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A Virtual Water Assessment Methodology for Cropping Pattern Investigation

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  • Chen Zhang
  • Edward McBean
  • Jeanne Huang

Abstract

Increasing freshwater demands have made allocation of water in water-scarce regions especially severe in arid areas. To assist in allocating water, a virtual water assessment methodology is described to assess strategies of saving water by identifying products which would be better as imports rather than producing them. Virtual water quantities, including green and blue water for five major crops, are analyzed, utilizing the methodology, for the three regions of East, Mid and West in Gansu Province, Northwest China, over a nine-year period from 2002 to 2010. Unit virtual water value as well as crop water use efficiencies are included, to determine if current cropping patterns are reasonable. Overall, the methodology encourages crops with lower water consumption, higher unit virtual water value, and crop water use efficiency. Estimates of potential virtual water flows reflect either the amount of virtual water which needs to be imported or the amount which can be exported. The results show that for different regions of Gansu, wheat and soy should be reduced in all three regions; cotton and corn can be increased in the West and Mid regions, respectively; potatoes can be a largely encouraged product throughout Gansu Province. Current cropping patterns in the three regions in the Province are therefore shown to be not optimal; changes in cropping patterns can be initiated, and water deficits can be balanced by virtual water transfers amongst the three regions as indicated by potential virtual water flows. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Chen Zhang & Edward McBean & Jeanne Huang, 2014. "A Virtual Water Assessment Methodology for Cropping Pattern Investigation," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(8), pages 2331-2349, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:28:y:2014:i:8:p:2331-2349
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-014-0618-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Guangyao Deng & Liujuan Wang & Yanan Song, 2015. "Effect of Variation of Water-Use Efficiency on Structure of Virtual Water Trade - Analysis Based on Input–Output Model," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(8), pages 2947-2965, June.
    2. Chen Bai & Lixiao Yao & Cheng Wang & Yongxuan Zhao & Weien Peng, 2022. "Optimization of Water and Energy Spatial Patterns in the Cascade Pump Station Irrigation District," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Hamidreza Manshadi & Mohammad Niksokhan & Mojtaba Ardestani, 2015. "A Quantity-Quality Model for Inter-basin Water Transfer System Using Game Theoretic and Virtual Water Approaches," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(13), pages 4573-4588, October.
    4. Fatemeh Karandish & Samira Salari & Abdullah Darzi-Naftchali, 2015. "Application of Virtual Water Trade to Evaluate Cropping Pattern in Arid Regions," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(11), pages 4061-4074, September.
    5. S. Dutta & B.C. Sahoo & Rajashree Mishra & S. Acharya, 2016. "Fuzzy Stochastic Genetic Algorithm for Obtaining Optimum Crops Pattern and Water Balance in a Farm," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(12), pages 4097-4123, September.

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