农业灌溉水费“暗补”改为“明补”的必要性与可行性

通过梳理国内外水价政策,得到以下启示：对农业灌溉水费实行单纯的＂暗补＂是低效的,与我国的水资源形势不相适应;对农业灌溉用水实行＂明补＂是改变农业用水低效的最有效方式,应改变我国农业灌溉不收水费的＂暗补＂方式,实施水费征收与补贴并举。分析了农业灌溉水费＂暗补＂改为＂明补＂的必要性和可行性,并以河北省衡水市桃城区实施＂提补水价＂节水激励机制、节水效果明显为例,说明农民易于接受水费征收与补贴并举的方式。     

Producer Willingness to Pay for Precision Application Technology: Implications for Government and the Technology Industry

This paper focuses on the willingness to pay (WTP) for precision application/site-specific management technologies on the part of agricultural producers. We use a contingent valuation survey to elicit WTP for a package of technologies and examine the impact of government subsidies on potential demand. Results suggest that producer WTP is significantly lower than current technology prices, necessitating a 60% government subsidy to induce adoption, on average. Agronomic factors such as soil characteristic variability and soil quality are important determinants of WTP. In addition, how well the technology integrates into current farming practices and equipment also appears important.     

辽宁农业灌溉用水影响因素时空差异性研究

目的 文章基于2000—2019年辽宁农业灌溉用水相关数据，将农业灌溉用水压力、效率、用水价格、种植结构等因素纳入农业灌溉用水需求模型，估计各影响因素对农业灌溉用水需求的影响，更好地保障粮食和水资源安全。方法 利用时空地理加权回归模型研究辽宁各地级市农业灌溉用水影响因素作用的时空差异性。结果 （1）不考虑影响因素作用的时空差异性，用水价格和农村居民人均收入变动对辽宁农业灌溉用水需求的影响特别小。（2）考虑到影响因素作用的时空差异性，除了朝阳和大连，其余各地级市农业灌溉用水需求的价格弹性在2014年前后呈现出负向增大的态势，水价改革还有较大的效力空间。（3）辽宁农业灌溉用水效率和种植结构的回归系数在空间上呈现出中部低，四周高的特点。（4）城镇化程度对农业灌溉用水需求的影响呈现出由东北向西南逐渐递减，由正向较强逐渐向负向较强的演变。结论 依据辽宁农业灌溉用水的各影响因素的作用强度，种植结构、用水效率和城镇化程度是影响辽宁农业灌溉用水需求的主要因素，合理制定城镇化规划对该因素回归系数呈显著上升趋势的地级市尤为重要。     

The impact of water price uncertainty on the adoption of precision irrigation systems

We examine whether a firm is more or less likely to adopt precision technology when input prices are stochastic. The results are important to determining whether programs and contracts that reduce input price uncertainty may deter the adoption of conservation practices. An economic model of the technology adoption decision shows that the net effect of input price risk is ambiguous and depends on several factors including the shutdown effect, the mean price effect, the precision expansion effect, and the risk aversion effect. An empirical implementation of the model relies on data on water price and irrigation technology adoption observed in a California irrigation district over the period 1999–2002. The results show that a stable input price increases the adoption of precision technology, but the impact depends on crop choice and land quality characteristics.     

WTO“绿箱”政策与大型灌区改革

根据在大型灌区的调查数据，从投资效率、管理体制、运营机制和水价管制等方面对其进行实例分析后发现，目前大型灌区存在投资效率低、体制不顺、管理不活、水价管制失灵等问题。针对这一现状，提出加大政府对大型灌区农业基础设施的投入，加快大型灌区的管理体制和运营机制改革，以及改革国家的农业宏观政策等建议。     

Cost‐reflective pricing: empirical insights into irrigators’ preferences for water tariffs

Using prices to improve the efficiency with which water resources are allocated is now widely accepted in principle if somewhat difficult to achieve in practice. Whilst there are some technical difficulties associated with full‐cost recovery in irrigation, the lack of political will to tackle reform remains a significant impediment. This article reports the results of an empirical investigation into farmers’ preferences for changes to water prices and tariff structures. We conclude that some of the preferences of farmers are conducive to price reform. We also find evidence that public subsidy of infrastructure in irrigation is not always aligned with the preferences of farmers.     

