Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa

The present study explores the application of the Gini Coefficient, which has hitherto only been used for income and land distribution, to quantify the distribution of water resources. The tool is tested in the water-stressed Olifants Water Management Area, in South Africa. Using readily available i...

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Autores principales: Cullis, J., van Koppen, Barbara
Formato: Informe técnico
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Water Management Institute 2007
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/39900
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author Cullis, J.
van Koppen, Barbara
author_browse Cullis, J.
van Koppen, Barbara
author_facet Cullis, J.
van Koppen, Barbara
author_sort Cullis, J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The present study explores the application of the Gini Coefficient, which has hitherto only been used for income and land distribution, to quantify the distribution of water resources. The tool is tested in the water-stressed Olifants Water Management Area, in South Africa. Using readily available information on water use registrations, water use estimates, and census data, two versions of the Gini Coefficient are calculated. The first measures the distribution of the allocation of direct water use in rural areas and was estimated at 0.96 in the study area. In other words, 99.5 percent of the rural households are entitled to useonly 5 percent of the available water. The second version calculates the distribution of the indirect benefits of water use in the form of direct employment. This is shown to have a Gini Coefficient of 0.64. Using the Gini Coefficient an assessment was also made of the impacts of different policy scenarios. It was found that by more than doubling the amount of water used by rural households from the current 225 cubic meters per household per annum (m3/hh/annum) to 610 m3/hh/annum, which would enable each household to meet its basic human needs of 50 litres/person/day and irrigate 1,000 square meters (m2), would reduce the Gini Coefficient significantly. Yet, this would only require the large-scale registered users to reduce their current irrigation water use entitlement by 6 percent or the largest ten users to reduce their use by 20 percent each.
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spelling CGSpace399002025-11-07T08:47:04Z Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa Cullis, J. van Koppen, Barbara river basin management water stress water use indicators households rural areas irrigation programs The present study explores the application of the Gini Coefficient, which has hitherto only been used for income and land distribution, to quantify the distribution of water resources. The tool is tested in the water-stressed Olifants Water Management Area, in South Africa. Using readily available information on water use registrations, water use estimates, and census data, two versions of the Gini Coefficient are calculated. The first measures the distribution of the allocation of direct water use in rural areas and was estimated at 0.96 in the study area. In other words, 99.5 percent of the rural households are entitled to useonly 5 percent of the available water. The second version calculates the distribution of the indirect benefits of water use in the form of direct employment. This is shown to have a Gini Coefficient of 0.64. Using the Gini Coefficient an assessment was also made of the impacts of different policy scenarios. It was found that by more than doubling the amount of water used by rural households from the current 225 cubic meters per household per annum (m3/hh/annum) to 610 m3/hh/annum, which would enable each household to meet its basic human needs of 50 litres/person/day and irrigate 1,000 square meters (m2), would reduce the Gini Coefficient significantly. Yet, this would only require the large-scale registered users to reduce their current irrigation water use entitlement by 6 percent or the largest ten users to reduce their use by 20 percent each. 2007 2014-06-13T14:29:39Z 2014-06-13T14:29:39Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/39900 en Open Access application/pdf International Water Management Institute Cullis, J.; van Koppen, Barbara. 2007. Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 19p. (IWMI Research Report 113)
spellingShingle river basin management
water stress
water use
indicators
households
rural areas
irrigation programs
Cullis, J.
van Koppen, Barbara
Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa
title Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa
title_full Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa
title_fullStr Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa
title_short Applying the Gini Coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the Olifants River water management area, South Africa
title_sort applying the gini coefficient to measure inequality of water use in the olifants river water management area south africa
topic river basin management
water stress
water use
indicators
households
rural areas
irrigation programs
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/39900
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