IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v299y2024ics0378377424001732.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Water conservation and saving technologies for irrigation. A structured literature review of econometric studies on the determinants of adoption

Author

Listed:
  • Pronti, Andrea
  • Auci, Sabrina
  • Berbel, Julio

Abstract

Water Conservation and Saving Technologies (WCSTs) can contribute to reduce the pressure on water resources from agricultural activities. A significant strand of literature on agricultural and innovation economics has explored the main drivers behind the adoption of WCSTs in agriculture, but due to the shortage of data most studies are based on survey analyses focusing on a specific case study. Therefore, results cannot be easily generalised. In this paper, we used a structured literature review (SRL) approach to systematise the original studies already published on the WCSTs adoption. Focusing on the econometric analysis used to estimate the main drivers of WCSTs adoption, our analysis started from an initial selection of 1027 studies, then after excluding book chapters, book, conference chapters and after checking abstracts and key-words we arrived to a final selection of 36 papers which have been deeply scrutinized with a structured analysis of their contents. Several findings have emerged from the analysis. The drivers of WCSTs adoption are various and heterogenous. We synthetized the main determinants into different categories: a) farm characteristics (land size, the presence of extension services, capital assets and internal organization within the farm; b) farmer characteristics ( age, level of education, income); c) institutional environment (social networks, previous information on the technology, membership to farmer organizations, public fundings, access to credit, cost of water, access to groundwater, water constraint); d) geographic and climate characteristics (soil quality, drought, aridity).

Suggested Citation

  • Pronti, Andrea & Auci, Sabrina & Berbel, Julio, 2024. "Water conservation and saving technologies for irrigation. A structured literature review of econometric studies on the determinants of adoption," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:299:y:2024:i:c:s0378377424001732
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2024.108838
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424001732
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.108838?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. Crudeli, Luca & Mancinelli, Susanna & Mazzanti, Massimiliano & Pitoro, Raul, 2022. "Beyond individualistic behaviour: Social norms and innovation adoption in rural Mozambique," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    2. Shuhong Wang & Ning Yin & Zhihai Yang, 2021. "Factors affecting sustained adoption of irrigation water-saving technologies in groundwater over-exploited areas in the North China Plain," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 10528-10546, July.
    3. Zhang, Biao & Fu, Zetian & Wang, Jieqiong & Zhang, Lingxian, 2019. "Farmers’ adoption of water-saving irrigation technology alleviates water scarcity in metropolis suburbs: A case study of Beijing, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 349-357.
    4. David Zilberman & Doug Parker, 1996. "Explaining Irrigation Technology Choices: A Microparameter Approach," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 78(4), pages 1064-1072.
    5. Turral, Hugh & Svendsen, Mark & Faures, Jean Marc, 2010. "Investing in irrigation: Reviewing the past and looking to the future," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(4), pages 551-560, April.
    6. Alexandratos, Nikos & Bruinsma, Jelle, 2012. "World agriculture towards 2030/2050: the 2012 revision," ESA Working Papers 288998, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    7. C. Dionisio Pérez-Blanco & Arthur Hrast-Essenfelder & Chris Perry, 2020. "Irrigation Technology and Water Conservation: A Review of the Theory and Evidence," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(2), pages 216-239.
    8. Jinxia Wang & Yunyun Zhu & Tianhe Sun & Jikun Huang & Lijuan Zhang & Baozhu Guan & Qiuqiong Huang, 2020. "Forty years of irrigation development and reform in China," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(1), pages 126-149, January.
    9. Ariel Dinar & Mark Campbell & David Zilberman, 1992. "Adoption of improved irrigation and drainage reduction technologies under limiting environmental conditions," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 2(4), pages 373-398, July.
    10. Sorrell, Steve & Dimitropoulos, John, 2008. "The rebound effect: Microeconomic definitions, limitations and extensions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 636-649, April.
    11. Mi, Qiao & Li, Xiandong & Li, Xianmei & Yu, Guoxin & Gao, Jianzhong, 2021. "Cotton farmers' adaptation to arid climates: Waiting times to adopt water-saving technology," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    12. Hunecke, Claudia & Engler, Alejandra & Jara-Rojas, Roberto & Poortvliet, P. Marijn, 2017. "Understanding the role of social capital in adoption decisions: An application to irrigation technology," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 221-231.
