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Irrigation water management in Iran: Implications for water use efficiency improvement

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  • Nazari, Bijan
  • Liaghat, Abdolmajid
  • Akbari, Mohammad Reza
  • Keshavarz, Marzieh

Abstract

Water is the most essential resource for the production of agricultural goods and services. However, high levels of water stress and increased frequency and intensity of droughts, which are mainly driven by climate change dynamics, have reduced the stock of freshwater resources in arid and semi-arid regions, such as Iran. Despite the major reduction of freshwater resources, the efficiency of irrigation water use has remained very low in the country and performance of water management schemes is far from satisfactory. Using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats/political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (SWOT/PESTLE) analysis, this paper explores 40 internal and external factors that influence irrigation water management in Iran and recognizes legal, social, technological and political dynamics as the major reasons for failure of irrigation water management in the country. A combination of the threats, opportunities, weaknesses and strengths (TOWS) matrix and bottleneck analysis was used to suggest irrigation water management strategies that rehabilitate the failed schemes and enhance water security in the agriculture sector. Rethinking the role of intensified agriculture in development along with raising the awareness and attitude of decision makers towards the risk of shortsighted water resource development plans, in addition to promoting agro-based industries and developing integrated plans to improve water efficiency are the strategies that can contribute to a more effective management of irrigation water in Iran.

Suggested Citation

  • Nazari, Bijan & Liaghat, Abdolmajid & Akbari, Mohammad Reza & Keshavarz, Marzieh, 2018. "Irrigation water management in Iran: Implications for water use efficiency improvement," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 7-18.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:208:y:2018:i:c:p:7-18
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2018.06.003
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    15. Marta García-Mollá & Rosa Puertas & Carles Sanchis-Ibor, 2021. "Application of Data Envelopment Analysis to Evaluate Investments in the Modernization of Collective Management Irrigation Systems in Valencia (Spain)," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(14), pages 5011-5027, November.
    16. Najafi Alamdarlo, Hamed & Pourmozafar, Hosein & Vakilpoor, Mohamad Hasan, 2019. "Improving demand technology and internalizing external effects in groundwater market framework, case study: Qazvin plain in Iran," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 164-173.
    17. Xuhui Ding & Zixuan Zhang & Fengping Wu & Xiangyi Xu, 2019. "Study on the Evolution of Water Resource Utilization Efficiency in Tibet Autonomous Region and Four Provinces in Tibetan Areas under Double Control Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-11, June.
    18. Sheng, Jichuan & Qiu, Wenge, 2022. "Water-use technical efficiency and income: Evidence from China's South-North Water Transfer Project," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    19. Cao, Xinchun & Li, Yueyao & Wu, Mengyang, 2022. "Irrigation water use and efficiency assessment coupling crop cultivation, commutation and consumption processes," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    20. Mardani Najafabadi, Mostafa & Magazzino, Cosimo & Valente, Donatella & Mirzaei, Abbas & Petrosillo, Irene, 2023. "A new interval meta-goal programming for sustainable planning of agricultural water-land use nexus," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 484(C).

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