Adoption Of Irrigation Technologies Research Articles

ADOPTION OF SMALL-SCALE IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTION BY FARMERS IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

The research was conducted to assess the adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies for vegetable production by farmers in Nasarawa State. A multi-stage random sampling techniques was adopted on selecting three (3) local government each from the three agricultural zones in the state namely; Nasarawa North, Nasarawa south and Nasarawa west to give a total number of nine (9) local government that was used for the study, from each of the nine (9) selected local government, fifteen (15) small-scale farmers were randomly selected to give a total number of one hundred and thirty five (135) respondents that was used for the study. Data were collected and analyzed using simple descriptive statistics such a frequency count, mean score, percentage score and standard deviation to satisfy all the objectives. Instrument for data collection was administered through a well structured questionnaire and oral interview. The instrument covered all the objectives of the study. The major findings revealed that majority of the respondents (63%) were full-time farmers while (37%) were engaged in other forms of occupation. The result also indicate that majority (41%) of the respondents fall within the ages of 21 – 30yrs (30%) falls within the ages of 31 – 40yrs (15%) falls within 1 – 20yrs and (7.4%) falls within 51 and above. The findings revealed that (66%) of the respondents are male while (34%) are female. The result also shows that (70%) of the respondents are married while (37%) are single. The findings revealed that majority (46.66%) of the respondent’s uses stream as the source of water supply (27%) uses dams and (19%) uses rivers (7.40%) uses canals.

Impact of participatory irrigation management on mulched drip irrigation technology adoption in rural Xinjiang, China

Abstract Reforms in irrigation management can make important contributions to reducing irrigation water scarcity. This paper attempts to examine the role of participatory irrigation management (PIM) in farmers’ mulched drip irrigation technology adoption decisions. It is based on a comparative analysis between government-promoted mulched drip irrigation technology (GMDIT) and localized self-governed mulched drip irrigation technology (LMDIT) in rural Xinjiang, China. Data from a survey conducted in 2017 across 739 households covering 1763 plots in Awati County in Xinjiang were used to estimate a nested logit model. The results indicate that PIM induces farmers to switch from traditional flood irrigation technology to GMDIT but does not promote the adoption of LMDIT. We conclude that promoting PIM can make an important contribution to more sustainable water use in this drought-prone area but that the self-governance of localized irrigation systems requires more attention by local governments.

Trends in Water Use, Energy Consumption, and Carbon Emissions from Irrigation: Role of Shifting Technologies and Energy Sources.

Novel low-pressure irrigation technologies have been widely adopted by farmers, allowing both reduced water and energy use. However, little is known about how the transition from legacy technologies affected water and energy use at the aquifer scale. Here, we examine the widespread adoption of low-energy precision application (LEPA) and related technologies across the Kansas High Plains Aquifer. We combine direct energy consumption and carbon emission estimates with life cycle assessment to calculate the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) footprints of irrigation. We integrate detailed water use, irrigation type, and pump energy source data with aquifer water level and groundwater chemistry information to produce annual estimates of energy use and carbon emissions from 1994 to 2016. The rapid adoption of LEPA technologies did not slow pumping, but it reduced energy use by 19.2% and GHG emissions by 15.2%. Nevertheless, water level declines have offset energy efficiency gains because of LEPA adoption. Deeper water tables quadrupled the proportion of GHG emissions resulting from direct carbon emissions, offsetting the decarbonization of the regional electrical grid. We show that low-pressure irrigation technology adoption, absent policies that incentivize or mandate reduced water use, ultimately increases the energy and carbon footprints of irrigated agriculture.

