Water Distribution Efficiency Research Articles

Productivity and Profitability of Paddy Production in the Muda Scheme, Malaysia

The Malaysian government's policies of price support and subsidies for rice production, free fertilizers and provision of agricu ltural extension services have enabled the farm ers to increase rice output over tim e, particularly after 1984. The Muda A gricultural D evelopm ent A uthority (M A D A) im proved the efficiency of water distribution and w ater use by investm ents in tertiary canals and farm roads and by improved data feedback systems. The farmers have also responded to labour and water shortages by adopting direct seeding in place of transplanting of rice and by integrated pest management practices. This paper presents a description of levels and changes in productivity and profitability of paddy production in the M uda irrigation scheme in Malaysia. It has been noted that, over the 1980s, there w as a substantial reduction in rainfall and overall availability of water resources for irrigation in the region. Despite these adverse factors, farm ers were able to increase total crop output by about 16% over the decade (1980-82 to 1990-91). Paddy output per unit of w ater released from the reservoirs increased by alm ost 45% in that period. The cost of production of paddy declined marginally over time for land owners as a result of reduced labour costs for transplanting rice. For tenants, the cost of production increased by about 17% owing to a substantial (50%) rise in land rents. H ence, higher yields have not resulted in higher incomes for farm ers despite an increase in output price subsidies.

Water resources research needs in the Arabian Gulf area

Priority goals of water resources research in the arid Gulf Cooperation Council Countries are outlined, and rationalized, and studies to accomplish these goals are suggested. The research goals include preservation and protection of aquifers; improving water distribution and use efficiency; reducing the cost of water production; securing supply sources to meet future water demands; and development of centralized national data banks and trained national cadres in water resources science and technology.

Investment in capacity to supply water for irrigated agriculture from underground water storage

This article develops the concept of groundwater-supply-capacity (GSC). The concept is straightforward in the case of large public tubewells with defined command areas but more difficult where private pumps are used. It is argued that level of GSC is fundamental to economic analysis of groundwater options, and that the relationship with agricultural benefits needs explicit treatment. Comparison of the performance of groundwater irrigation developments requires an adjustment for the level of water supply. The level of GSC serving an area of land determines the amount and frequency of irrigation, and thus the crops and yields that are possible. If supply-capacity is sufficient, groundwater can be tapped on demand to provide the ideal water-supply for agriculture. Yet the unit area cost of groundwater irrigation is closely related to the level of GSC, and in a capital-short developing economy there is a resource allocation trade-off between high levels of capacity or larger areas irrigated at lower levels of supply-capacity. For efficient development of groundwater resources, reasonable solutions have to be found to the interaction between the economics of the crop-water response, the physical and organisational efficiency of water distribution, and the cost-mix alternatives, all of which are functions of the level of GSC.

Describing Irrigation Efficiency and Uniformity

To help standardize system design and evaluation terminology, a limited number of the more essential terms defining efficiency of water application and distribution by irrigation systems are presented. These definitions have been formulated to minimize conflict with common usage or existing glossaries. Where methods of evaluating the terms are not obvious, suggestions have been presented and the utility of the terms in irrigation system design or evaluation has been discussed. Application of the terms to some of the newly developing methods of irrigation has also been considered.

Surface Irrigation Water-Distribution Efficiency Related to Soil Infiltration

Surface Irrigation Water-Distribution Efficiency Related to Soil Infiltration