Adoption Of Irrigation Technologies Research Articles

Efficiency and Water Use: Dynamic Effects of Irrigation Technology Adoption

Efficiency and Water Use: Dynamic Effects of Irrigation Technology Adoption

Efficiency and Water Use: Dynamic Effects of Irrigation Technology Adoption

Efficiency and Water Use: Dynamic Effects of Irrigation Technology Adoption

Steering agricultural interventions towards sustained irrigation adoption by farmers: socio-psychological analysis of irrigation practices in Maharashtra, India

The adoption of agricultural technologies like irrigation is influenced by complex contextual and socio-psychological factors. This study used the socio-psychological RANAS framework to examine the factors impacting irrigation adoption in Maharashtra (India). Logistic regression modelling was conducted based on cross-sectional surveys in 2019 and 2022, with interim interventions promoting risk-awareness and irrigation technology training. Effects of the interventions on the psychological variables in 2022 were corrected using instrumental variable regression. While micro-irrigation adoption rose from 36.9% to 62.8%, overall irrigation counterproductively decreased from 81.6% to 70.4%. Results indicated that wealth and risk-aversion remained relevant, while self-perceived ability and attitude towards irrigation became non-significant to irrigation adoption. This study highlights the unintended consequences of interventions and the necessity to also transform attitudes, and promote psychological ownership and trust to sustain irrigation technology adoption behaviour. These results could support stakeholders (policy makers, water authorities, NGOs) in designing and implementing more sustainable interventions.

Steering agricultural interventions towards sustained irrigation adoption by farmers: socio-psychological analysis of irrigation practices in Maharashtra, India

The adoption of agricultural technologies like irrigation is influenced by complex contextual and socio-psychological factors. This study used the socio-psychological RANAS framework to examine the factors impacting irrigation adoption in Maharashtra (India). Logistic regression modelling was conducted based on cross-sectional surveys in 2019 and 2022, with interim interventions promoting risk-awareness and irrigation technology training. Effects of the interventions on the psychological variables in 2022 were corrected using instrumental variable regression. While micro-irrigation adoption rose from 36.9% to 62.8%, overall irrigation counterproductively decreased from 81.6% to 70.4%. Results indicated that wealth and risk-aversion remained relevant, while self-perceived ability and attitude towards irrigation became non-significant to irrigation adoption. This study highlights the unintended consequences of interventions and the necessity to also transform attitudes, and promote psychological ownership and trust to sustain irrigation technology adoption behaviour. These results could support stakeholders (policy makers, water authorities, NGOs) in designing and implementing more sustainable interventions.

Impact of participation in collective action on farmers’ decisions and waiting time to adopt soil and water conservation measures

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the influence of farmers’ degree of participation in collective action on their adoption decisions and waiting time regarding soil and water conservation (SWC) measures.Design/methodology/approachThe Probit model and Generalized Propensity Score Match method are used to assess the effect of the degree of participation in collective action on farmers’ adoption decisions and waiting time for implementing SWC measures.FindingsThe findings reveal that farmers’ engagement in collective action positively influences the decision-making process regarding terrace construction, water-saving irrigation and afforestation measures. However, it does not significantly impact the decision-making process for plastic film and ridge-furrow tillage practices. Notably, collective action has the strongest influence on farmers’ adoption decisions regarding water-saving irrigation technology, with a relatively smaller influence on the adoption of afforestation and terrace measures. Moreover, the results suggest that participating in collective action effectively reduces the waiting time for terrace construction and expedites the adoption of afforestation and water-saving irrigation technology. Specifically, collective action has a significantly negative effect on the waiting time for terrace construction, followed by water-saving irrigation technology and afforestation measures.Practical implicationsThe results of this study underscore the significance of fostering mutual assistance and cooperation mechanisms among farmers, as they can pave the way for raising funds and labor, cultivating elite farmers, attracting skilled labor to rural areas, enhancing the adoption rate and expediting the implementation of terraces, water-saving irrigation technology and afforestation measures.Originality/valueDrawing on an evaluation of farmers’ degree of participation in collective action, this paper investigates the effect of participation on their SWC adoption decisions and waiting times, thereby offering theoretical and practical insights into soil erosion control in the Loess Plateau.

