Optimizing supplemental irrigation: Tradeoffs between profitability and sustainability

Water production functions are used to model yield response to various levels of supplemental irrigation (SI), to assess water productivity coefficients, and to identify optimum irrigation under various input-output price scenarios. The SI production function is taken as the difference between the total water production function (irrigation + rain) and that of rainwater. Theoretical analysis of the unconstrained objective function shows that the seasonal depth of SI to maximize profit occurs when the marginal product of water equals the ratio of unit water cost to unit product sale price. Applying this analysis to wheat in northern Syria, the production functions of SI under different rainfall conditions are developed. Coupled with current and projected water costs and wheat sale prices, the functions are used to develop an easy-to-use chart for determining seasonal irrigation rates to maximize profit under a range of seasonal rainfall amounts.Results show that, for a given seasonal rainfall, there is a critical value for the ratio of irrigation cost to production price beyond which SI becomes less profitable than rainfed production. Higher product prices and lower irrigation costs encourage the use of more water. Policies supporting high wheat prices and low irrigation costs encourage maximizing yields but with low water productivity. The resulting farmer practice threatens the sustainability of water resources. Balancing profitability versus sustainability is a challenge for policy makers. Our analysis can help national and local water authorities and policy makers determine appropriate policies for water valuation and allocation; and assist extension services and farmers in planning irrigation infrastructure and farm water management.     

The effect of water supply uncertainty on farmers’ choice of crop portfolio

This paper analyzes the effect of water supply uncertainty on farmers’ choice of crop portfolio. The paper presents an innovative model to estimate the value of uncertainty of water supply, and then tests the model using data from Israel. The modeling results provide support to the hypothesis that uncertainty induces farmers to prefer crops whose growth requires less agricultural capital accumulation, despite their lower profitability (agricultural capital referring to trees and other plants which take a significant period of time to mature). This is due to the risk that in a given year water supply will fall below a certain minimal level, thereby causing loss of all accumulated capital. The paper also examines a government intervention policy for mitigating uncertainty: use of reclaimed wastewater in crop irrigation as a supplement for freshwater supply. The costs associated with constructing the required wastewater reclamation and supply facilities are compared to the benefits of additional farm income earned through a more certain on-farm water supply. It is shown that under certain conditions implementation of this policy is indeed economically worthwhile.     

不同家庭经营类型农户樱桃销售方式选择及原因——基于烟台市樱桃销售现状

针对烟台牟平区、福山区70位大樱桃种植户,采用调查问卷、电话采访的形式,对不同年龄、受教育程度、樱桃种植面积和收入等进行了调查。运用二元logistic模型,对不同家庭经营类型农户的销售渠道选择进行了实证研究,得出以下结论:专业化经营的农户更愿意选择销售给商贩,而兼业化经营的农户更愿意选择批发市场销售;种植面积大的农户偏向于选择批发市场销售的形式,且教育程度越高,互联网销售的程度越高;种植面积小的农户更倾向于以销往商贩的方式销售大樱桃。      

基于土地交易实践的水权交易模式设计

在我国,市场机制在水资源配置中的作用不足导致其效率低下的同时也加剧了水资源短缺,用水浪费和水生态恶化的矛盾,如何让市场在水资源配置中起决定性作用是水权交易模式研究所面临的重要问题。土地资源配置的市场交易为水权提供有益借鉴。分析了土地、水2种资源属性,比较其异同,根据水资源的特性,有选择地借鉴土地交易方式,设计了水权招标、拍卖、挂牌交易的程序,并结合水权交易中受让方的特点,提出水权交易的综合模式。当交易中只有一个受让方时,采用协议转让,涉及多个受让方时可采用竞价方式完成转让。最后,对完善水权交易提出相关建议,为促进我国水权交易提供决策参考。     

Managing water by managing land: Addressing land degradation to improve water productivity and rural livelihoods

