IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v306y2024ics037837742400516x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon

Author

Listed:
  • Jaafar, Hadi
  • Karimi, Poolad
  • Borgomeo, Edoardo

Abstract

Efficient water management is critical in addressing the challenges posed by water scarcity and resource sustainability in agriculture. However, the utilization of remote sensing technology to monitor and enhance water productivity in data-scarce environments remains an open question. This study underscores the importance of integrating earth observation systems into agricultural water management policies, elucidating their potential to shape crucial policy decisions and investment strategies, particularly in regions facing data limitations. To address this issue, we provide a comprehensive framework that blends remote sensing data with field-based economic information, to develop the concept of economic productivity of irrigation water. Leveraging FAO’s Water Productivity Open-access portal (WaPOR) data, we spatially assess yields, water use, crop water productivity, economic water productivity, and economic irrigation water productivity (EIWP) for wheat and potatoes in the Upper Litani Basin of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. Early season potatoes outperform irrigated wheat significantly, providing up to ten times higher returns on irrigation water ($6/m3 vs. $0.6/m3). Spatial analysis shows that southern areas have 30 % lower potato EIWP than northern areas of the valley but 55 % higher wheat EIWP, mainly due to higher rainfall. Our findings reveal that merely considering crop water productivity is insufficient when deciding what to plant, as it fails to account for profitability. While transitioning to crops or practices with greater EIWP can enhance economic productivity on the short-term, it may simultaneously lead to increased water consumption. As a result, the shift towards highly water-productive systems may require measures such as controlling irrigated areas or implementing restrictions on water withdrawals to maintain stable water consumption levels. This study offers valuable insights for water resource management, agricultural policy, and sustainable water utilization, especially in semi-arid regions like the Litani Basin, providing a foundation for informed decision-making in these resource-constrained environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaafar, Hadi & Karimi, Poolad & Borgomeo, Edoardo, 2024. "Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:306:y:2024:i:c:s037837742400516x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2024.109180
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837742400516X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.109180?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. Barker, Randolph & Dawe, D. & Inocencio, A., 2003. "Economics of water productivity in managing water for agriculture," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    2. Fernández, J.E. & Alcon, F. & Diaz-Espejo, A. & Hernandez-Santana, V. & Cuevas, M.V., 2020. "Water use indicators and economic analysis for on-farm irrigation decision: A case study of a super high density olive tree orchard," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    3. Hazimeh, Rim & Jaafar, Hadi, 2024. "Impact of ET and biomass model choices on economic irrigation water productivity in water-scarce basins," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    4. Jaafar, Hadi & Kharroubi, Samer A., 2021. "Views, practices and knowledge of farmers regarding smart irrigation apps: A national cross-sectional study in Lebanon," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    5. Julio Berbel & M. Mesa-Jurado & Juan Pistón, 2011. "Value of Irrigation Water in Guadalquivir Basin (Spain) by Residual Value Method," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(6), pages 1565-1579, April.
    6. Sapino, Francesco & Hazimeh, Rim & Dionisio Pérez-Blanco, C. & Jaafar, Hadi H., 2024. "Socioeconomic impact of agricultural water reallocation policies in the Upper Litani Basin (Lebanon): a remote sensing and microeconomic ensemble forecasting approach," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    7. Safi, Abdur Rahim & Karimi, Poolad & Mul, Marloes & Chukalla, Abebe & de Fraiture, Charlotte, 2022. "Translating open-source remote sensing data to crop water productivity improvement actions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    8. Petra Hellegers & Richard Soppe & Chris Perry & Wim Bastiaanssen, 2010. "Remote Sensing and Economic Indicators for Supporting Water Resources Management Decisions," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(11), pages 2419-2436, September.
    9. Jaafar, Hadi & Khraizat, Zein & Bashour, Isam & Haidar, Mustapha, 2017. "Determining water requirements of biblical hyssop using an ET-based drip irrigation system," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 180(PA), pages 107-117.
    10. Kang, Shaozhong & Hao, Xinmei & Du, Taisheng & Tong, Ling & Su, Xiaoling & Lu, Hongna & Li, Xiaolin & Huo, Zailin & Li, Sien & Ding, Risheng, 2017. "Improving agricultural water productivity to ensure food security in China under changing environment: From research to practice," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 5-17.