Integrating Water Management Practices with Modern Irrigation Technologies in Aalo, West Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh

This research addresses the imperative of harmonizing traditional water management practices with contemporary irrigation technologies to ensure sustainable water use in Aalo, West Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh. Given the pressing need to optimize water resources for agricultural pursuits while upholding environmental integrity and socio-economic progress, a multidisciplinary methodology is employed. Aalo faces multifaceted challenges such as water scarcity, erratic rainfall patterns, and escalating agricultural demands. While traditional water management methods have historically upheld agricultural livelihoods, the advent of modern irrigation technologies presents promising avenues for bolstering water efficiency, crop productivity, and sustainable development. Through a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative analysis, qualitative assessments, and participatory research methods, the study endeavors to comprehensively understand water management practices and irrigation technologies in Aalo. Surveys, interviews, and field observations will facilitate the assessment of traditional water management systems' efficacy in mitigating water scarcity and supporting agricultural productivity. Concurrently, the study will evaluate the adoption and impact of modern irrigation technologies on water use efficiency, crop yields, and socio-economic indicators in the region. Anticipated findings are poised to unveil synergies and prospects for integrating traditional wisdom with modern irrigation practices to fortify sustainability and resilience in water management. Consequently, the study will offer actionable recommendations targeted at policymakers, agricultural extension services, and local communities. These recommendations encompass preserving traditional water management systems, promoting the uptake of modern irrigation technologies, fostering knowledge exchange, capacity-building initiatives, and nurturing community engagement in water management endeavors. Through these initiatives, the research aims to foster a holistic approach towards sustainable water management practices in Aalo, poised at the nexus of traditional knowledge and contemporary innovation.

Evaluating the adoption of irrigation technology in a well-irrigated winter wheat－summer maize cropping system

Determining suitable irrigation technology is of paramount for promoting water-saving agriculture, particularly for winter wheat-summer maize rotation system in well-irrigated regions. To optimize and assess the efficacy of various irrigation technologies (specifically, semi-fixed sprinkler irrigation, walking sprinkler, semi-automatic buried telescopic sprinkler irrigation, thin-soft spray tape irrigation, drip irrigation, self-driven winch sprinkler and manually moving spray gun irrigation, marked as A, B, C, D, E, F and G) applied in south central North China Plain, we first conducted an economic analysis for the winter wheat-summer maize rotation. Subsequently, employing a comprehensive set of 20 indicators spanning economic, societal, technological, ecological, and resource aspects, we employed a TOPSIS model with integrative weighting approach using “AHP + Entropy”. We also employed principal component analysis and the Sankey diagram method to explore characteristics of different irrigation techniques and indexes. Irrigation mode E, conserving energy by 63.19% compared to mode B and offering labor savings five times greater than the mode D. The highest economic benefit for the rotation system was observed with the mode C, resulting in a 25.26% increase compared to the mode G. The top three irrigation modes based on scores were D, G, and E, with scores of 0.532, 0.490, and 0.474, respectively. The Sankey diagram revealed distinct preferences among different agricultural entities for specific irrigation modes. For specific stakeholders, we recommend irrigation modes D, G, F, and B for small farmers, large and specialized family businesses, family farms, and farmer cooperatives, respectively. In conclusion, our findings provide valuable scientific support and recommendations for the practical application of irrigation technology in agricultural production.

Determinants of Irrigation Technology Adoption and Acreage Allocation in Crop Production in Louisiana, USA

This study identifies the determinants of furrow irrigation technology adoption in soybean production. Further, it estimates and evaluates the determinants of acreage allocation under different irrigation technologies in Louisiana crop production. Through a comprehensive mail survey, we acquired the necessary data, employing them to conduct IV-probit estimations specifically focused on irrigation technology adoption. Simultaneously, we utilized the same dataset to deploy multivariate fractional regression models, facilitating a robust exploration and evaluation of the acreage allocation of crop production in the state. The estimated results indicate that education has a significant negative effect on furrow irrigation adoption, while laser leveling has a significant positive effect on it. In particular, the expected probability of furrow irrigation adoption by farmers with a college degree or higher is 45% lower than farmers with education below the college degree. Education, risk attitude, and landholding have a negative effect, and rent status and have a positive effect on acreage allocation under the furrow irrigation system. Our study implies that appropriate policy tools may motivate farmers to adopt cost-effective as well as water-conserving irrigation technology.