The premise of this paper is that the key to effective water resources management is understanding that the water cycle and land management are inextricably linked: that every land use decision is a water use decision. Gains in agricultural water productivity, therefore, will only be obtained alongside improvements in land use management. Expected increases in food demands by 2050 insist that agricultural production - and agricultural water use - must increase. At the same time, competition for water between agricultural and urban sectors will also increase; and the problem is further compounded by land degradation. A global survey suggests that 40% of agricultural land is already degraded to the point that yields are greatly reduced, and a further 9% is degraded to the point that it cannot be reclaimed for productive use by farm level measures. Soil erosion, nutrient depletion and other forms of land degradation reduce water productivity and affect water availability, quality, and storage. Reversing these trends entails tackling the underlying social, economic, political and institutional drivers of unsustainable land use. This paper is based on a review of global experiences, and its recommendations for improving water management by addressing land degradation include focusing on small scale agriculture; investing in rehabilitating degraded land to increase water productivity; and enhancing the multifunctionality of agricultural landscapes. These options can improve water management and water productivity, while also improving the livelihoods of the rural poor.     

A bio-economic evaluation of the profitability of adopting subtropical grasses and pasture-cropping on crop-livestock farms

Pasture-cropping is a novel approach to increasing the area of perennial forages in mixed livestock and cropping systems. It involves planting annual cereals directly into a living perennial pasture. There is interest in using subtropical grasses for pasture-cropping as they are winter dormant and their growth profile is complementary with winter crops. The ability of subtropical grasses to maintain feed quality in summer is likely to be an important attribute. However, a wide range of factors can affect the uptake of such systems. This paper evaluates the farm-system economics of subtropical grasses and pasture-cropping. The research question is: what factors affect the profitability of a new technology such as (1) subtropical grass and (2) subtropical grass that is pasture-cropped. The analysis uses the MIDAS model of a central wheatbelt farm in Western Australia. The results suggest the profitability and adoption of subtropical grasses is likely to be strongly influenced by the mix of soil types present on the farm; the feed quality of the subtropical grass; whether the production emphasis of the farm is for grazing or cropping, and the level of production in summer and early autumn. The same factors are relevant to pasture-cropping, with the addition of yield penalties due to competition between the arable crop and the host perennial. The results were less sensitive to changes in the winter production of subtropical grass. Pasture-cropping was more profitable and likely to involve a larger area of the farm when a meat rather than a wool-dominant sheep system was present. However, there was little difference between the meat and wool flocks in their sensitivity to other factors in this analysis.     

Integrating agricultural research and policy analysis: analytical framework and policy applications for bio-economic modelling

Interdisciplinary approaches to identify suitable incentives for enhancing sustainable natural resource use require an analytical framework that satisfies both practical purposes of policy support and disciplinary requirements regarding the specification of underlying technical and behavioural relations. Different approaches for agricultural policy analysis are distinguished according to the nature of problems addressed and the analytical procedures applied. Major drawbacks of more disciplinary analysis can be circumvented through functional integration of these approaches. The methodological foundations of an integrated bio-economic modelling framework for the simultaneous appraisal of agro-ecological and socio- economic parameters are presented, and assumptions on farm household decision making regarding crop and technology choice, labour use, market exchange and price responsiveness are discussed. Implications of this integrated approach are analysed against the background of policy discussions on land markets, incentives for innovation, and public investment for agricultural intensification. Policy analysis for sustainable land use proves to be critically dependent on the specification of the linkages between decision-making procedures regarding resource allocation by farm households and their supply response to changes in the economic and institutional environment.     

Estimating the potential gains from water markets: a case study from Tunisia

Water markets can improve water use efficiency through the transfer of water to users who can obtain the highest marginal return from using it. Existing water markets are implemented among farmers or between farmers and urban water companies or hydropower companies. Several studies have shown that farmers may benefit from trading water mainly in countries where water scarcity is increasing and new water supply projects are either very costly or not possible because of environmental concerns. This paper estimates the potential benefits and losses of implementing water market among farmers and between farmers and urban water company in Tunisia. We used linear programming to examine four separate farm models and an aggregate model. The method is applied to an irrigation area of 4500 ha in Northern Tunisia. Results indicate that water trading among farmers would be quite limited and would have a minor impact on farmers’ income. In contrast, the market among farmers and the urban water company offers higher volumes of water trades to urban users and helps increase farmers’ profitability by up to 7.9%. The sale of water to the urban company is accompanied by a decrease in occasional labor by as much as 34.8% and a decrease of up to 17.6% in farmers’ expenditures for inputs and machinery. Additionally, results obtained in this paper show that inter-year storage of irrigation water may be more advantageous than selling water to the urban utility. Whether farmers would opt to sell water or inter-temporarily store it would depend on the establishment of water rights and the empowerment of farmers.     

