Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan

The use of improved technologies has been encouraged to improve irrigation on farms, especially in drought-prone areas. However, farmers' irrigation decisions may be rather motivated by a desire to reduce risk of crop loss than to reduce water use. Using the case of Jordan, we contribute to the wate...

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Main Authors: Balasubramanya, Soumya, Stifel, David, McDonnell, Rachael
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115759
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author Balasubramanya, Soumya
Stifel, David
McDonnell, Rachael
author_browse Balasubramanya, Soumya
McDonnell, Rachael
Stifel, David
author_facet Balasubramanya, Soumya
Stifel, David
McDonnell, Rachael
author_sort Balasubramanya, Soumya
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The use of improved technologies has been encouraged to improve irrigation on farms, especially in drought-prone areas. However, farmers' irrigation decisions may be rather motivated by a desire to reduce risk of crop loss than to reduce water use. Using the case of Jordan, we contribute to the water-saving debate by examining whether current irrigation frequency is influenced by past experiences of losses due to water shortage and whether preferences for technologies and irrigation advisory services are mediated by water shortage experiences. Our data are based on a survey of 304 fruit farms in the highlands that were all using drip irrigation, a popular way to “save” water globally. We find that farms that faced losses due to water shortages in the past are more likely to irrigate more frequently. More frequent irrigators who have such shortages are more likely to prefer receiving irrigation advisory information rather than upgrading technologies, while more frequent irrigators who have not faced such shortages are more likely to prefer upgrading irrigation technologies. Results suggest that irrigation management is motivated by risk reduction, not just by water conservation. Irrigation advisory services, hitherto neglected, may be an important component of agricultural water management in Jordan.
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spelling CGSpace1157592025-05-20T05:39:45Z Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan Balasubramanya, Soumya Stifel, David McDonnell, Rachael water shortage irrigation efficiency technology advisory services agricultural extension water management drip irrigation groundwater agricultural production farmers drought highlands The use of improved technologies has been encouraged to improve irrigation on farms, especially in drought-prone areas. However, farmers' irrigation decisions may be rather motivated by a desire to reduce risk of crop loss than to reduce water use. Using the case of Jordan, we contribute to the water-saving debate by examining whether current irrigation frequency is influenced by past experiences of losses due to water shortage and whether preferences for technologies and irrigation advisory services are mediated by water shortage experiences. Our data are based on a survey of 304 fruit farms in the highlands that were all using drip irrigation, a popular way to “save” water globally. We find that farms that faced losses due to water shortages in the past are more likely to irrigate more frequently. More frequent irrigators who have such shortages are more likely to prefer receiving irrigation advisory information rather than upgrading technologies, while more frequent irrigators who have not faced such shortages are more likely to prefer upgrading irrigation technologies. Results suggest that irrigation management is motivated by risk reduction, not just by water conservation. Irrigation advisory services, hitherto neglected, may be an important component of agricultural water management in Jordan. 2022-04 2021-10-31T23:46:47Z 2021-10-31T23:46:47Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115759 en Limited Access Wiley Balasubramanya, Soumya; Stifel, David; McDonnell, Rachael. 2022. Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan. Irrigation and Drainage, 71(2):437-451. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2650]
spellingShingle water shortage
irrigation efficiency
technology
advisory services
agricultural extension
water management
drip irrigation
groundwater
agricultural production
farmers
drought
highlands
Balasubramanya, Soumya
Stifel, David
McDonnell, Rachael
Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan
title Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan
title_full Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan
title_fullStr Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan
title_full_unstemmed Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan
title_short Water shortages, irrigation frequency, and preference for technologies and agricultural services: the case of Jordan
title_sort water shortages irrigation frequency and preference for technologies and agricultural services the case of jordan
topic water shortage
irrigation efficiency
technology
advisory services
agricultural extension
water management
drip irrigation
groundwater
agricultural production
farmers
drought
highlands
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115759
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AT stifeldavid watershortagesirrigationfrequencyandpreferencefortechnologiesandagriculturalservicesthecaseofjordan
AT mcdonnellrachael watershortagesirrigationfrequencyandpreferencefortechnologiesandagriculturalservicesthecaseofjordan