The influence of technology perceptions on farmers' water-saving irrigation technology adoption behavior in the North China Plain

Abstract The application and promotion of water-saving irrigation technology are of great significance for maintaining food security and the sustainable development of agricultural water resources. Based on the characteristics of integrated agricultural technologies, a binary logistic model was used to analyze the impact of technology perception on farmers' adoption behavior regarding water-saving irrigation technologies using data from surveys of 775 wheat and maize farmers in the North China Plain. The results show the following: the perceived ease of use of technology significantly contributes to farmers' water-saving irrigation technology adoption behavior, but the effect of the perceived usefulness of technology is not significant. Government regulation plays a moderating role in the impact of the perceived ease of use of technology on the adoption of water-saving irrigation technologies by farmers. In addition to the perceived ease of use of technology and technology training, large-scale farmers are influenced by government advocacy and technology subsidies, while smallholders are mainly influenced by the perceived usefulness of technology. Therefore, the focus of future work should be on improving farmers' perceptions of the ease of use of water-saving irrigation technologies, expanding the scope of technical training and technical subsidies, and strengthening government advocacy and education.

Drivers and barriers to the adoption of precision irrigation technologies in olive and cotton farming—Lessons from Messenia and Thessaly regions in Greece

Precision irrigation technologies have the ability to increase crop yields and productivity, optimize water use efficiency and minimise environmental impact. Despite this, adoption of precision irrigation technologies by farmers remains low and slow. This research investigated the behavioural factors that affect farmers’ intention to adopt precision irrigation technologies in olive groves and cotton production in the regions of Messenia and Thessaly of Greece respectively. Data were collected through in-depth face-to-face interviews using an extensive questionnaire, involving a sample of 82 farmer respondents. The findings reveal that environmental consciousness has the most substantial impact on farmers’ intention to adopt precision irrigation technologies. It is followed by perceived economic benefits, perceived behavioural control, and perceived compatibility, all of which contribute significantly to the intention to adopt. Furthermore, risk aversion, although displaying a smaller effect, remains a notable consideration in the analysis. These results offer valuable insights into technology adoption in agriculture and bear implications for future strategies and policy recommendations.

Analysis on Farmers’ Adoption Behavior of Water Saving Irrigation Technology and its Income Increasing Effect

Based on the sample survey data of grain farmers in Shandong, Hebei and Henan provinces, This paper use Probit model and Mediating Effect Model to analyze the influencing factors of farmers’ adoption behavior of water saving irrigation technology(WSIT) and their income increasing effects. The results show that education years of household head, planting scale, cooperatives membership and perception of water scarcity all significantly promoted farmers’ adoption of water saving irrigation technology. Water saving irrigation technology adoption behavior can significantly increase farmers’ income. After using instrumental variable method to deal with endogenous problems, the regression results are still stable. The adoption of water saving irrigation technology not only has a direct effect on improving household income, but also indirectly increases household income through factor inputs. Therefore, strengthening agricultural technology popularization, guiding and encouraging farmers to join cooperatives, and expanding farmers’ planting scale through land circulation are the keys to improve farmers’ income level.

Determinants of the Adoption of Small-Scale Irrigation Technology and Its Impact on Household Food Security in Ethiopia: A Review

Determinants of the Adoption of Small-Scale Irrigation Technology and Its Impact on Household Food Security in Ethiopia: A Review

Comparison of different modern irrigation system adopters through socio-economic, innovation characteristics and social capital values

Diffusion of modern irrigation systems is one of the most important objectives of Iranian water policies targeting the sustainable use of water resources to resolve the water crisis. Despite considerable policy support, high subsidization, and a range of benefits, farmers have only minimally adopted modern irrigation systems in most parts of Iran. Therefore, the water crisis persists in almost all parts of the country. Thus, decision makers must recognize why diffusion of these systems has not been successful among farmers despite strong financial and political support. The aim of the current study was to investigate differences between adoption groups of modern irrigation systems and more critically whether the aspects affecting approval were altered by ongoing diffusion prejudiced by policy support. In other words, we explored the postponement of adoption among the early and the later adopters of modern irrigation systems and aimed to identify reasons behind different adoption behaviors. To achieve these aims, we developed a research framework of adoption that integrates multiple theories. In addition to the already established measures (human and physical capital), the current study integrated social capital and technology characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Behbahan district in Khuzestan province southwest Iran. A total of 274 farmers were interviewed, of which 100 farmers had not and 174 farmers had adopted modern irrigation systems. A multinomial logit model was applied by using STATA14 to identify the most effective factors for farmers’ adoption decisions. We distinguished four groups; three consisted of adopters (early, middle, and late adopters) and a fourth group of non-adopters who did not accept modern irrigation technologies. The study found that farmers’ delayed adoption of drip irrigation technologies was due to the complexity of the application process and the availability of family and work social capital. Additionally, the study suggested that improved trust in institutions could increase the likelihood of earlier adoption of these technologies. The results also revealed divergent perspectives among pioneer (early adopters), follower (middle adopter), and laggard (late adopter) farmers regarding the adoption of drip irrigation technologies.

