IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v283y2023ics0378377423001634.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring competitiveness of surface water versus ground water irrigation and their impacts on rice productivity and efficiency: An empirical analysis from Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Salam, Md. Abdus
  • Rahman, Sanzidur
  • Anik, Asif Reza
  • Sharna, Shaima Chowdhury

Abstract

The choice of irrigation water sources is crucial in rice farming as water availability and cost can vary across water sources. Groundwater caters three-quarters of the total irrigated land in Bangladesh, where rice area alone occupies 80% of the total irrigated land. The present study compares productivity and efficiency differences and determinants of surface and groundwater irrigation users based on a sample of 6947 dry-winter rice growing plots from the nationally representative Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey-2018 database. A range of methods was adopted to correct for heterogeneity in irrigation water source choice decision, self-selection and observable biases. This involved an estimation of a Stochastic Production Frontier (SPF) model with the pooled sample first, then an application of Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to remove self-selection and observable biases, then a test of heterogeneity in irrigation source choices was conducted, and finally estimated two SPF separately for matched samples of groundwater and surface water irrigation users. Results revealed a robust effect of groundwater irrigation in enhancing rice productivity and efficiency. Seed and its quality, fertilizer and soil type are also significant drivers of rice productivity. The significant drivers of efficiency are plot ownership, irrigation frequency, subsidy and family size. Large farms with groundwater-irrigated plots are relatively more efficient. Significantly lower efficiency exists in areas vulnerable to drought. These results raise sustainability concerns owing to the high level of groundwater extraction and falling water table. Policymakers need to devise innovative strategies to increase use of surface water irrigation without sacrificing productivity and efficiency, which has been a priority policy drive in Bangladesh.

Suggested Citation

  • Salam, Md. Abdus & Rahman, Sanzidur & Anik, Asif Reza & Sharna, Shaima Chowdhury, 2023. "Exploring competitiveness of surface water versus ground water irrigation and their impacts on rice productivity and efficiency: An empirical analysis from Bangladesh," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:283:y:2023:i:c:s0378377423001634
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108298
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423001634
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108298?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rahman, Sanzidur, 2003. "Profit efficiency among Bangladeshi rice farmers," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(5-6), pages 487-503.
    2. Islam, Md. Rabiul & Sarker, Pejush Chandra & Ghosh, Subarto Kumar, 2017. "Prospect and advancement of solar irrigation in Bangladesh: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 406-422.
    3. Schmidt, Peter & Lin, Tsai-Fen, 1984. "Simple tests of alternative specifications in stochastic frontier models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 349-361, March.
    4. Alam, Khorshed, 2015. "Farmers’ adaptation to water scarcity in drought-prone environments: A case study of Rajshahi District, Bangladesh," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 196-206.
    5. Alauddin, Mohammad & Sharma, Bharat R., 2013. "Inter-district rice water productivity differences in Bangladesh: An empirical exploration and implications," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 210-218.
    6. Sheikh Selim, 2012. "Labour productivity and rice production in Bangladesh: a stochastic frontier approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(5), pages 641-652, February.
    7. Giannis Karagiannis & Alexander Sarris, 2005. "Measuring and explaining scale efficiency with the parametric approach: the case of Greek tobacco growers," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 33(s3), pages 441-451, November.
    8. Khonje, Makaiko & Manda, Julius & Alene, Arega D. & Kassie, Menale, 2015. "Analysis of Adoption and Impacts of Improved Maize Varieties in Eastern Zambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 695-706.
    9. Benjamin T. Anang & Stefan Bäckman & Antonios Rezitis, 2017. "Production technology and technical efficiency: irrigated and rain-fed rice farms in northern Ghana," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 7(1), pages 95-113, April.
    10. Bravo-Ureta, Boris E. & Higgins, Daniel & Arslan, Aslihan, 2020. "Irrigation infrastructure and farm productivity in the Philippines: A stochastic Meta-Frontier analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    11. Kodde, David A & Palm, Franz C, 1986. "Wald Criteria for Jointly Testing Equality and Inequality Restriction s," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(5), pages 1243-1248, September.