鄂尔多斯市黄河南岸灌区农业水价改革实例分析

以内蒙古自治区鄂尔多斯市黄河南岸灌区农业水价改革为例,分析灌区农业水价改革的必要性和影响,并提出确定农业初始水权,构建农业水价形成机制,建立农业用水精准补贴和节水奖励机制以及健全完善灌区量水设施等改革措施。     

The role of common pool problems in irrigation inefficiency: a case study in groundwater pumping in Mexico

Groundwater depletion is a serious problem in Mexico. Several policy alternatives are currently being considered in order to improve the efficiency of irrigation water use so that extraction of groundwater is diminished. An understanding and quantification of different sources of inefficiency in groundwater extraction is critical for policy design. Survey data from a geographically extensive sample of irrigators is used to gauge the importance of common pool problems on input‐specific irrigation inefficiency. Results show that mechanisms of electricity cost sharing implemented in many wells have a sizable impact on inefficiency of irrigation application. Moreover, irrigation is very inelastic to its own unitary cost. Therefore, results suggest that policies aimed at eliminating electricity cost‐sharing mechanisms would be significantly more effective than electricity price‐based policies in reducing irrigation application. Results also show that well sharing does not affect groundwater pumping significantly, suggesting either a limited effect of individual pumping on water level or absence of strategic pumping by farmers sharing the wells.     

农业用水非农化对农户粮食生产用水行为的影响——基于山东省728份农户调查数据

[目的]农户作为微观经营主体,其节水技术的采用将提高粮食生产用水效率,达到节约水资源与保证粮食生产的双重目的。通过分析农户粮食生产用水行为,探讨水资源短缺约束对农户粮食生产技术采用的诱致效应。[方法]文章基于2019年对山东省728份农户的调查问卷数据,以农户行为理论为基础,综合运用统计分析、Logit模型等方法,对农业用水非农化约束下农户的粮食生产用水行为进行分析。[结果]在农业用水非农化态势下,作为理性经济人的农户倾向于采用节水技术,以保证粮食生产。农户年龄、家庭农业劳动力人数、灌溉水源与灌溉方式对其节水技术的采用影响显著为负,农业年收入、小麦及玉米种植面积对农户节水技术的采纳行为影响显著为正。[结论]规模化经营是大型节水设施应用的基本条件,应当加快农地流转,推进粮食生产规模化经营,提高粮食灌溉的规模化和标准化水平;同时加快建立科学合理的农业水价改革制度,促进农民节约农业用水,以此实现水资源利用效率提高与粮食生产能力稳定的双重目标。     

Block-Rate versus Uniform Water Pricing in Agriculture: An Empirical Analysis

In this article we adapt Burtless and Hausman's (1978) methodology in order to estimate farmers' demand for irrigation water under increasing block-rate tariffs and empirically assess its effect on aggregate demand and inter-farm allocation efficiency. This methodology overcomes the technical challenges raised by increasing block-rate pricing and accounts for both observed and unobserved technological heterogeneity among farmers. Employing micro panel data documenting irrigation levels and prices in 185 Israeli agricultural communities in the period 1992–1997, we estimate water demand elasticity at −0.3 in the short run (the effect of a price change on demand within a year of implementation) and −0.46 in the long run. We also find that, in accordance with common belief, switching from a single to a block-price regime, yields a 7% reduction in average water use while maintaining the same average price. However, based on our simulations we estimate that the switch to block prices will result in a loss of approximately 1% of agricultural output due to inter-farm allocation inefficiencies.     

四川省农业水价综合改革的分析与思考

四川省推进农业水价综合改革以来,取得了一定成效。结合试点县实际情况,介绍在产权制度建设、工程设施配套、初始水权确定、水价形成机制、精准补贴和节水奖励机制建立等方面的改革现状,总结相关经验,分析存在的主要问题,提出相关建议,为推动西南地区农业水价综合改革提供一定的借鉴。     

Joint Estimation of Technology Adoption and Land Allocation with Implications for the Design of Conservation Policy

One challenge to estimating the parameters of a technology adoption model is that technology is selected jointly with land allocation. The article estimates a nested logit model of technology and crop choices that accounts for unobserved correlation among decisions. Estimation is conducted with a data set of adoptions, in contrast to the more common approach of using cross-section observations of existing technologies. Estimation results support the choice of a nesting structure as opposed to a more standard multinomial logit model. Adoption of precision irrigation technology is shown to be more sensitive to financial incentives affecting input price and technology cost than suggested by previous studies.     