    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. Sapino, Francesco & Hazimeh, Rim & Dionisio Pérez-Blanco, C. & Jaafar, Hadi H., 2024. "Socioeconomic impact of agricultural water reallocation policies in the Upper Litani Basin (Lebanon): a remote sensing and microeconomic ensemble forecasting approach," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    2. Hazimeh, Rim & Jaafar, Hadi, 2024. "Impact of ET and biomass model choices on economic irrigation water productivity in water-scarce basins," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    3. Fernández, J.E. & Alcon, F. & Diaz-Espejo, A. & Hernandez-Santana, V. & Cuevas, M.V., 2020. "Water use indicators and economic analysis for on-farm irrigation decision: A case study of a super high density olive tree orchard," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    4. He, Rui & He, Min & Xu, Haidong & Zhang, Kun & Zhang, Mingcai & Ren, Dan & Li, Zhaohu & Zhou, Yuyi & Duan, Liusheng, 2023. "A novel plant growth regulator brazide improved maize water productivity in the arid region of Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    5. Uygan, Demet & Cetin, Oner & Alveroglu, Volkan & Sofuoglu, Aytug, 2021. "Improvement of water saving and economic productivity based on quotation with sugar content of sugar beet using linear move sprinkler irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    6. Liu, Lining & Zuo, Qiang & Shi, Jianchu & Wu, Xun & Wei, Congmin & Sheng, Jiandong & Jiang, Pingan & Chen, Quanjia & Ben-Gal, Alon, 2023. "Balancing economic benefits and environmental repercussions based on smart irrigation by regulating root zone water and salinity dynamics," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    7. Jiao, Fengli & Ding, Risheng & Du, Taisheng & Kang, Jian & Tong, Ling & Gao, Jia & Shao, Jie, 2024. "Multi-growth stage regulated deficit irrigation improves maize water productivity in an arid region of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    8. Nektarios N. Kourgialas & Georgios Psarras & Giasemi Morianou & Vassilios Pisinaras & Georgios Koubouris & Nektaria Digalaki & Stella Malliaraki & Katerina Aggelaki & Georgios Motakis & George Arampat, 2022. "Good Agricultural Practices Related to Water and Soil as a Means of Adaptation of Mediterranean Olive Growing to Extreme Climate-Water Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-16, October.
    9. Kang, Jian & Hao, Xinmei & Zhou, Huiping & Ding, Risheng, 2021. "An integrated strategy for improving water use efficiency by understanding physiological mechanisms of crops responding to water deficit: Present and prospect," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    10. Lu, Junsheng & Geng, Chenming & Cui, Xiaolu & Li, Mengyue & Chen, Shuaihong & Hu, Tiantian, 2021. "Response of drip fertigated wheat-maize rotation system on grain yield, water productivity and economic benefits using different water and nitrogen amounts," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    11. Li, Xiaojin & Yang, Yonghui & Zhou, Xinyao & Liu, Linlin & Yang, Yanmin & Han, Shumin & Zhang, Yinsheng, 2024. "Impact of water productivity and irrigated area expansion on irrigation water consumption and food production in China in last four decades," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    12. Lu, Junsheng & Xiang, Youzhen & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Hu, Tiantian, 2021. "Sustainable high grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency and water productivity can be achieved in wheat-maize rotation system by changing irrigation and fertilization strategy," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    13. Alcon, Francisco & Zabala, José A. & Martínez-García, Victor & Albaladejo, José A. & López-Becerra, Erasmo I. & de-Miguel, María D. & Martínez-Paz, José M., 2022. "The social wellbeing of irrigation water. A demand-side integrated valuation in a Mediterranean agroecosystem," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    14. Mo, Yan & Li, Guangyong & Wang, Dan & Lamm, Freddie R. & Wang, Jiandong & Zhang, Yanqun & Cai, Mingkun & Gong, Shihong, 2020. "Planting and preemergence irrigation procedures to enhance germination of subsurface drip irrigated corn," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    15. Ning, Dongfeng & Chen, Haiqing & Qin, Anzhen & Gao, Yang & Zhang, Jiyang & Duan, Aiwang & Wang, Xingpeng & Liu, Zhandong, 2024. "Optimizing irrigation and N fertigation regimes achieved high yield and water productivity and low N leaching in a maize field in the North China Plain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    16. Liao, Qi & Ding, Risheng & Du, Taisheng & Kang, Shaozhong & Tong, Ling & Li, Sien, 2022. "Stomatal conductance drives variations of yield and water use of maize under water and nitrogen stress," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    17. Jiao, Fengli & Hong, Shengzhe & Cui, Jichao & Zhang, Qingfen & Li, Ming & Shi, Ruilin & Han, Huifang & Li, Quanqi, 2022. "Subsoiling combined with irrigation improves carbon emission and crop water productivity of winter wheat in North China Plain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    18. Xing, Yingying & Chen, Mengru & Wang, Xiukang, 2025. "Enhancing water use efficiency and fruit quality in jujube cultivation: A review of advanced irrigation techniques and precision management strategies," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    19. Cao, Zhaodan & Zhu, Tingju & Cai, Ximing, 2023. "Hydro-agro-economic optimization for irrigated farming in an arid region: The Hetao Irrigation District, Inner Mongolia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    20. Nicolette Matthews & Bennie Grové & Johannes Hendrikus Barnard, 2025. "Economic Analysis of Segmented Soil Salinity Management Using Current Irrigation Technology," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, April.

    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:306:y:2024:i:c:s037837742400516x. 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.