Water productivity accounting in Australian agriculture: The need for cost-informed decision-making

Abstract

Primary producers need strategies and tools to assist in monitoring water use with a view to improving physical and financial productivity. The purpose of this research is to integrate farmer financial accounting data with soil moisture and climate data to better account for water use on farm. Farm-accounting systems, if present, lack the sophistication to allow growers to analyze use, loss, and productivity of water. Water-accounting technologies, if present, do not readily link to business systems to provide the optimal real-time financial decision-making data, nor the necessary context for new technologies to support a broader integrated approach to water management. Findings of desk-based technology benchmarking suggest elements required include real-time sensory data integration that allows for strategic allocation to the full suite of direct and indirect water costs. Key actor interview and producer surveys highlight demand for a farm business integrated water productivity tool and findings from field data collected in a potato case study provide demonstration of how irrigation decision-making can be supported by the crucial link between producers’ business systems and sensing technology.