Irrigation production functions with water-capital substitution

The dynamics of biomass growth implies that the yield of irrigated crops depends, in addition to the total amount of water applied, on irrigation scheduling during the growing period. Advanced irrigation technologies relax constraints on irrigation rates and timing, allowing us to better adjust irrigation scheduling to the varying needs of the plants along the growing period. Irrigation production functions, then, should include capital (or expenditures on irrigation equipment) in addition to aggregate water. We derive such functions and study their water-capital substitution properties. Implications for water demand and adoption of irrigation technologies are investigated. A numerical example illustrates these properties.     

新疆生产建设兵团各师灌溉水价变动对

以新疆生产建设兵团2000~2006年灌溉水价和与之对应的每公顷毛灌溉定额资料为基础,应用计量经济学需求函数模型,建立兵团灌溉水价与灌溉用水量的定量关系,利用以上研究成果对兵团灌溉水价改革进行预测,根据兵团各师农业灌溉节水量测算农业灌溉水价对农业经济的贡献率。结果表明,水价这一经济杠杆对当地农业经济的发展起到了促进作用。     

Adoption of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation as a water-saving technology in Bangladesh: Economic and environmental considerations

Managing scarce irrigation water poses a major challenge globally because of changing climate and a rising population. Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) is widely regarded as a water-saving irrigation technology capable of contributing to sustainable water-use. Existing literature lacks rigorous quantitative analysis of the determinants and effects of AWD adoption. In contrast, applying logit, propensity score matching and multiple regression models to survey data from two drought-prone and groundwater-depleted areas in Bangladesh, this study identifies determinants and effects of AWD adoption and explores policy implications. Age and education-level of household head, access to prior weather information, landownership, topography, and soil-type are found to be significant determinants of AWD adoption. AWD is found to be water-saving, irrigation cost-decreasing and crop yield-increasing. However, AWD adoption in Bangladesh is not widespread. Major policy implications include information dissemination about the use and benefit of AWD through farmers’ education and training for widespread adoption and diffusion of water-saving technologies. A rationally coordinated system of policy measures including significant strengthening of institutional support services, scientific research, rethinking of the cropping-mix and greater use of information technology constitute a sine qua non for achieving sustainable water management.     

Irrigation Technology Adoption and Gains from Water Trading under Asymmetric Information

We develop a water allocation and irrigation technology adoption model under the prior appropriation doctrine with asymmetric information among heterogeneous farmers and between farmers and water authorities. We find that adverse selection reduces the adoption of modern irrigation technology. We also show that even with asymmetric information, incentives for water trade exist and lead to additional technology adoption with gains to all parties. This suggests that under asymmetric information, a thin secondary market improves the allocation of water resources and induces additional adoption of modern irrigation technologies.     

Estimating Crop-Specific Production Technologies in Chinese Agriculture: A Generalized Maximum Entropy Approach

A generalized maximum entropy approach is adapted to empirically estimate crop-specific production technologies in Chinese agriculture. Despite a modest behavioral assumption about equal marginal returns of nonland inputs among crops, this method does not require price information, which is usually distorted in a centrally planned economy such as China. A multi-output technology for Chinese agriculture is estimated and input allocations for each province are recovered simultaneously. The estimated multi-output production technology and input allocations imply that China may have greater grain production potentials than previously thought.     

Technology Adoption under Production Uncertainty: Theory and Application to Irrigation Technology

We propose a theoretical framework to analyze the conditions under which a farmer facing production uncertainty (due to a possible water shortage) and incomplete information will adopt a more efficient irrigation technology. A reduced form of this model is empirically estimated using a sample of 265 farms located in Crete, Greece. The empirical results suggest that farmers choose to adopt the new technology in order to hedge against production risk. In addition, we show that the farmer's human capital also plays a significant role in the decision to adopt modern, more efficient irrigation equipment.     

Technology choice and efficiency on Australian dairy farms*

Deregulation of the Australian dairy industry, specifically the removal of price subsidies to ‘market milk’, as well as ongoing drought in many dairy regions, has placed considerable pressure on farm cash income and a search for ways in which dairy farms can be made to operate more efficiently. Using traditional farm survey data and a unique biannual data set on farm technology use, this paper estimates a stochastic production frontier and technical efficiency model for dairy farms in New South Wales and Victoria, determining the relative importance of each input in dairy production, the effects of key technology variables on farm efficiency, and overall farm profiles based on the efficiency rankings of dairy producers. Results show that production exhibits constant returns to scale and although feed concentration and the number of cows milked at peak season matter, the key determinants of differences in dairy farm efficiency are the type of dairy shed used and the proportion of irrigated farm area. Overall farm profiles indicate that those in the ‘high efficiency group’ largely employ either rotary or swing‐over dairy shed technology and have almost three times the proportional amount of land under irrigation.