    13. Oriana Bandiera & Imran Rasul, 2006. "Social Networks and Technology Adoption in Northern Mozambique," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 116(514), pages 869-902, October.
    14. Andrew D. Foster & Mark R. Rosenzweig, 2010. "Microeconomics of Technology Adoption," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 2(1), pages 395-424, September.
    15. Feder, Gershon & Just, Richard E & Zilberman, David, 1985. "Adoption of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries: A Survey," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(2), pages 255-298, January.
    16. Robert Mendelsohn & Ariel Dinar, 2003. "Climate, Water, and Agriculture," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 79(3), pages 328-341.
    17. César Salazar & John Rand, 2016. "Production risk and adoption of irrigation technology: evidence from small-scale farmers in Chile," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 25(1), pages 1-37, December.
    18. Baidu-Forson, J., 1999. "Factors influencing adoption of land-enhancing technology in the Sahel: lessons from a case study in Niger," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 20(3), pages 231-239, May.
    19. Secundo, Giustina & Ndou, Valentina & Vecchio, Pasquale Del & De Pascale, Gianluigi, 2020. "Sustainable development, intellectual capital and technology policies: A structured literature review and future research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    20. Knox, J.W. & Kay, M.G. & Weatherhead, E.K., 2012. "Water regulation, crop production, and agricultural water management—Understanding farmer perspectives on irrigation efficiency," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 3-8.
    21. Levidow, Les & Zaccaria, Daniele & Maia, Rodrigo & Vivas, Eduardo & Todorovic, Mladen & Scardigno, Alessandra, 2014. "Improving water-efficient irrigation: Prospects and difficulties of innovative practices," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 84-94.
    22. Rebecca Taylor & David Zilberman, 2017. "Diffusion of Drip Irrigation: The Case of California," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 39(1), pages 16-40.
    23. Meredith Giordano & Susanne M. Scheierling & David O. Tréguer & Hugh Turral & Peter G. McCornick, 2021. "Moving beyond ‘more crop per drop’: insights from two decades of research on agricultural water productivity," International Journal of Water Resources Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(1), pages 137-161, January.
    24. Shrestha, Rajendra B & Gopalakrishnan, Chennat, 1993. "Adoption and Diffusion of Drip Irrigation Technology: An Econometric Analysis," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 41(2), pages 407-418, January.
    25. Beau Olen & JunJie Wu & Christian Langpap, 2016. "Irrigation Decisions for Major West Coast Crops: Water Scarcity and Climatic Determinants," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 98(1), pages 254-275.
    26. Foltz, Jeremy D, 2003. "The Economics of Water-Conserving Technology Adoption in Tunisia: An Empirical Estimation of Farmer Technology Choice," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(2), pages 359-373, January.
    27. Georgina Moreno & David L. Sunding, 2005. "Joint Estimation of Technology Adoption and Land Allocation with Implications for the Design of Conservation Policy," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(4), pages 1009-1019.
    28. Gershon Feder, 1982. "Adoption of Interrelated Agricultural Innovations: Complementarity and the Impacts of Risk, Scale, and Credit," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 64(1), pages 94-101.
    29. Foltz, Jeremy D, 2003. "The Economics of Water-Conserving Technology Adoption in Tunisia: An Empirical Estimation of Farmer Technology Choice," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(2), pages 359-373, January.
    30. Paul Stoneman, 2013. "The impact of prior use on the further diffusion of new process technology," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 238-255, April.
    31. Dinar, Ariel & Yaron, Dan, 1990. "Influence Of Quality And Scarcity Of Inputs On The Adoption Of Modern Irrigation Technologies," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 15(2), pages 1-10, December.
    32. Neupane, Ramji P. & Sharma, Khem R. & Thapa, Gopal B., 2002. "Adoption of agroforestry in the hills of Nepal: a logistic regression analysis," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 72(3), pages 177-196, June.
    33. Margarita Genius & Phoebe Koundouri & Céline Nauges & Vangelis Tzouvelekas, 2014. "Information Transmission in Irrigation Technology Adoption and Diffusion: Social Learning, Extension Services, and Spatial Effects," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 96(1), pages 328-344.
    34. Green, Gareth P. & Sunding, David L., 1997. "Land Allocation, Soil Quality, And The Demand For Irrigation Technology," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 22(2), pages 1-9, December.
