Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?

Water rebound has been recognized as a significant issue that reduces the effectiveness of irrigation efficiency improvement policies aimed at water conservation. However, there is an absence of quantitative analysis of the impact of crop mixes on the water rebound effect, and studies focusing on th...

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Main Authors: Ying Chai, Haoran Zhang, Zilong Ma, Su Pan, Jieqi Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Water
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2022.930481/full
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author Ying Chai
Haoran Zhang
Zilong Ma
Su Pan
Jieqi Zhou
author_facet Ying Chai
Haoran Zhang
Zilong Ma
Su Pan
Jieqi Zhou
author_sort Ying Chai
collection DOAJ
description Water rebound has been recognized as a significant issue that reduces the effectiveness of irrigation efficiency improvement policies aimed at water conservation. However, there is an absence of quantitative analysis of the impact of crop mixes on the water rebound effect, and studies focusing on the heterogeneous effects of various climatic regions are scarce. Thus, this study aims to explore the effects of water rebound on irrigation efficiency improvements from the perspectives of crop mix and climatic region. First, we construct a double-layered moderating effect framework to incorporate the two interactive factors of crop mix and climatic region combined with two rebound mechanisms, cost reduction and increased revenue. Second, we conduct empirical analyses to test three hypotheses based on provincial-level data from 2003 to 2017 in China, which provides a unique empirical context wherein changes in the crop mix depend on factors other than the water-use policy. This paper takes advantage of the implementation of Rural Land Contracting Law since 2003 and Water Conservancy Key Counties Construction Program since 2009 to identify the effects of water rebound on irrigation efficiency improvements from the perspectives of crop mix and climatic region. We found that the water rebound effect was about 67.72%. Crop mixes involving higher proportions of non-grain crops were associated with higher levels of water conservation and less water rebound. Furthermore, non-grain crops in humid regions were more likely to experience water rebound than those in non-humid regions. Thus, given China's national strategy of food security, reducing the proportion of non-grain crops in humid regions will help to sustain agricultural water resources and conserve the environment.
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spelling doaj.art-36fa4f8a8d4a4844bff8b1e413394f892022-12-22T00:54:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Water2624-93752022-07-01410.3389/frwa.2022.930481930481Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?Ying ChaiHaoran ZhangZilong MaSu PanJieqi ZhouWater rebound has been recognized as a significant issue that reduces the effectiveness of irrigation efficiency improvement policies aimed at water conservation. However, there is an absence of quantitative analysis of the impact of crop mixes on the water rebound effect, and studies focusing on the heterogeneous effects of various climatic regions are scarce. Thus, this study aims to explore the effects of water rebound on irrigation efficiency improvements from the perspectives of crop mix and climatic region. First, we construct a double-layered moderating effect framework to incorporate the two interactive factors of crop mix and climatic region combined with two rebound mechanisms, cost reduction and increased revenue. Second, we conduct empirical analyses to test three hypotheses based on provincial-level data from 2003 to 2017 in China, which provides a unique empirical context wherein changes in the crop mix depend on factors other than the water-use policy. This paper takes advantage of the implementation of Rural Land Contracting Law since 2003 and Water Conservancy Key Counties Construction Program since 2009 to identify the effects of water rebound on irrigation efficiency improvements from the perspectives of crop mix and climatic region. We found that the water rebound effect was about 67.72%. Crop mixes involving higher proportions of non-grain crops were associated with higher levels of water conservation and less water rebound. Furthermore, non-grain crops in humid regions were more likely to experience water rebound than those in non-humid regions. Thus, given China's national strategy of food security, reducing the proportion of non-grain crops in humid regions will help to sustain agricultural water resources and conserve the environment.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2022.930481/fullirrigation efficiencywater reboundcrop mixdouble-layered moderating effectChina
spellingShingle Ying Chai
Haoran Zhang
Zilong Ma
Su Pan
Jieqi Zhou
Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?
Frontiers in Water
irrigation efficiency
water rebound
crop mix
double-layered moderating effect
China
title Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?
title_full Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?
title_fullStr Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?
title_full_unstemmed Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?
title_short Can the Right Crop Mix Reduce the Water Rebound Effect Following Improvements in Irrigation Efficiency?
title_sort can the right crop mix reduce the water rebound effect following improvements in irrigation efficiency
topic irrigation efficiency
water rebound
crop mix
double-layered moderating effect
China
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2022.930481/full
work_keys_str_mv AT yingchai cantherightcropmixreducethewaterreboundeffectfollowingimprovementsinirrigationefficiency
AT haoranzhang cantherightcropmixreducethewaterreboundeffectfollowingimprovementsinirrigationefficiency
AT zilongma cantherightcropmixreducethewaterreboundeffectfollowingimprovementsinirrigationefficiency
AT supan cantherightcropmixreducethewaterreboundeffectfollowingimprovementsinirrigationefficiency
AT jieqizhou cantherightcropmixreducethewaterreboundeffectfollowingimprovementsinirrigationefficiency