Evaluating planning and delivery performance of Water User Associations (WUAs) in Osh Province, Kyrgyzstan

The primary objective of an irrigation organization is to provide efficient and effective management of water resources to achieve enhanced agricultural production. Performance assessment studies provide a tool to evaluate and promote this objective. The study examines the existing planning procedures and assesses irrigation performance of four Water User Associations (WUAs) located in Osh Province, Kyrgyzstan. Performance was evaluated using indicators of adequacy, efficiency, dependability and equity. Indicators were calculated for each irrigation season over the period 2003 to 2007. In general, all WUAs were found to be strong in terms of adequacy and efficiency standards. However, performance with respect to dependability and equity was poor. The results suggest that more effort is needed to improve temporal uniformity and equity in water distribution. In order to achieve this, estimations of irrigation requirements by WUA managers needs to be improved and mechanisms developed to request water in quantities, which are needed to maintain equity across the WUA outlets and among water users. The study concludes that the establishment of WUAs in Kyrgyzstan has helped to address the problem of water distribution and allocation among a large number of farmers. However, further training of farmers and managers is required to build their capacity to share water and ensure equity among users particularly during periods of less than optimal water supply. The findings of this research suggest that application of a pre-determined set of indicators can be a useful and cost effective tool to measure the performance of WUAs. This is particularly important for Central Asia where the performance of the recently established and state initiated WUAs to replace former collective farms is now a key element in future sustainable water management. The study identified uncertainties in the estimation of WUA water demands based on previous methods and suggests more attention and care required in calculating water requirements.     

农用车辆频闪式雨雾警示灯的设计

农用车辆频闪式雨雾警示灯,是一种在黑夜或雨雾天气下起远距离灯光警示作用的装置.它可以将车辆上有限的电源电能,通过电子电路将脉冲氙灯触发点燃,在瞬间可发出强烈的可见光.其发光方式为脉冲频闪式,从而起到远距离的警示作用.该灯具具有广泛的市场前景,主要应用于较高车速行驶的农用车辆或具有危险性的农林作业机械,以及机场、航标、灯塔和其它一些需警示的场所,尤其是在车辆高速行驶的时候,可起到远距离预警作用.     

Land allocation conditioned on El Niño-Southern Oscillation phases in the Pampas of Argentina

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) contributes to the vulnerability of crop production to climate variability in the Pampas region of Argentina. Predictability of regional climate anomalies associated with ENSO may provide opportunities to tailor decisions to expected climate, either to mitigate expected adverse conditions or to take advantage of favorable conditions. Model analysis was used to explore the potential for tailoring land allocation among crops to ENSO phases at the farm scale in two sub-regions of the Pampas. The model identifies as a function of risk preferences and initial wealth the crop mix that maximizes expected utility of wealth at the end of a 1-year decision period based on current costs and prices, and crop yields simulated for each year of historical weather. The model reproduced recent land allocation patterns at the district scale under moderate risk aversion, and predicted increasing diversification with increasing risk aversion. Differences in land allocation among ENSO phases were consistent with known climate response to ENSO, and crop response to water availability. Tailoring land allocation to ENSO phase increased mean net farm income between US$5 and $15 ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ relative to optimizing the crop mixture for all years, depending on location, risk aversion and initial wealth. The relationship between potential value of ENSO information and risk aversion was not monotonic, and differed between locations. Crop mix and information value also varied with crop prices and initial soil moisture. There are potential financial benefits of applying this approach to tailoring decisions to ENSO phases.     

