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The adoption of improved irrigation technology and management practices--A study of two irrigation districts in Alberta, Canada

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  • Bjornlund, Henning
  • Nicol, Lorraine
  • Klein, K.K.

Abstract

Irrigation is by far the largest consumer of water in Alberta. The government is therefore dependent on this sector to achieve water savings for reallocating water to other sectors. Hence, a major objective of a recent government strategy is to see an increase in water efficiency and productivity of 30%. A survey of two irrigation districts was undertaken to determine the measures irrigators have taken and plan to take in the future to improve irrigation technologies and management practices to enhance water use efficiency and which factors facilitate or impede the adoption of such measures. As anticipated, the adoption rate varied between the two districts as a result of differences in production characteristics. The major drivers of adoption were to ensure security of water supply during drought, to increase quantity and quality of crops, and to save cost, while the major impediments were financial constraints and physical farm conditions. It seems that most feasible technological improvements have been implemented and considerable financial improvements or subsidies will be necessary to encourage a significant increase in adoption. There seems to be considerable scope for improvement through the adoption of better management practices. Considering that farmers in the two irrigation districts also have modest plans to adopt improved management practices, promotion and education campaigns that encourage new practices that involve minimal cash outlays might yield the greatest water savings in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Bjornlund, Henning & Nicol, Lorraine & Klein, K.K., 2009. "The adoption of improved irrigation technology and management practices--A study of two irrigation districts in Alberta, Canada," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 121-131, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:96:y:2009:i:1:p:121-131
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Morrison, Mark, 2005. "Identifying Market Segments for Technology Adoption," 2005 Conference (49th), February 9-11, 2005, Coff's Harbour, Australia 137937, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    2. Schaible, Glenn D. & Kim, C.S. & Whittlesey, Norman K., 1991. "Water Conservation Potential From Irrigation Technology Transitions In The Pacific Northwest," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 16(2), pages 1-13, December.
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    1. Jordán, Cristian & Speelman, Stijn, 2020. "On-farm adoption of irrigation technologies in two irrigated valleys in Central Chile: The effect of relative abundance of water resources," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    2. Jordan, Cristian & Donoso, Guillermo & Speelman, Stijn, 2021. "Measuring the effect of improved irrigation technologies on irrigated agriculture. A study case in Central Chile," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    3. Xuerong Li, 2022. "Can Collecting Water Fees Really Promote Agricultural Water-Saving? Evidence from Seasonal Water Shortage Areas in South China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Diana Martínez-Arteaga & Nolver Atanacio Arias Arias & Aquiles E. Darghan & Dursun Barrios, 2023. "Identification of Influential Factors in the Adoption of Irrigation Technologies through Neural Network Analysis: A Case Study with Oil Palm Growers," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-13, April.
    5. Masoud Yazdanpanah & Kurt Klein & Tahereh Zobeidi & Stefan Sieber & Katharina Löhr, 2022. "Why Have Economic Incentives Failed to Convince Farmers to Adopt Drip Irrigation in Southwestern Iran?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    6. Jinxia Wang & Henning Bjornlund & K. K. Klein & Lijuan Zhang & Wencui Zhang, 2016. "Factors that Influence the Rate and Intensity of Adoption of Improved Irrigation Technologies in Alberta, Canada," Water Economics and Policy (WEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 2(03), pages 1-32, September.
    7. Zhang, Biao & Fu, Zetian & Wang, Jieqiong & Zhang, Lingxian, 2019. "Farmers’ adoption of water-saving irrigation technology alleviates water scarcity in metropolis suburbs: A case study of Beijing, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 349-357.
    8. Fanglei Zhong & Lili Li & Aijun Guo & Xiaoyu Song & Qingping Cheng & Yongnian Zhang & Xiaojiang Ding, 2019. "Quantifying the Influence Path of Water Conservation Awareness on Water-Saving Irrigation Behavior Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and Structural Equation Modeling: A Case Study from Northwest," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-16, September.
    9. Bjornlund, H. & Xu, W. & Wheeler, S., 2014. "An overview of water sharing and participation issues for irrigators and their communities in Alberta: Implications for water policy," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 171-180.
    10. Alejandra Engler & Roberto Jara-Rojas & Carlos Bopp, 2016. "Efficient use of Water Resources in Vineyards: A Recursive joint Estimation for the Adoption of Irrigation Technology and Scheduling," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(14), pages 5369-5383, November.
    11. Fan, Yubing & McCann, Laura M., 2017. "Farmers’ Adoption of Pressure Irrigation Systems and Scientific Scheduling Practices: An Application of Multilevel Models," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258458, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    12. Jara-Rojas, Roberto & Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Díaz, José, 2012. "Adoption of water conservation practices: A socioeconomic analysis of small-scale farmers in Central Chile," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 54-62.
    13. Loureiro, Dália & Beceiro, Paula & Moreira, Madalena & Arranja, Carina & Cordeiro, Diana & Alegre, Helena, 2023. "A comprehensive performance assessment system for diagnosis and decision-support to improve water and energy efficiency and its demonstration in Portuguese collective irrigation systems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    14. Hua, Ye, 2015. "Influential factors of farmers' demands for agricultural science and technology in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 249-254.
    15. Mattoussi, Wided & Mattoussi, Foued & Larnaout, Afrah, 2023. "Optimal subsidization for the adoption of new irrigation technologies," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1126-1141.
    16. Michailidis, Anastasios & Nastis, Stefanos A. & Loizou, Efstratios & Mattas, Konstadinos, 2010. "The adoption of water saving irrigation practices in the Region of West Macedonia," 120th Seminar, September 2-4, 2010, Chania, Crete 109388, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    17. Friedrich Rübcke von Veltheim & Heinke Heise, 2020. "The AgTech Startup Perspective to Farmers Ex Ante Acceptance Process of Autonomous Field Robots," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-18, December.
    18. 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.
    19. Galioto, Francesco & Cuming, David & Raggi, Meri & Viaggi, Davide, 2015. "Drivers and Barriers Over the Adoption of Precision Irrigation in Europe," 2015 Fourth Congress, June 11-12, 2015, Ancona, Italy 207846, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA).
    20. Christine Heumesser & Sabine Fuss & Jana Szolgayová & Franziska Strauss & Erwin Schmid, 2012. "Investment in Irrigation Systems under Precipitation Uncertainty," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(11), pages 3113-3137, September.

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