    35. Maurizio Massaro & John Dumay & James Guthrie, 2016. "On the shoulders of giants: undertaking a structured literature review in accounting," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(5), pages 767-801, June.
    36. Espinosa-Tasón, Jaime & Berbel, Julio & Gutiérrez-Martín, Carlos, 2020. "Energized water: Evolution of water-energy nexus in the Spanish irrigated agriculture, 1950–2017," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    37. Phoebe Koundouri & Céline Nauges & Vangelis Tzouvelekas, 2006. "Technology Adoption under Production Uncertainty: Theory and Application to Irrigation Technology," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 88(3), pages 657-670.
    38. Margriet Caswell & David Zilberman, 1985. "The Choices of Irrigation Technologies in California," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 67(2), pages 224-234.
    39. Huang, Qiuqiong & Xu, Ying & Kovacs, Kent & West, Grant, 2017. "Analysis Of Factors That Influence The Use Of Irrigation Technologies And Water Management Practices In Arkansas," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(2), pages 159-185, May.
    40. Adam Jaffe & Richard Newell & Robert Stavins, 2002. "Environmental Policy and Technological Change," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 22(1), pages 41-70, June.
    41. Somda, Jacques & Nianogo, A. Joseph & Nassa, Suleymane & Sanou, Seydou, 2002. "Soil fertility management and socio-economic factors in crop-livestock systems in Burkina Faso: a case study of composting technology," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2-3), pages 175-183, December.
    42. Negri, Donald H. & Brooks, Douglas H., 1990. "Determinants Of Irrigation Technology Choice," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 15(2), pages 1-12, December.
    43. Skaggs, R. K., 2001. "Predicting drip irrigation use and adoption in a desert region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 125-142, October.
    44. Alfonso Expósito & Julio Berbel, 2019. "Drivers of Irrigation Water Productivity and Basin Closure Process: Analysis of the Guadalquivir River Basin (Spain)," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 33(4), pages 1439-1450, March.
    45. Boahene, Kwasi & Snijders, Tom A. B. & Folmer, Henk, 1999. "An Integrated Socioeconomic Analysis of Innovation Adoption: The Case of Hybrid Cocoa in Ghana," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 167-184, March.
    46. Zhou, Xinyao & Zhang, Yongqiang & Sheng, Zhuping & Manevski, Kiril & Andersen, Mathias N. & Han, Shumin & Li, Huilong & Yang, Yonghui, 2021. "Did water-saving irrigation protect water resources over the past 40 years? A global analysis based on water accounting framework," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    47. Sheikh, A. D. & Rehman, T. & Yates, C. M., 2003. "Logit models for identifying the factors that influence the uptake of new `no-tillage' technologies by farmers in the rice-wheat and the cotton-wheat farming systems of Pakistan's Punjab," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 79-95, January.
    48. Pereira, Luis Santos & Oweis, Theib & Zairi, Abdelaziz, 2002. "Irrigation management under water scarcity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(3), pages 175-206, December.
    49. Berkhout, Peter H. G. & Muskens, Jos C. & W. Velthuijsen, Jan, 2000. "Defining the rebound effect," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6-7), pages 425-432, June.
    50. Jinxia Wang & Henning Bjornlund & K. K. Klein & Lijuan Zhang & Wencui Zhang, 2016. "Factors that Influence the Rate and Intensity of Adoption of Improved Irrigation Technologies in Alberta, Canada," Water Economics and Policy (WEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 2(03), pages 1-32, September.
    51. Schaible, Glenn D. & Kim, C.S. & Whittlesey, Norman K., 1991. "Water Conservation Potential From Irrigation Technology Transitions In The Pacific Northwest," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 16(2), pages 1-13, December.
    52. Nadia A. Streletskaya & Samuel D. Bell & Maik Kecinski & Tongzhe Li & Simanti Banerjee & Leah H. Palm‐Forster & David Pannell, 2020. "Agricultural Adoption and Behavioral Economics: Bridging the Gap," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(1), pages 54-66, March.
    53. Waltman, Ludo, 2016. "A review of the literature on citation impact indicators," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 365-391.
    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. César Salazar & John Rand, 2016. "Production risk and adoption of irrigation technology: evidence from small-scale farmers in Chile," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 25(1), pages 1-37, December.