Homeowners’ Preferences for Smart Irrigation Systems and Features


 
 
 
 
 
 
 Drought conditions make landscape irrigation and reducing water use top-of-mind for many Floridians. Encouraging wise water use is of particular importance to the smart irrigation industry and water policy makers. This 5-page fact sheet written by Hayk Khachatryan, Alicia Rihn, Dong Hee Suh, and Michael Dukes and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department pinpoints key attributes and barriers affecting consumers' irrigation purchases and their adoption of smart irrigation technologies. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1080
 
 
 
 
 
 

Social network and extension service in farmers' agricultural technology adoption efficiency.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the interaction effect between social network and extension service in farmers’ agricultural technology adoption efficiency (TAE). The empirical analysis refers to samples of farmers’ water-saving irrigation technology (WSIT) adoption from Minqin, China. The result indicates that social network and extension service can improve farmers’ TAE, but they are found to be competitive from the perspective of overall social network. While from the perspective of four dimensions of social network, interaction and trust have positive effects on farmers’ TAE, and learning and trust are found to be competitive with extension service. The policy implication describes as follows. First, government should pay attention to farmers’ social learning and demonstration effect. And series of measures should be taken to cultivate farmers’ social network. Second, extension service should be improved to satisfy farmers’ multiple demand on agricultural technology. Third, government should combine the effects of social network and extension service, and make different promotion strategies for different regions. In addition, other influential factors cannot be ignored.

The alternative model to predict adoption behavior of agricultural technologies

Appropriate and accurate management of water resources and agricultural irrigation plays an important role in preventing the water and food crisis worldwide especially in arid developing countries. Application of modern irrigation technologies and methods is the main issue in the optimal use of water. This goal would not be happened without considering the adoption process of the end users. Analysis of pressurized irrigation technology adoption models was the main purpose of current study. This research was accomplished based on survey method using questionnaire for data collection. All of the farmers of Abadeh county in Iran was the research population which 418 of them were selected using stratified random sampling as research sample. The face validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by a panel of specialists as well as doing a pilot study out of the main research (r = 0.74–0.92), respectively. Discriminant analysis was used to determine the predictive power of different adoption models of pressurized irrigation including task-technology fit, communicative-learning and integrative models in grouping of farmers in the two categories of adopters and non-adopters. The findings indicated that integrative model has a higher ability to classify adopters and non-adopters of pressurized irrigation with better accuracy and desirability in comparison with each of the other two models, separately. Task-technology fit and communicative learning models had low power in determining the pressurized irrigation users. Integrative model includes the factors of the two previous models as well as considering the social participation and environmental responsibility in discriminant function which could better classify the adopters and non-adopters of the technology.

Farmer’s adoption tendency towards drought shock, risk-taking networks and modern irrigation technology: evidence from Zhangye, Gansu, PRC

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to measure Farmer’s adoption tendency towards drought shock, risk-taking networks and modern irrigation technology.Design/methodology/approachBased on this assumption, this paper evaluated the data gathered from 498 household surveys of Zhangye, Gansu province, PRC, by using the binary probit model. First, the empirical data was analyzed for evaluating the impact of drought shock and risk-taking tendencies on the adoption of modern irrigation technology by farmers. Second, the authors introduced informal risk-bearing networks with formal risks. Final, based on the empirical results, the sustainability test, along with the marginal effect analysis and the degree of impact was carried out.FindingsThe results show that the drought shock has a significantly deferent effect on the modern irrigation technology of the farmers. The probability of using technology for each level of drought loss is reduced by 15.02%. The risk-taking network has a significant role in promoting the modern irrigation technology of farmers. The probability of adoption for each additional unit of rural household labor security supply, the likelihood of adoption by farmers increased 23.11%, the probability of approval for each level of relative support, and neighborhood assistance by farmers increased by 13.11% and 17.88% respectively. This study further revealed that insurance purchases enabled farmers to adopt new irrigation technology with the probability increased by 24.99%; easily available bank loans increased the probability of farmers using irrigation technology by 31.89%. From the perspective of interactions between farmers, the risk-taking network can alleviate the inhibitory effect of drought impact towards the adoption of irrigation technology. Among the control variables, the number of years of education, the age of farming, the degree of arable land, the distance from home to the market, and the price of water all has significant effects on the adoption of modern irrigation technology by farmers.Originality/valueThe novelty of the study is that it illustrated the interactive influence of drought shock and risk-taking networks on the farmer’s adoption tendencies of modern irrigation technologies, the inner relationship among drought impact, the risk-taking network and the farmer’s adoption behavior and provide an interactive relationship between the formal risk-taking network and the non-risk-taking network in farmer’s technology adoption.