Climate and Socio-economic Factors Affecting the Adoption of Irrigation Practices for Improved Rice Yield in Mbeya Region, Tanzania

Rural farmers are facing different challenges, resulting from climate change and weather variability, which pose threats in crop production and productivity. Small scale farmers try to cope with the prevailing situations by adjusting to different mechanisms including adopting irrigation services. This study seeks to determine the factors influencing rice farmers’ decision to adopt irrigation technology and find out the significant contribution of irrigation to rice yields in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions. Data analyses were performed by using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and ordinary least square (OLS) regression by STATA (v13). The descriptive statistics characterized households’ socio-demographic and economic characteristics. Logistic regression results affirmed that households’ education, labor size, meteorological information, access to financial services, extension services and previous farm outputs significantly influenced irrigation adoption by farmers. Results from OLS regression confirmed that irrigation significantly contributed about 3.2 % to rice yield at P>0.05 level. The study recommends the adoption of irrigation technology in Tanzania as means of coping strategy to the negative impact of climate change and weather variations.

Typology of Irrigation Technology Adopters in Oil Palm Production: A Categorical Principal Components and Fuzzy Logic Approach

Oil palm is the second most cultivated oilseed crop in the world after soybeans, with more than 23 million hectares cultivated worldwide; it has become crucial for the economy of many countries. In Colombia, it is one of the most developed agricultural sectors, and every year the sector promotes the development of technologies that lead to greater sustainability of agricultural and food systems and address the challenges and opportunities of agribusiness. In this research, the central focus was the adoption of irrigation technologies, which is limited despite significant efforts and investments in physical and human capital. On many occasions, the typology of farmers has been associated with low technology implementation. Thus, linking the typology of farmers according to certain commonalities or differences is an essential step in exploring the factors that explain the adoption. In addition, the ranking also helps in the understanding of existing adoption constraints, as well as finding opportunities for change. This study aimed to determine the socioeconomic and demographic typology of those who adopt irrigation technologies. The analysis was performed using categorical principal component analysis to reduce dimensionality and fuzzy cluster analysis to classify the groups. As a result, four groups of producers that differ in terms of their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were obtained, where the groups “population with female leadership” and “diversified population” were the adopters of irrigation technologies. The most outstanding characteristics of these two groups were the profitability of the harvest and the age of the producers. Determining the typology of farmers is a fundamental step in expanding the technology adoption process through agricultural extension services, which represent a way of reaching producers directly. In addition, these results allow decision makers to participate in this dynamic reflectively and intentionally (such as governments, researchers, and technology transferors).

Social comparisons and groundwater use: Evidence from Colorado and Kansas

AbstractIn the United States, agriculture is responsible for the majority of consumptive water use. To reduce consumptive use in water scarce regions, policymakers have implemented a number of costly interventions. These interventions range from land retirement to subsidies that encourage the adoption of efficient irrigation technologies. In nonagricultural contexts, costly policy interventions have been complemented by low‐cost interventions inspired by behavioral economics. Whether these behavioral interventions are effective in the context of commercial farming is not well understood. In a preregistered, randomized field intervention, we estimate the impact of social (peer) comparisons on agricultural groundwater users in Colorado and Kansas. More than three thousand irrigators were randomized to receive either an annual peer comparison or no comparison. The peer comparison contrasted each irrigator's groundwater use to the distribution of use by neighboring irrigators. The comparison intervention reduced average annual groundwater use by 4.05% [95% CI (−5.87%, − 2.21%)], resulting in an aggregate reduction of more than 21,000 acre‐feet per year at a cost less than $1.31 per acre‐foot conserved. The estimated treatment effect was larger among irrigators with lower pre‐intervention water use. In the 3‐year experiment, we observed no evidence that the treatment effect substantially attenuated over time. We did, however, detect within‐irrigator spillovers in the treatment group: groundwater use also declined among wells that were not included in the peer comparisons (peer comparisons included a maximum of three wells). The results imply that social comparisons can be a cost‐effective tool, alongside other policy interventions, aimed at reducing agricultural water use.