等概率粗粒化LZC算法在降水变化复杂性研究中的应用

区域水文过程复杂性研究是一种新的研究模式,降水复杂性变化更是当前研究热点。运用等概率粗粒化的LZC方法,以红兴隆分局为例,对红兴隆分局辖区内10个农场逐月降水序列复杂性进行诊断,运用GIS技术绘制降水复杂性空间分布图。结果表明：八五三农场降水复杂性最高、八五二农场次之、五九七农场最低。进一步分析表明,降水是当地地下水埋深复杂性变化的主导影响因素之一。研究成果揭示了当地降水复杂性演变特征,为区域降水、地下水埋深准确预测及水资源合理优化配置提供了科学依据。     

An integrated hydro-economic modelling framework to evaluate water allocation strategies I: Model development

In this paper an integrated modelling framework for water resources planning and management that can be used to carry out an analysis of alternative policy scenarios for water allocation and use is described. The modelling approach is based on integrating a network allocation model (REALM) and a social Cost Benefit economic model, to evaluate the physical and economic outcomes from alternative water allocation policies in a river basin or sub-basin. From a hydrological perspective, surface and groundwater models were first applied to assess surface and groundwater resource availability. Then an allocation model was applied to reconcile the calculated surface and groundwater resources. From an economic perspective initially the value of water allocated to different uses in each demand centre within the system was estimated. These values were then placed in a social Cost Benefit Analysis to assess the economic consequences of different allocation scenarios over time and space. This approach is useful as it allows policymakers to consider not only the physical dimensions of distributing water, but also the economic consequences associated with it. This model is considered superior to other models as water is increasingly being seen as an economic good that should be allocated according to its value. The framework outlined in this paper was applied to the Musi sub-basin located in the Krishna Basin, India. In applying this framework it was concluded that competition for Musi water is very high, the transfer of water from agriculture to urban users is likely to grow in future and the value of water used in different agricultural zones is very low.     

节水灌溉条件下作物的经济效益分析

打破了传统的经济效益分析主要从节水灌溉工程项目入手的方式，而以作物为主要研究对象。以灌溉方式相同或相近的不同品种的作物，在不同的地理、土壤、气候条件下，在不同的市场环境下，可能产生的经济效益为研究内容。为地区农业确定作物的种植比例提供更直接和可靠的依据。以攀枝花市节水灌溉发展规划为实例，说明了以作物的经济效益来评价地区节水灌溉项目的可行性。     

基于多目标模糊规划的灌区多水源优化配置

以黑龙江省和平灌区为例,构建基于多目标模糊规划的灌区多水源优化配置模型,该模型能够在提高农业灌溉用水净效益的同时有效减少农业灌溉水量,促进和平灌区多水源高效配置。采用具有非线性隶属度函数的模糊多目标规划求解模型,得到不同流量不同水源下的最优配水方案。结果表明:不同流量水平下水稻不同生育阶段均存在缺水现象,低流量下需从柳河水库引入外调水才能保证水稻的最小需水量。为保证灌区整体效益,按照引水工程、提水工程、井灌工程的先后顺序进行配水,并得到多目标配水模型在不同情景下的运行稳定情况。该模型可以高效地进行灌区多水源在作物各生育阶段的优化配置。     

Increasing crop productivity when water is scarce—from breeding to field management

To increase crop yield per unit of scarce water requires both better cultivars and better agronomy. The challenge is to manage the crop or improve its genetic makeup to: capture more of the water supply for use in transpiration; exchange transpired water for CO₂ more effectively in producing biomass; and convert more of the biomass into grain or other harvestable product. In the field, the upper limit of water productivity of well-managed disease-free water-limited cereal crops is typically 20 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (grain yield per water used). If the productivity is markedly less than this, it is likely that major stresses other than water are at work, such as weeds, diseases, poor nutrition, or inhospitable soil. If so, the greatest advances will come from dealing with these first. When water is the predominant limitation, there is scope for improving overall water productivity by better matching the development of the crop to the pattern of water supply, thereby reducing evaporative and other losses and fostering a good balance of water-use before and after flowering, which is needed to give a large harvest index. There is also scope for developing genotypes that are able to maintain adequate floret fertility despite any transient severe water deficits during floral development. Marker-assisted selection has helped in controlling some root diseases that limit water uptake, and in maintaining fertility in water-stressed maize. Apart from herbicide-resistance in crops, which helps reduce competition for water by weeds, there are no genetic transformations in the immediate offing that are likely to improve water productivity greatly.     