    2. Alcon, Francisco & Tapsuwan, Sorada & Martínez-Paz, José M. & Brouwer, Roy & de Miguel, María D., 2014. "Forecasting deficit irrigation adoption using a mixed stakeholder assessment methodology," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 183-193.
    3. Rossi, Fabiana Ribeiro & Filho, Hildo Meirelles de Souza & Miranda, Bruno Varella & Carrer, Marcelo José, 2020. "The role of contracts in the adoption of irrigation by Brazilian orange growers," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    4. Jordán, Cristian & Speelman, Stijn, 2020. "On-farm adoption of irrigation technologies in two irrigated valleys in Central Chile: The effect of relative abundance of water resources," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    5. Auci, Sabrina & Pronti, Andrea, 2023. "Irrigation technology adaptation for a sustainable agriculture: A panel endogenous switching analysis on the Italian farmland productivity," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    6. Gonzalo Villa‐Cox & Francesco Cavazza & Cristian Jordan & Mijail Arias‐Hidalgo & Paúl Herrera & Ramon Espinel & Davide Viaggi & Stijn Speelman, 2021. "Understanding constraints on private irrigation adoption decisions under uncertainty in data constrained settings: A novel empirical approach tested on Ecuadorian Cocoa cultivations," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(6), pages 985-999, November.
    7. Lichtenberg, Erik, 2013. "Optimal Investment in Precision Irrigation Systems: A Dynamic Intraseasonal Approach," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 149920, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. He, Xue-Feng & Cao, Huhua & Li, Feng-Min, 2007. "Econometric analysis of the determinants of adoption of rainwater harvesting and supplementary irrigation technology (RHSIT) in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(3), pages 243-250, May.
    9. Zhang, Biao & Fu, Zetian & Wang, Jieqiong & Zhang, Lingxian, 2019. "Farmers’ adoption of water-saving irrigation technology alleviates water scarcity in metropolis suburbs: A case study of Beijing, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 349-357.
    10. Xie, Yang & Zilberman, David, 2014. "The Economics of Water Project Capacities and Conservation Technologies," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 169820, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    11. Olen, Beau & Wu, JunJie & Langpap, Christian, 2012. "Crop-specific Irrigation Choices for Major Crops on the West Coast: Water Scarcity and Climatic Determinants," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124843, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    12. Gautam, Tej K. & Bhatta, Dependra, 2017. "Determinants Of Irrigation Technology Adoptions And Production Efficiency In Nepal’S Agricultural Sector," 2017 Annual Meeting, February 4-7, 2017, Mobile, Alabama 252856, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    13. Jordan, Cristian & Donoso, Guillermo & Speelman, Stijn, 2021. "Measuring the effect of improved irrigation technologies on irrigated agriculture. A study case in Central Chile," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    14. Pokhrel, Bijay & Krishna, Paudel & Eduardo, Segarra, 2016. "Factors Affecting the Choice, Intensity, and Allocation of Irrigation Technologies by U.S. Cotton Farmers," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 230199, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    15. George Frisvold & Charles Sanchez & Noel Gollehon & Sharon B. Megdal & Paul Brown, 2018. "Evaluating Gravity-Flow Irrigation with Lessons from Yuma, Arizona, USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-27, May.
    16. Sabrina Auci & Andrea Pronti, 2020. "Innovation in Irrigation Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture: An Endogenous Switching Analysis on Italian Farms’ Land Productivity," SEEDS Working Papers 1220, SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies, revised Dec 2020.
    17. Alcon, Francisco & De Miguel, María Dolores & Burton, Michael P., 2008. "Adopción de tecnología de distribución y control del agua en las Comunidades de Regantes de la Región de Murcia," Economia Agraria y Recursos Naturales, Spanish Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 8(01), pages 1-19.
    18. Lichtenberg, Erik & Majsztrik, John & Saavoss, Monica, 2014. "Willingness to Pay for Sensor-Controlled Irrigation," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 168211, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    19. Linda Steinhübel & Johannes Wegmann & Oliver Mußhoff, 2020. "Digging deep and running dry—the adoption of borewell technology in the face of climate change and urbanization," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(5), pages 685-706, September.
    20. Pongspikul, Tayatorn & McCann, Laura M., 2020. "Farmers’ Adoption of Pressure Irrigation Systems: The Case of Cotton Producers in the Southeastern versus Southwestern U.S," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304332, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    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:299:y:2024:i:c:s0378377424001732. 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.