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Nature and empire in Ottoman Egypt : an environmental history
\"In the first ever environmental history of Ottoman Egypt, Alan Mikhail brings to life the complex relationships between Egyptians, their rural world along the Nile, and the Ottoman Empire. This detailed account of irrigation, grain cultivation, the movement of wood, disease, and labor challenges many longstanding ideas in both Ottoman and Egyptian history while at the same time demonstrating how environmental history offers new ways of thinking about the Middle East. This path braking book should be read by all those with interests in the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, environmental history, and early modern history\"-- Provided by publisher.
Book
Influencing Factors of the Adoption of Agricultural Irrigation Technologies and the Economic Returns: A Case Study in Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand
This empirical research investigates the factors influencing the adoption of three irrigation technologies using a probit statistical model: water wheel (WW), water pump (WP), and weir (WR) irrigation technologies as well as their economic returns per unit of rice cultivated area. The influencing factors were categorized into demographic, socioeconomic, topographical, institutional, and attitudinal factor groups by 207 rice-growers in the Chaiyaphum province in northeastern Thailand. The results revealed that the land holding size, farm income, and water use association (WUA) membership factors were highly positively associated with the WW adoption. Meanwhile, age, farm income, skills training, and WUA membership were negatively correlated with the WP adoption. Nevertheless, proximity to a water source and upstream farmland location were positively correlated with the WP adoption. The WR adoption was positively associated with age but negatively correlated with the land holding size, upstream farmland location, and group participation factors. The cost–benefit analysis indicated that the WW irrigation scheme generated the highest economic return with the benefit-to-cost ratio schemes. The findings suggest that the WW irrigation technology would be deployed in the water management of other agricultural areas in the region to overcome the unfavorable geography and alleviate the local farmers’ disadvantageous economic conditions.
Journal Article
Factors Affecting the Choice, Intensity, and Allocation of Irrigation Technologies by U.S. Cotton Farmers
We use the 2013 cotton precision farming survey data to study the adoption of irrigation technologies by cotton farmers in 14 states of the United States. We find that farmers with a higher irrigated yield, and who are from the Southern Plains (Texas and Oklahoma), adopt water-efficient irrigation technologies, such as sub-surface drip and trickle irrigation technologies. There are 10 irrigation technologies that farmers can adopt for cotton production in these 14 cotton-growing states. The intensity of the irrigation technologies, as measured by the number of irrigation technologies adopted in cotton production, is affected by the irrigated cotton yield realized, land holding (total land owned), education, computer use, and the origin of the cotton farmer being from the Southern Plains. We use a multivariate fractional regression model to identify land allocation by the different irrigation technologies used. Our results indicate that significant variables affecting land allocation with different irrigation technologies are the age of the operator, the cover crop, the information sources used, the per acre irrigated yield, the education, and the cotton farmer being from the Southern Plains.
Journal Article
Reengaging in agricultural water management
In order to face the challenge of disappointing returns on public investment in irrigation and drainage new solutions have emerged. These solutions are based on widely available technology and new management and governance options. The main message of Re-engaging in Agricultural Water Management is that the irrigation and drainage sector should not continue to be dealt with as a standalone sector, but should be integrated into a broader perspective, one that embraces the objectives of productivity growth, poverty reduction, natural resources management and environmental protection.
eBook
The role of social interaction in farmers’ water-saving irrigation technology adoption: testing farmers’ interaction mechanisms
In rural areas, neighborly relationships are complex, and farmers’ behaviors are largely influenced by neighborly interactions. The promotion of agricultural technologies should not overlook the social interactions between farmers. Based on survey data from farmers in Minqin, China, this paper explores the role of overall social interaction and its various dimensions in farmers’ adoption of water-saving irrigation technology, focusing on the testing of three interactive mechanisms during the technology adoption process. The goal is to provide scientific policy suggestions for government when promoting agricultural technologies. The results show the following: social interaction promotes the adoption of water-saving irrigation technology among farmers; among the four dimensions of social interaction, the depth and frequency of social interaction facilitate the adoption of these technologies; social interaction promotes technology adoption through endogenous interaction mechanism, situational interaction mechanism, and social norm mechanism, with situational interaction mechanism and social norm mechanism playing a more significant role; social interaction has a stronger impact on farmers with longer farming experience and higher irrigation costs. Therefore, the government should emphasize the important role of social interaction in the adoption of agricultural technologies and accelerate the diffusion of these technologies through fostering technical exchanges among farmers, cultivating demonstration households, and implementing differentiated promotion strategies.
Journal Article
Advancing irrigation management: integrating technology and sustainability to address global food security
Irrigation management is essential for addressing global food security challenges under changing climate. This review discusses the integration of advanced irrigation technologies and their roles in enhancing water use efficiency and managing energy demands within agricultural systems. High-efficiency irrigation systems, such as drip and sprinkler systems, have significant potential to reduce water use and increase crop yields. However, their adoption varies worldwide, and the efficiency of existing irrigation practices often remains inadequate, resulting in substantial water losses due to outdated management practices. Emerging technologies and innovative irrigation strategies, including precision agriculture and advanced crop models, provide promising pathways for improving irrigation efficiency. Nonetheless, the widespread integration of these technologies is hindered by high costs, the need for technical expertise, and challenges in adapting existing agricultural systems to new methodologies. Irrigation systems can have substantial energy requirements, particularly those dependent on groundwater. The exploration of the water-environment-energy-food (WEEF) nexus illustrates the importance of a balanced approach to resource management, which is crucial for achieving sustainable agricultural outcomes. Future research should include lowering barriers to technology adoption, enhancing data utilization for precision irrigation, promoting integrated management strategies within the WEEF framework, and strengthening policy support for sustainable practices. This review proposes a multidisciplinary approach to irrigation management that includes technological innovation, strategic policy development, and global cooperation to secure sustainable agricultural practices and ensure global food supply resilience in the face of climate change.