    12. Wilson, Paul & Hadley, David & Asby, Carol, 2001. "The influence of management characteristics on the technical efficiency of wheat farmers in eastern England," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 329-338, March.
    13. Carlos D. Mayen & Joseph V. Balagtas & Corinne E. Alexander, 2010. "Technology Adoption and Technical Efficiency: Organic and Conventional Dairy Farms in the United States," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 92(1), pages 181-195.
    14. Musa Hasen Ahmed & Kumilachew Alamerie Melesse, 2018. "Impact of off-farm activities on technical efficiency: evidence from maize producers of eastern Ethiopia," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, December.
    15. Carter, Michael R, 1984. "Identification of the Inverse Relationship between Farm Size and Productivity: An Empirical Analysis of Peasant Agricultural Production," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 36(1), pages 131-145, March.
    16. Battese, G E & Coelli, T J, 1995. "A Model for Technical Inefficiency Effects in a Stochastic Frontier Production Function for Panel Data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 325-332.
    17. John Herbert Ainembabazi & Johnny Mugisha, 2014. "The Role of Farming Experience on the Adoption of Agricultural Technologies: Evidence from Smallholder Farmers in Uganda," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(5), pages 666-679, May.
    18. M. N. Asadullah & S. Rahman, 2009. "Farm productivity and efficiency in rural Bangladesh: the role of education revisited," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 17-33.
    19. Barrett, C. B. & Reardon, T. & Webb, P., 2001. "Nonfarm income diversification and household livelihood strategies in rural Africa: concepts, dynamics, and policy implications," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 315-331, August.
    20. Shamsuddin Shahid & Manzul Hazarika, 2010. "Groundwater Drought in the Northwestern Districts of Bangladesh," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(10), pages 1989-2006, August.
    21. Wilfred Nyangena, 2008. "Social determinants of soil and water conservation in rural Kenya," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 10(6), pages 745-767, December.
    22. Manjunatha, A.V. & Anik, Asif Reza & Speelman, S. & Nuppenau, E.A., 2014. "Farmers’ Participation in Informal Groundwater Market in Hard Rock Areas of Peninsular India," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 27(Conferenc).
    23. Anik, Asif Reza & Bauer, Siegfried, 2015. "Impact of resource ownership and input market access on Bangladeshi paddy growers’ efficiency," International Journal of Agricultural Management, Institute of Agricultural Management, vol. 4(3), April.
    24. Sharma, Purushottam & Sharma, R.C., 2006. "Factors Determining Farmers’ Decision for Buying Irrigation Water: Study of Groundwater Markets in Rajasthan," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 19(1), January.
    25. Renato Villano & Boris Bravo-Ureta & Daniel Solís & Euan Fleming, 2015. "Modern Rice Technologies and Productivity in the Philippines: Disentangling Technology from Managerial Gaps," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(1), pages 129-154, February.
    26. Bjornlund, Henning, 2003. "Farmer participation in markets for temporary and permanent water in southeastern Australia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 57-76, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Md Abdus Salam & Asif Reza Anik, 2023. "Social safety nets and productivity outcomes: Evidence and implications for Bangladeshi rice growers," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 37(3), pages 401-428, September.
    2. Andrew P. Barnes, 2023. "The role of family life‐cycle events on persistent and transient inefficiencies in less favoured areas," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(1), pages 295-315, February.
    3. Anik, Asif Reza & Bauer, Siegfried, 2015. "Impact of resource ownership and input market access on Bangladeshi paddy growers’ efficiency," International Journal of Agricultural Management, Institute of Agricultural Management, vol. 4(3), April.
    4. Khanal, Uttam & Wilson, Clevo & Shankar, Sriram & Hoang, Viet-Ngu & Lee, Boon, 2018. "Farm performance analysis: Technical efficiencies and technology gaps of Nepalese farmers in different agro-ecological regions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 645-653.