On-farm adoption of irrigation technologies in two irrigated valleys in Central Chile: The effect of relative abundance of water resources

This paper examines the adoption of irrigation technologies and the underlying diversity in terms of intensity of adoption in 2 irrigated valleys in Central Chile. Results show a low and narrow range of adoption, with only 30 % of farmers adopting technologies. Through a Latent Class Analysis, 2 types of farmers were identified, a small group comprising moderate to intensive users, and a second one consisting of the majority of farmers mostly constrained in natural capital. Furthermore, the econometric analysis indicates that education, diversification, continuous access to water, and perception of water reliability increase the adoption. Conversely, higher water-land ratios, presence of community reservoirs, and earthen canals reduce the uptake. Overall, the dominance of fruit and horticulture production, access to agricultural credits, and full irrigation of the farm are the main drivers of adoption. The latter is a critical factor, indicating a relative abundance of water resources, which, alongside contextual characteristics, discourages farmers from implementing technologies. The low adoption rate, as well as the hindering factors, will challenge public and private organizations to design and implement policies aiming to improve water reliability and management. To generate incentives and increase awareness on the scarcity of the resource in the light of the predicted reductions in water availability because of climate change will be crucial as well.

Economic feasibility of conversion to mobile drip irrigation in the Central Ogallala region

As groundwater levels continue to decline in the Ogallala Aquifer, stakeholders, policymakers, and producers encourage the adoption of new irrigation technology in an effort to conserve groundwater, extend the economic life of the aquifer, and enhance profitability. One such technology currently receiving attention in the Central Ogallala region is the mobile drip irrigation (MDI) application system. This study compares MDI to low elevation spray application irrigation by evaluating the changes in variable cost per hectare to calculate the payback period for a MDI system under three levels of investment cost for grain and fiber crops representing three levels of water use while holding yield constant. Using a 3% discount rate, under the medium level of investment cost ($371 per hectare), a discounted payback period of 4.9, 9.0, and 6.3 years is required for corn, cotton, and sorghum/wheat, respectively. As the cost per hectare to convert an existing center pivot drops to $185 per hectare, the payback period also drops to 2.3, 4.2, and 3.0 years, respectively. Thus, producers growing higher water use crops are able to recover the costs of the conversion to MDI through increased water use efficiency quicker than producers growing medium and lower water use crops.

Profitability Analysis of Small Scale Irrigation Technology Adoption to Farmers in Nasho Sector, Rwanda

The study aims to assess the effect of small scale irrigation adoption to farmers in Nasho sector, Kirehe District in Rwanda. The average yield was 12,309.73 Kg/2.62 ha or 4698.73 Kg/ha for adopters with the mean difference between adopters and non adopters ranged from 2819.63 Kg to 4766.59 Kg per unit area of production. For food security status, the average mean quantity of maize consumed at home level was 615.54 Kg with the mean difference ranged from 377.29 Kg to 474.68 Kg. For market participation, the average treatment effect of the treated (ATT) of quantity of maize sold was 11,694.24 Kg while the mean difference ranged from 7165.98 Kg to 9015.60 Kg. The Average Treatment Effect of the Treated market price was 213 Frws/Kg while the mean difference ranged from 44.51 Frws/Kg to 48.3053 Frws/Kg. The Average Treatment Effect of the Treated of farmer’s revenues for the users was 938,772 Frws/ha, however, the mean difference between adopters and non adopters ranged from 1,732,942 Frws to 2,007,039 Frws. The Average Treatment Effect of the Treated of farmer’s net farm income was 1,066,393 Frws while mean difference between users and non users ranged from 803,967 Frws to 854,141 Frws. For profitability analysis, the cost benefit ratio (CBR) was taken into account. The total benefit per unit area was 2,434,509 Frws and total average mean cost of 1,382,313 Frws and CBR = 1.761 > 1. The findings of this study will help the policy makers for deeper sector planning and also, it will facilitate other stakeholders to invest in irrigation technology to improve the livelihoods of Rwandan farmers and other surroundings.

