Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North China
Water use efficiency (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi><mi>E</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>)...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-04-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/5/1100 |
| _version_ | 1797502284812255232 |
|---|---|
| author | Lexin Ma Dandan Ren Yonghui Yang Zhuping Sheng Linfei Yu Shumin Han Yanmin Yang Zhenjun Hou |
| author_facet | Lexin Ma Dandan Ren Yonghui Yang Zhuping Sheng Linfei Yu Shumin Han Yanmin Yang Zhenjun Hou |
| author_sort | Lexin Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water use efficiency (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi><mi>E</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) is one of the most widely used indicators in agricultural water management. Although this indicator has obvious advantages, it is limited to measuring the relationship between crop yield and corresponding water use. In recent years, many researchers have noted that understanding the economic efficiency of water use (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) could have great water-saving potential, while it has been poorly investigated with respect to China’s agricultural water management. This paper assesses <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> through a household farmer-level survey in the piedmont region of North China. First, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of crops are estimated based on agricultural water consumption (including irrigation water and effective precipitation) and profit (including gross profit and net profit); Second, the impact of monthly price changes in 2019 and annual price changes in 2014–2019 on <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> is analysed. Main conclusions are as follows: (1) <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> values of cash crops such as apple and cauliflower are much higher than those of grain crops such as wheat and maize; (2) For different crops, the median economic efficiency of irrigation water (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>i</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and total water (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>t</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) range from 31.71 to 99.54 ¥/m<sup>3</sup> and 11.31 to 44.05 ¥/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively; (3) The multi-year average <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>i</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>t</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ranged from 4.75 to 63.99 ¥/m<sup>3</sup> and from 2.67 to 31.71 ¥/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. Economic efficiency of water use shows a slightly downward trend in the period of study, which would contradict the trend towards the use of more water-efficient technologies and shows an even larger margin of improvement in the domain of agricultural water efficiency. The results provide a powerful reference for the management of agricultural water use through economic leverage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:30:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4b49d5240a948b892ef4665fd15d353 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:30:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4b49d5240a948b892ef4665fd15d3532023-11-23T09:42:51ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-04-01125110010.3390/agronomy12051100Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North ChinaLexin Ma0Dandan Ren1Yonghui Yang2Zhuping Sheng3Linfei Yu4Shumin Han5Yanmin Yang6Zhenjun Hou7Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resource, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, ChinaCollege of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resource, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, ChinaTexas A & M AgriLife Research Center, El Paso, TX 79927, USAKey Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100011, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resource, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resource, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, ChinaBaoding Wangdu Irrigation Experimental Stational, Baoding 071000, ChinaWater use efficiency (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi><mi>E</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) is one of the most widely used indicators in agricultural water management. Although this indicator has obvious advantages, it is limited to measuring the relationship between crop yield and corresponding water use. In recent years, many researchers have noted that understanding the economic efficiency of water use (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) could have great water-saving potential, while it has been poorly investigated with respect to China’s agricultural water management. This paper assesses <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> through a household farmer-level survey in the piedmont region of North China. First, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of crops are estimated based on agricultural water consumption (including irrigation water and effective precipitation) and profit (including gross profit and net profit); Second, the impact of monthly price changes in 2019 and annual price changes in 2014–2019 on <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> is analysed. Main conclusions are as follows: (1) <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><mi>W</mi><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> values of cash crops such as apple and cauliflower are much higher than those of grain crops such as wheat and maize; (2) For different crops, the median economic efficiency of irrigation water (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>i</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and total water (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>t</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) range from 31.71 to 99.54 ¥/m<sup>3</sup> and 11.31 to 44.05 ¥/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively; (3) The multi-year average <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>i</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>E</mi><mi>E</mi><msub><mi>W</mi><mi>t</mi></msub><mi>U</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ranged from 4.75 to 63.99 ¥/m<sup>3</sup> and from 2.67 to 31.71 ¥/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. Economic efficiency of water use shows a slightly downward trend in the period of study, which would contradict the trend towards the use of more water-efficient technologies and shows an even larger margin of improvement in the domain of agricultural water efficiency. The results provide a powerful reference for the management of agricultural water use through economic leverage.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/5/1100economic efficiency of water usewater use efficiencyirrigation water consumptiontotal water consumptionhousehold farmer survey |
| spellingShingle | Lexin Ma Dandan Ren Yonghui Yang Zhuping Sheng Linfei Yu Shumin Han Yanmin Yang Zhenjun Hou Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North China Agronomy economic efficiency of water use water use efficiency irrigation water consumption total water consumption household farmer survey |
| title | Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North China |
| title_full | Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North China |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North China |
| title_short | Assessment of Economic Efficiency of Water Use through a Household Farmer Survey in North China |
| title_sort | assessment of economic efficiency of water use through a household farmer survey in north china |
| topic | economic efficiency of water use water use efficiency irrigation water consumption total water consumption household farmer survey |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/5/1100 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lexinma assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina AT dandanren assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina AT yonghuiyang assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina AT zhupingsheng assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina AT linfeiyu assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina AT shuminhan assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina AT yanminyang assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina AT zhenjunhou assessmentofeconomicefficiencyofwaterusethroughahouseholdfarmersurveyinnorthchina |