    5. Md Abdur Rouf, 2020. "Evaluation of Agricultural Projects by Parametric Cost Efficiency and Productivity-gap Approaches: An Empirical Study of Flood Control and Drainage Systems in the Southwest Coastal Area of Bangladesh," Japanese Journal of Agricultural Economics (formerly Japanese Journal of Rural Economics), Agricultural Economics Society of Japan (AESJ), vol. 22.
    6. Rouf, Abdur, 2015. "Conventional vs Natural Flood Control and Drainage Managements in a Tidal Coastal Zone: An Evaluation from a Productive Efficiency Perspective," 89th Annual Conference, April 13-15, 2015, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 256023, Agricultural Economics Society.
    7. Abdul-Rahaman, Awal & Issahaku, Gazali & Zereyesus, Yacob A., 2021. "Improved rice variety adoption and farm production efficiency: Accounting for unobservable selection bias and technology gaps among smallholder farmers in Ghana," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Rahman, Sanzidur & Anik, Asif Reza, 2020. "Productivity and efficiency impact of climate change and agroecology on Bangladesh agriculture," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    9. Anik, Asif Reza & Eory, Vera & Begho, Toritseju & Rahman, Md. Mizanur, 2023. "Determinants of nitrogen use efficiency and gaseous emissions assessed from farm survey: A case of wheat in Bangladesh," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    10. Imori, Denise & Guilhoto, Joaquim José Martins & Postali, Fernando Antonio Slaibe, 2012. "Eficiência técnica das agropecuárias familiar e patronal – diferenças regionais no Brasil [Technical efficiency of agricultural households and business - regional differences in Brazil]," MPRA Paper 46954, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Xiangfei Xin & Yi Zhang & Jimin Wang & John Alexander Nuetah, 2016. "Effects of Farm Size on Technical Efficiency in China's Broiler Sector: A Stochastic Meta-Frontier Approach," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 64(3), pages 493-516, September.
    12. Susmita Dasgupta & Craig Meisner & David Wheeler, 2007. "Is Environmentally Friendly Agriculture Less Profitable for Farmers? Evidence on Integrated Pest Management in Bangladesh," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 29(1), pages 103-118.
    13. Nguyen-Anh, Tuan & Hoang-Duc, Chinh & Tiet, Tuyen & Nguyen-Van, Phu & To-The, Nguyen, 2022. "Composite effects of human, natural and social capitals on sustainable food-crop farming in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    14. Trinh Nguyen Chau & Frank Scrimgeour, 2022. "Productivity impacts of hybrid rice seeds in Vietnam," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(2), pages 414-429, June.
    15. Madau, Fabio A., 2011. "Parametric Estimation of Technical and Scale Efficiencies in Italian Citrus Farming," Agricultural Economics Review, Greek Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 12(1).
    16. Ripoll-Zarraga, Ane Elixabete & Huderek-Glapska, Sonia, 2021. "Airports’ managerial human capital, ownership, and efficiency," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    17. Khanal, Uttam & Wilson, Clevo & Rahman, Sanzidur & Lee, Boon & Hoang, Vincent, 2020. "Smallholder farmers’ adaptation to climate change and its potential contribution to UN’s sustainable development goals of zero hunger and no poverty," MPRA Paper 106917, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 07 Sep 2020.
    18. Asante, Bright O. & Temoso, Omphile & Addai, Kwabena N. & Villano, Renato A., 2019. "Evaluating productivity gaps in maize production across different agroecological zones in Ghana," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    19. Huy, Hoang Trieu & Nguyen, Trung Thanh, 2019. "Cropland rental market and farm technical efficiency in rural Vietnam," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 408-423.
    20. Ashok K. Mishra & Saleem Shaik & Aditya R. Khanal & Subir Bairagi, 2018. "Contract farming and technical efficiency: Evidence from low†value and high†value crops in Nepal," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 426-440, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:283:y:2023:i:c:s0378377423001634. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.