Optimal subsidization for the adoption of new irrigation technologies

Cost-sharing subsidies partially cover the fixed costs of water-saving technologies, promoting their adoption as one of the major irrigation water demand management tools that improve on-farm irrigation system efficiency and potentially free up more water for higher-value uses in water-scarce areas. In this study, we investigate the optimal subsidization scheme in the presence of adverse selection problems where the farmer’s wealth is her private information using a theoretical model of a centralized regulatory structure. In the model, we show that the first-best investment levels can be implemented when the regulator has enough resources for subsidization. Otherwise, the outcome depends on which farmer – the high-wealth farmer or the low-wealth one – contributes more to the social welfare when confronted with their first-best investment levels. Particularly, the model’s findings suggest that an optimal subsidization scheme might involve either high or low wealth farmer’s investment level being downward distorted from their first-best levels. Furthermore, in some circumstances, if the wealth disparity is sufficiently large, it is optimal to subsidize high wealth farmers only. Overall, prioritizing economic efficiency may help conserve scarce irrigation water, but it may also conflict with social equity by denying some farmers access to public subsidies.

The Impact of Technical Training on Farmers Adopting Water-Saving Irrigation Technology: An Empirical Evidence from China

Farmers’ adoption of water-saving irrigation technology (WSIT) is essential for achieving high-quality agricultural development. An in-depth analysis of the impact of risk aversion, technical training and their interaction on farmers’ adoption of WSIT will help the government to promote WSIT to facilitate agricultural resource conservation and sustainable development. The study takes 707 farmers who grow watermelons and muskmelon in Yuncheng and Xian City of Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces as the research object to analyse the influence of risk aversion and technical training and their interaction terms on farmers’ WSIT adoption behaviour. The study uses the Probit and moderating effect models to outline the findings. The empirical analysis reveals the following outcomes: (i) 27.44% of the sample farmers adopt water-saving irrigation technology, indicating that the current adoption rate and the enthusiasm for adoption are relatively low; (ii) risk aversion has a significant negative impact on farmers’ adoption of WSIT; (iii) both online and offline technical training have a significant positive impact on farmers’ adoption of WSIT; (iv) significant group differences exist in the effects of risk aversion, online technical training, offline technical training and interaction items on farmers’ WSIT adoption behaviour. Therefore, the study proposes to strengthen the role of technical training in the diffusion of WSIT and implement differentiated technical training for different types of farmers to reduce the degree of risk aversion of farmers.

Identification of Influential Factors in the Adoption of Irrigation Technologies through Neural Network Analysis: A Case Study with Oil Palm Growers

Water is one of the most determining factors in obtaining high yields in oil palm crops. However, water scarcity is becoming a challenge for agricultural sustainability. Therefore, when the environmental supply of water is low, it is necessary to provide it to crops with the highest degree of efficiency. However, although irrigation technologies are available, for various reasons farmers continue to use inefficient irrigation systems, which causes resource losses. The objective of this study was to analyze the percentage of adoption of irrigation technologies for water management in oil palm crops and to classify the factors influencing their adoption by producers. The method for the classification of influential factors was based on multiple correspondence analysis and perceptron neural networks. The results showed that fewer than 15% of the producers adopt irrigation technologies, and the factors classified as influential in the adoption decision were the age of the palm growers, the size of the plantation, and the access to extension services. These results are the basis for the formulation of effective and focused extension strategies according to the characteristics of the producers and the local and technological specificity.

Can food security and low carbon be achieved simultaneously? —An empirical analysis of the mechanisms influencing the carbon footprint of potato and corn cultivation in irrigation areas

Irrigated agriculture has tripled since 1950, accounting for 20% of the global arable land and 40% of food production. Irrigated agriculture increases food security yet has controversial implications for global climate change. Most previous studies have calculated carbon emissions and their composition in irrigated areas using the engineering approach to life-cycle assessment. By combining life cycle assessment (LCA)-based carbon emissions accounting with econometric models such as multiple linear regression and structural equation modeling (SEM), we conducted an interdisciplinary study to identify the influencing factors and internal mechanisms of the carbon footprint (CFP) of smallholder crop cultivation on irrigation reform pilot areas. To this end, we investigated corn and potato production data in the 2019–2020 crop years for 852 plots of 345 rural households in six villages (two irrigation agriculture pilot villages and four surrounding villages as controls) in Southwest China. The crop CFP in the irrigation agriculture pilot areas was significantly lower than in non-reform areas. Irrigation reforms mainly impacted the crop CFP through four intermediary effects: the project (implementation of field irrigation channels), technology (improving adoption of new irrigation technologies), management (proper irrigation operation and maintenance), and yield effects. All effects inhibited the CFP, except for the project effect that promotes carbon emissions. Among them, yield increase has the greatest impact on reducing CFP, followed by management and technology effects. Furthermore, planting practices, individual characteristics, and plot quality significantly impacted the crop CFP. This study has policy implications for understanding the food security–climate nexus in the food production industry.