improvements and adjustments to the cost-benefit analysis models of previous researchers. Then, to elaborate the whole process of estimation, an empirical study based on the data of Yanqi Basin was conducted. Subsequently, in order to verify the accuracy of the EVIW model, the economic value of irrigation water in this study area was estimated for a second time using the benefit sharing coefficient method. It was concluded that the estimated results of the current EVIW model are in good agreement with those of the traditional benefit sharing coefficient model. The estimation results of the economic value of irrigation water were found to be highly acceptable in terms of accuracy and scientific rigor.