Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Economics of Water Optimization for Crop Production in Shallow Tube Well (stw) Irrigation System in Bangladesh

F I M Golam Wahed Sarker
Senior Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI, Gazipur

John Lingard
Professor
Department of Agricultural Economics and Food Marketing, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

M A Sattar
Principal Scientific Officer
Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI, Gazipur

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Farm resources among farm sizes are limited in relation to crops demand. Moreover, mis allocation of scarce resources like irrigation water reduces farm income and employment. Again, farmers are exposed to numerous natural and economic sources of uncertainty. The main sources of uncertainty in crop production are price and yield instability. Yield variability is caused by weather fluctuations, availability of irrigation water and pest infestation etc. A sensitivity analysis of the changes in the value of the optimal solution gives some indication of the stability of the optimal solution. With this view in mind, the study is to assess the impact irrigation water optimization and level of water and price scenario crop production, resource use, farm income and employment. Optimal plans show a mis allocation of irrigation water. The mis allocation of irrigation water on large farms was greater than on small farms. Farm households are also modeled to simulate the impact of alternative water availability and price scenarios on crop production. Water scarcity decreased crop areas and reduced inputs use and farm income of all types of farms. Small farms are more vulnerable/responsive to water scarcity and changing prices than large farms. The research supports the view that the government should maintain a policy that favour private sector investment and operation of STW irrigation equipment and extension workers could direct farmers to better allocation of irrigation water for optimal production and farm income.

Keywords: STW Irrigation, Optimization and Crop Production

Location: Shibganj, Bogra

Start Date: 10-02-1999

End Date: 10-09-2000

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Tubewell

Objectives:

To assess the impact of irrigation water optimization for crop production on large and small farms in STW irrigation system; and
To determine the impact of alternative states of irrigation water and price scenarios on crop production, resource use, net farm income and employment on large and small farms

Methodology:

A group of farmers from 10 STWs from five agricultural blocks in Shibganj Upazila of Bogra district were chosen randomly.All farms in the study area were listed according to their land holdings to identify farm size.Carrying out a field survey from April to June 1999 collected primary data. To record the information, a well structured and pre tested survey schedule was used to interviewing the farmers and tube well owners directly. Liner programming (LP) was used to deter the optimal water utilization on small and large farms. LP is the simplest form of mathematical technique used at the farm level to find the profit maximizing combination of activities, subject to constraints imposed by fixed resources. The assumed objective function is to maximize total farm income (gross margins) for an annual cycle. Gross margins were calculated by deducting the variable costs from the gross return, Labour, bullocks, power tillers and irrigation water hiring for respective periods were treated as separate activities in LP and thus cost of these activities have not been included in the gross margins of individual crops.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. of Water Resource research. Vol.20, December 2005

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Availability of irrigation water and prices at farm level are closely related to crop grown on farms. Water scarcity decreases crop area and thus reduces inputs use and farm incomes of all types of farms in STW areas. Small farms are more responsive to water scarcity and price change than large farms.STW irrigation system had a positive effects on agricultural productivity, farm income and employment. Therefore, the government should continue to maintain a policy environment that favour private sector investment and operation of STW irrigation system. Irrigation water scarcity and high prices decreases the cropped area and thus reduces inputs use and farm income. Therefore, steps should be taken to improve on-farm water management practices.

Knowledge Management: Journal