Identifying sectoral energy-carbon-water nexus characteristics of China

Energy, CO2 emissions and water (ECW) are fundamentally linked, holistic and in-depth understanding of sectoral ECW nexus is essential to achieve socioeconomic sustainability. This study employs environmental input–output (EIO) model to calculate the sectoral embodied ECW from 2002 to 2015 and adopts four indicators, i.e., sectoral embodied ECW, the proportion of direct ECW in embodied ECW and their changes to explore sectoral ECW nexus characteristics of China. Power (EGW) and transport (TRS) are key ECW nexus sectors in China with much larger embodied ECW and direct ECW. Sectors agriculture (AGR), mining (MIN), and construction (CON) show great changes in their ECW nexus characteristics between 2002 and 2015. Sector AGR is gradually becoming ECW-intensive because agricultural modernization with the large-scale adoption of modern water-saving irrigation technologies leads to rapid increase in its energy and water use. Differentiated ECW-related mitigation measures among sectors should be implemented through identifying their different ECW nexus characteristics, as well as considering the synergies and co-benefits of ECW-related policies.

Who Is Interested in Purchasing Smart Irrigation Systems?

Water scarcity concerns have led to revolutionary new smart technologies for residential landscape irrigation, including evapotranspiration and soil-moisture sensor systems. The adoption of smart irrigation technologies into residential landscapes, however, has been slow. This 7-page publication written by Hayk Khachatryan, Alicia Rihn, Caroline R. Warwick, and Michael Dukes and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department provides an overview of how different consumer groups perceive smart irrigation technology and the best promotions to encourage smart irrigation adoption in home landscapes. It is designed for landscapers, irrigation specialists, and marketing professionals who work with and are interested in promoting smart irrigation technologies to end consumers. Firms can use the results to tailor marketing strategies to target relevant customer segments and create promotions to encourage homeowners to adopt water-saving irrigation technologies. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1069

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT WATER CONDITIONS ON RICE GROWTH AT THE SEEDLING STAGE

ABSTRACT Water scarcity has led to the adoption of water-saving irrigation technology around the world. Drip-irrigation has been used for rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation in Xinjiang, China. Researchers reported 12.0 t/ha yield; however, drip-irrigated rice produces around 6-8 t/ha in practice, and it is clear that water deficiency explains this gap. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to compare the growth, photosynthetic characteristics, and antioxidant activity of rice grown in nutrient solutions with water potentials of 0.00, -0.02, -0.05, and -0.09 MPa [0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5% polyethylene glycol (PEG), respectively], to determine the optimal water conditions for drip-irrigated rice. There was no significant difference between the 0, 2.5, and 5.0% PEG treatments for relative growth rate and relative water content after 10 and 20 days. However, 2.5 and 5.0% PEG treatments substantially affected the photosynthetic capacity and antioxidant enzyme activity after 10 and 20 days. Treatment with 7.5% PEG inhibited shoot growth. There was a significant reduction in antioxidant enzyme activity. Water-saving rice cultivation, such as drip-irrigated rice, suffered mild drought stress at -0.02 to -0.05 Mpa, but this did not inhibit growth. The amount of irrigation should be increased to obtain higher rice yields under drip-irrigation conditions.

Pros and cons of furrow irrigation on smallholdings in northeast Brazil

Smallholder farming is the basis of agricultural production in developing regions. Irrigation improves the household livelihood and welfare of smallholders. Furrow irrigation is the most common type of irrigation on the small farms of public irrigation schemes set up in the Northeast of Brazil during the 1970s and 1980s. However, furrow irrigation triggers environmental problems related to deep percolation, runoff and soil erosion. The objective of this research was to determine how soil was lost from irrigation furrows as a result of their management and performance. Experiments were carried out in the Curú-Pentecoste irrigation scheme located in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Three inflow rates (corresponding to the three sizes of syphons used to apply water to the furrows) were compared on 60-m long furrows in the two predominant soil classes (sandy loam and silty clay loam) during 4 or 5 irrigation events throughout the irrigation season. Runoff represented between 20 and 70% of the water applied, carrying sediments amounting up to 2.8 Mg ha−1 in 4 irrigation events. Simple irrigation practices that could improve furrow irrigation performance in the scheme are suggested. However, the environmental problems of the furrow irrigation in practice seem inherent to the irrigation method used under those conditions. The paper discusses the adoption and performance of traditional and modern irrigation technology in smallholdings in developing regions.