On-farm labour allocation and irrigation water use: case studies among smallholder systems in arid regions

On-farm measurements and observations of water flow, water costs and irrigation labour inputs at the individual parcel level were made in case studies of smallholder irrigation systems in sub-Saharan Africa and south-eastern Arabia. The systems, in which the water source supplied either single or multiple users, were analysed to address the fundamental issues of labour allocation for on-farm water management as this has important consequences for the success of such systems. Results show that the costs associated with accessing water influenced labour input, because when they were low the farmers tended to increase the irrigation rate and reduce the amount of time they spent distributing the water within their parcels. Conversely when water costs were high, lower flow rates and more time spent in water distribution were observed, and this resulted in more uniform irrigation and higher irrigation efficiency. Also, opportunities and demands for farmers to use their labour for activities other than irrigation can lead them to modify operational or physical aspects of the system so that they can reduce the time they spend distributing water within the parcels, particularly when the water is relatively cheap. Awareness and better understanding of how farmers may allocate their labour for water management will lead to more effective planning, design and management of smallholder irrigation systems.     

我国农机购置补贴政策实施效果分析

为了提高农机购置补贴政策的实施效果,根据我国农机购置补贴政策实施的背景和现状,将其划分为3个阶段,即初步阶段、快速发展阶段和规模发展阶段。为此,从农机购置补贴资金、范围、补贴农机种类和收益农户数等方面分析了各阶段内农机购置补贴的实施效果。结果表明,今后农机购置补贴政策应继续强化实施,且重点应放在宏观调控作用方面。通过宏观调控,引导农民购置使用先进适用的农机具,促进农机结构调整和更新换代以及农机工业结构调整和技术进步。     

基于全属性的水资源合理配置原则

水资源配置应始终遵循有效性、公平性和可持续性的指导思想，在实际配置操作过程中怎样坚持、怎样体现以及怎样量化配置原则，目前所开展的研究尚不多见。从3条原则的基本理论出发，探讨水资源的合理配置问题并衍生出各个原则的数学函数表达方法，通过适当处理来衡量各原则，为基于全属性的水资源配置实践提供有效的参考。     

A logistic analysis of the factors determining the decision of smallholder farmers to intercrop: A case study involving rubber–tea intercropping in Sri Lanka

The factors influencing the decision of smallholder farmers to adopt new farming technologies were studied with reference to rubber–tea intercropping in Sri Lanka. Rubber–tea intercropping has been recommended previously to rubber farmers as a means to improve productivity and income during the early pre-tapping phase of rubber growth. Although crop trials have shown that the two crops are agronomically compatible and potentially produce a combined economic yield superior to the yield of a sole crop grown on the same area of land, there is little evidence of widespread adoption of this practice among smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka. The aim of the study was to determine the major factors that influence the decision to undertake rubber–tea intercropping and to construct a predictive model that describes the likelihood of adoption of intercropping by traditional smallholder rubber growers. A rapid rural appraisal (RRA) was undertaken based on semi-structured interviews of 90 smallholder farmers in the main rubber growing low wet zone of Sri Lanka. Among a number of factors shown to significantly influence the decision to intercrop tea with rubber, three were shown to operate independently, namely level of income, source of income (i.e. solely from own farm or from farm plus additional off-farm enterprises), and availability of land considered suitable for tea cultivation. A statistical model developed through correlation and logistic analysis, which predicts the likelihood of a smallholder adopting intercropping based on these factors, is presented and discussed. The most likely combination of circumstances (82% probability) under which rubber–tea intercropping is practiced is shown to be where the farmer’s income is greater than Rs. 10,000 per month, where the farmer’s income is based solely on own farm enterprises, and where more than 80% of the farmer’s land area was judged to be suitable for tea cultivation. Conversely, 30% of smallholder farmers that chose not to intercrop did possess land suitable for tea cultivation. Qualitative responses to the RRA indicated that limitation of technical knowledge was the main problem subsequently faced by rubber farmers who had adopted rubber–tea intercropping. Results indicate that there is need for both income support through farm subsidies and further agricultural extension services, if rubber–tea intercropping is to be adopted more widely in Sri Lanka. The wider usefulness of the developed logistic model in determining the likelihood of adoption of intercropping by smallholder farmers is discussed.