Application of data envelopment analysis to evaluate investments in the modernization of collective management irrigation systems in Valencia (Spain)

[EN] Climate change and increased competition for water resources are generating growing concern about how to improve water-use efficiency in agriculture. In turn, this has prompted substantial investments in the installation of water-saving technologies in irrigation systems. The first aim of this...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: García Molla, Marta|||0000-0002-3360-5669, Puertas, Rosa|||0000-0003-4937-4575, Sanchis Ibor, Carles|||0000-0002-8795-2922
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV)
Repositorio:RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:riunet.upv.es:10251/182956
Acceso en línea:https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/182956
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Collective irrigation management
Data envelopment analysis
Drip irrigation
Gross water savings
Irrigation policy
ECONOMIA APLICADA
ECONOMIA, SOCIOLOGIA Y POLITICA AGRARIA
Descripción
Sumario:[EN] Climate change and increased competition for water resources are generating growing concern about how to improve water-use efficiency in agriculture. In turn, this has prompted substantial investments in the installation of water-saving technologies in irrigation systems. The first aim of this research is to use data envelopment analysis to quantify, in terms of gross water savings (GWS), the local-scale efficiency of the irrigation policies adopted in an area of Spain suffering from a structural water deficit. Second, the cross-efficiency method is used to produce a ranking of the irrigation organizations analysed, in order to identify patterns of water-use efficiency performance that can guide future lines of investment. The results reveal that water-use efficiency prior to modernization is a key determinant of the efficiency achieved in terms of GWS at local scale. However, the investments targeted at irrigation modernization often have objectives other than water savings. These and other aspects should be taken into account when allocating public funds to irrigation modernization.