Paying for privately installed irrigation services in Northern Ghana: The case of the smallholder Bhungroo Irrigation Technology

We assess factors influencing farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) amount for privately installed smallholder irrigation systems in Northern Ghana that conserve water for farming. Northern Ghana has a unimodal rainfall pattern that last for three months with a prolonged dry season. We provide insights into smallholder farmers’ affordability of simple irrigation systems fashioned on build-operate and transfer and how long it would take to breakeven to own the system. We add to the largely paucity in the literature in Northern Ghana on smallholder farmer access to irrigation services. Primary data and focus group discussions from farmers was collected between November 2015 and July 2016 in communities where the technology is installed as pilots and in areas noted for floods during the single rainy season and drought in the dry season. The Contingency Valuation Method was used to elicit information on farmers Willingness To Pay Amount. The Tobit regression model estimated the key factors that would influence their WTP amount whilst the simple investment appraisal technique, payback period, estimated the breakeven point. The mean WTP amount from the farmers was GHS180 ($45) per two seasons (a year) per hectare. Given this mean willingness to pay amount, at baseline, the typical group of five (5) maize farmers can afford to pay to own one BIT after 22 years of life of the technology. That notwithstanding, for sustainability of such a project, there is the need for strong farmer based groups to operate and manage the BIT and for the farmers to access farm inputs, access markets and be able to sell their produce at adequate prices to cover costs and to increase their income. Recommendations directed at NGOs, extension institutions, and local government authorities are to intensify training given to farmers on adoption of irrigation technologies as well as strengthening farmer-based organizations for sustainability and management of such technologies.

Large-scale Irrigation Impacts Socio-cultural Values: An Example from Rural Navarre, Spain

Large-scale irrigation is a form of agricultural intensification aimed at increasing productivity and adapting to climate change. However, we know little about how large-scale irrigation affects socio-cultural values over nature's contributions to people (NCP) in agrarian systems. In this article, we fill this gap by investigating how a large-scale irrigation project in Navarre, Spain, has affected farmers' values in relation to their farming systems and the local environment. We find that large-scale farmers who participate in the irrigation project value more highly regulating NCP than small-scale farmers who have not adopted such technology, while the latter hold higher values for non-material NCP related to cultural identity and traditional knowledge and experience. These findings suggest that the adoption of large-scale irrigation technology is associated with a set of values that underestimate the long-term ecological effects of agricultural intensification and neglect the relevance of traditional farming in sustaining more ecologically and culturally diverse landscapes.

Adoption Of Irrigation Technology To Combat Household Food Insecurity In The Resource-constrained Farming Systems Of The Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Sustainable water management has been identified as a powerful tool to combat persistent food insecurity in South Africa’s poor rural communities. The irrigation revitalisation scheme was launched in the first decade of post-Apartheid South Africa and focused on smallholder farmers in the former homeland areas. However, the adoption of irrigation technology has been limited, while official data point to worsening poverty rates and food insecurity as agricultural output declines in the face of rising prices. There is thus strong policy interest to ascertain the circumstances in which irrigation adoption can be enhanced. A cross-sectional research design was utilised to collect data from 200 farmers (adopters and non-adopters) selected through a combination of purposive and stratified sampling methods. Probit regression results suggest that irrigation adoption is influenced by distance to the irrigation scheme, age of the farmer, family size, credit access, extension contact, and group membership. Water management programmes that address community access to irrigation water are likely to enhance adoption of irrigation technology, with credit access and extension provided to ensure sustainable use of the technology. Keywords: Eastern Cape, Extension services, Food insecurity, Irrigation adoption, Smallholder farmers

Targeted, Precision Irrigation for Moving Platforms: Selected Papers from a Center Pivot Technology Transfer Effort

