Participatory Irrigation Management and Irrigation Water Use Efficiency in Maize Production: Evidence from Zhangye City, Northwestern China

Zhihui Li,Xiangzheng Deng,Qing Zhou,Feng Wu,Wei Song

doi:10.3390/w9110822

Abstract

Water has become increasingly scarce in northwestern China due to climate change, economic growth and burgeoning population. Improving agriculture water use efficiency is of strategic significance in promoting socio-economic water productivity for arid and semi-arid inland river basins. Based on the household-level data collected in Zhangye City, which is located in the middle reaches of Heihe River Basin (HRB) in northwestern China, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) of maize is estimated based on stochastic frontier analysis. The impacts of influential factors, especially the participatory irrigation management (PIM) through water user associations (WUAs), on IWUE were further examined. Results show that the estimated average Technical efficiency (TE) and IWUE of maize production are 0.74 and 0.24, respectively. The participation level in irrigation management is very low, with only 40% of the respondents participating in WUA meetings. In addition, most have a relatively superficial understanding of the roles and management scheme of WUAs. Empirical results show that though significantly positive, the magnitude of the impact of PIM on IWUE is relatively small. Households that participated in WUA meetings achieved only 0.002% higher IWUEs than those have never participated in. WUAs are not operating with their designed objectives. Consequently, reform of the traditional management form of WUAs to make them more transparent, fair, and extensively participated in among farmers is in urgently need. In addition, we also find that water price, source of irrigation water, irrigation technology adoption and famers’ education level and farming experience also have significant positive impacts on IWUE.

Highlights

Water scarcity has become a main challenge for the world with increasing demand resulting from burgeoning population, accelerating economic development, and rapid urbanization [1,2].Globally, agriculture activities consume the vast majority of freshwater among irrigation withdrawals, representing approximately 70% of total water use, and the ratio is even higher in many developing countries [3]
To promote participatory irrigation management and the full involvement of small-scale farmers, our study indicates that the creation of water user associations (WUAs) results in irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) improvement
This study examines farmers’ IWUE in maize production in northwestern China

Summary

Introduction

Water scarcity has become a main challenge for the world with increasing demand resulting from burgeoning population, accelerating economic development, and rapid urbanization [1,2].Globally, agriculture activities consume the vast majority of freshwater among irrigation withdrawals, representing approximately 70% of total water use, and the ratio is even higher in many developing countries [3]. Competition for water between agriculture and nonagricultural activities will become fiercer in order to achieve higher water productivity [7,8]. It indicates that agriculture will not be given priority for any additional future allocations of water since water has higher marginal returns in industry and the residential sectors. Under such circumstances, improving irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) is an imperative strategy to solve the water shortage problem and a critical measure for achieving sustainable irrigated agriculture [9,10]

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Results

Conclusion