Journal Article
Impact of adoption of water-saving technologies on irrigation water use efficiency at the farm household level
【Objective】Improving irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) is essential for sustainable agricultural development, especially in water-scarce regions. This paper examines how the application of water-saving technologies influences the IWUE of wheat production at the farm household level.【Method】Based on survey data collected from 512 farm households across key agricultural areas in Henan, Shandong, and Hebei provinces, we evaluated the impact of various water-saving technologies, including drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, canal lining, and field leveling, on IWUE. An econometric model was used to characterize household attributes such as land size, crop types, and access to services. Propensity score matching and an instrumental variable approach were employed to address potential selection bias and endogeneity.【Result】The average IWUE among the sampled farmers was 78.23%, which is significantly lower than the overall technical efficiency in wheat production. This suggests that, under current conditions, farmers could save an average of 21.71% of irrigation water by enhancing their IWUE. Compared to overall wheat production efficiency, IWUE exhibited greater variation among farmers. The adoption of water-saving technologies had a significant positive effect on IWUE, with its contribution ranking third after regional differences (as captured by the provincial dummy variable) and water pricing. Our results also revealed a ‘Matthew effect’: farmers with already high IWUE benefited more from technology adoption, achieving notable improvements, whereas those with low baseline IWUE experienced relatively smaller gains. Furthermore, higher agricultural water prices were associated with more efficient water use, indicating that economic incentives play a crucial role. Regional differences in infrastructure, training, and support also moderated the impact of technology adoption.【Conclusion】 Improving IWUE requires a multi-pronged approach. Local and provincial governments should invest in water-saving infrastructure and provide targeted training and support for households with low IWUE. Additionally, rationalizing agricultural water pricing and establishing a well-designed water rights system alongside market-based mechanisms can incentivize water conservation. These strategies, collectively, are key to enhancing the adoption of water-saving technologies and improving irrigation water use efficiency in wheat production.
Journal Article
A review on enhancing water productivities adaptive to the climate change
Crop water requirements depend on climate, soil, and plant characteristics, necessitating responsive and adaptive irrigation systems for efficient water use. The objectives of this study include assessing the implementation of irrigation technology and its impact on water use efficiency, reviewing smart irrigation systems employed as irrigation management systems, and introducing evapotranspirative irrigation technology as a straightforward smart irrigation approach. Globally, research on irrigation technologies highlights significant potential for water conservation. Smart irrigation system, as a facet of irrigation system management, is considered a strategic approach for effective irrigation implementation. The adoption of micro-irrigation systems in cultivated crops shows promising results in enhancing water productivity and significantly increasing yield rates, but smallholder farmers resist due to high costs. This study introduces innovative approaches using simple automatic technology based on the principle of evapotranspiration, aiming to mitigate high costs. This technology is designed to distribute water optimally at the highest evapotranspiration rate during prolonged dry periods. The key success indicators focus on water productivity, encompassing crop water, irrigation water, and total water. The evapotranspirative irrigation system is pivotal in regulating evapotranspiration rates, resulting in reduced water evaporation and increased land and water productivities, making it adaptive to the impacts of climate change.
Journal Article
Can Agricultural Cooperatives Promote Chinese Farmers’ Adoption of Green Technologies?
Green technologies are important for achieving green and high-quality agricultural development. The Chinese government has issued various policies to explicitly encourage the adoption of green technologies. However, incentives for Chinese farmers to adopt green technologies remain insufficient. This study examines whether participation in agricultural cooperatives can help break the barriers to Chinese farmers’ adoption of green technologies. It also examines the potential mechanisms by which cooperatives can mitigate the lack of incentives for farmers to adopt agricultural green technologies. Using data from a study on farmers in four Chinese provinces, we found that cooperative participation significantly increases farmers’ adoption behavior for both green technologies with effective market incentives (e.g., commercial organic fertilizer technologies) and those without such incentives (e.g., water-saving irrigation technologies).
Journal Article
Jevons’ Paradox and Efficient Irrigation Technology
Water is one of our world’s most essential natural resources, but it is also a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce. The agricultural use of groundwater is particularly important to manage sustainably and well. However, popular and well-intentioned water conservation and management policies, including those that encourage the adoption of more efficient irrigation technology, may have unintended and possibly perverse consequences if policy-makers do not account for water users’ behavioral responses to their policies. In particular, a Jevons’ Paradox may arise, whereby a technology that enhances the efficiency of using a natural resource does not necessarily lead to less consumption of that resource. In this paper, we discuss efficient irrigation technology, Jevons’ Paradox, and the possible perverse consequences of incentive-based programs for agricultural groundwater conservation.
Journal Article