Abstract. This article is an introduction to an ASABE Special Collection of ten articles concerning center pivot (CP) technology transfer that appears in this issue of and in . The year 2018 marked the 40th anniversary of research and development of low-energy precision application (LEPA) for use with CP sprinkler irrigation systems. Since 1978, researchers, extension specialists, and industry have continued development of multiple technologies that are suitable for mobile lateral irrigation platforms. A two-year technology transfer effort with funding from the USDA-ARS Ogallala Aquifer Program (OAP) was initiated in January 2017 to promote adoption of advanced and efficient irrigation technologies and to highlight recommended practices for mobile irrigation platforms, including both CP and lateral-move (LM) systems. The articles in this Special Collection address five major topic areas: in-canopy and near-canopy irrigation application from moving platforms, site-specific variable-rate irrigation (VRI) and associated sensor technologies for moving platforms, the use of variable-frequency drives (VFDs) with CP systems, and uniformity evaluations for CP systems. While these ten articles are not inclusive of all the important advances in irrigation from moving platforms since 1978, they illustrate that continued improvement in irrigation management occurs by combining engineering and agronomic sciences. Pressurized irrigation from moving platforms is increasing in the U.S. and will be an important tool for meeting global food and water challenges. In addition to introducing and summarizing the Special Collection, this article provides additional rationale for the CP technology transfer effort. Keywords: Center pivot, Irrigation uniformity, Lateral-move sprinkler, LEPA, Linear-move sprinkler, Low-energy precision application, Site-specific irrigation, Sprinkler irrigation, Variable-frequency drives, Variable-rate irrigation, VFD, VRI.

Factors affecting adoption of pressurized irrigation technology among olive farmers in Northern Iran

The main aim of this paper was to investigate factors affecting the adoption of pressurized irrigation technology among Roudbar County olive farmers by path-structural modeling and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Data were collected through an information technology questionnaire addressing a cross section of 210 managers of olive farms (4.18% of the statistical population) in the Roudbar County, Northern Iran. Validity of the questionnaire was proofed using several tests (content, face, convergent and discriminant). Likewise, reliability of the questionnaire was tested employing principal component analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, Dillon–Goldstein’s ʃ and reagent stability. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of the data was accomplished using SPSSV19 and SmartPLSV3 software. For testing hypotheses, structural equation model and partial least squares that focus on reagent variance were used. Results show a significant relationship between: (a) performance expectancy and behavioral intention, (b) social influence and behavioral intention, (c) facilitating conditions and use behavior. A significant relationship was also observed between intention to use and use behavior of pressurized irrigation technology. The employed model explains 72% of behavioral intention variance and 42% of use behavior of pressurized irrigation technology variance among olive farmers. To increase willingness to accept technology among Roudbar County olive farmers, it is suggested to hold extension and education courses by organizations for raising knowledge and awareness of pressurized irrigation technology. Also, olive farmers can be provided with financial resources and knowledge to enable them to adopt this new irrigation technology.

Farmers’ adoption of water-saving irrigation technology alleviates water scarcity in metropolis suburbs: A case study of Beijing, China

Water scarcity has threatened the food security and been a critical concern in China. Promoting modern agricultural irrigation technologies has been identified as an important measure against water scarcity. The overall goal of this study was to analyze the adoption of water-saving irrigation technology by farmers and to identify the major influencing factors of this decision for metropolis suburbs. Based on a field survey of Beijing of China, the results showed that 53.1% of farmers adopted water-saving irrigation technologies to cope with water scarcity, most of which adopted engineering water-saving technologies. The number of adopted water-saving irrigation technologies followed a strong negative correlation with the share of adopters. Econometric analysis revealed that education, farm size, on-farm demonstration, cooperative, training, groundwater, access to information, water use associations, drought-prone area, neighboring farmers, and policy subsidies significantly improved the adaption to water scarcity. Age, production specialization, and cost posed a negative effect on famers’ adoption of water-saving irrigation technologies. These results and implications provide an understanding of farmers’ sustainable irrigation practices and offer an insight to influencing factors to frame improved strategies and policies that enable to cope with water scarcity of metropolis suburbs.