Abstract
This empirical research investigates the factors influencing the adoption of three irrigation technologies using a probit statistical model: water wheel (WW), water pump (WP), and weir (WR) irrigation technologies as well as their economic returns per unit of rice cultivated area. The influencing factors were categorized into demographic, socioeconomic, topographical, institutional, and attitudinal factor groups by 207 rice-growers in the Chaiyaphum province in northeastern Thailand. The results revealed that the land holding size, farm income, and water use association (WUA) membership factors were highly positively associated with the WW adoption. Meanwhile, age, farm income, skills training, and WUA membership were negatively correlated with the WP adoption. Nevertheless, proximity to a water source and upstream farmland location were positively correlated with the WP adoption. The WR adoption was positively associated with age but negatively correlated with the land holding size, upstream farmland location, and group participation factors. The cost–benefit analysis indicated that the WW irrigation scheme generated the highest economic return with the benefit-to-cost ratio schemes. The findings suggest that the WW irrigation technology would be deployed in the water management of other agricultural areas in the region to overcome the unfavorable geography and alleviate the local farmers’ disadvantageous economic conditions.
Highlights
Irrigation technology allows for the control and distribution of water to meet varying needs within a water system, such as agricultural, industrial, and household needs [1,2]
The probit regression results revealed that the land holding size, farm income, and water use association (WUA) membership factors were significantly positively associated with the water wheel (WW) adoption of the participating farmers
Age, farm income, skills training, and WUA membership were significantly negatively correlated with water pump (WP) adoption
Summary
Irrigation technology allows for the control and distribution of water to meet varying needs within a water system, such as agricultural, industrial, and household needs [1,2]. According to Davivongs et al [3], water is a vital economic resource—especially in agriculture, as it plays a crucial role in the fertility of agricultural lands. According to Namara et al [5], agricultural water needs entail the provision of water to and channeling it from the growing areas as well as the conservation of water for dry seasons and ecological maintenance. In Thailand, agriculture provides rural employment, guarantees food security, and drives economic growth. The country has implemented numerous irrigation projects over the past five years in parallel with the agricultural and rural development
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