The potential impact of markets for irrigation water in Italy and Spain: a comparison of two study areas*

The viability of irrigated systems in Southern Europe is closely linked to efficient institutional settings and water‐allocation mechanisms. A significant, although not widely used, mechanism for water allocation is an intra‐sectorial water market. The objective of this paper is to evaluate to what extent water markets may contribute to the improvement of the efficiency of water allocation and to the profitability of irrigated agriculture. The related issues of water allocation among farm types and farm specialisation are also addressed. The analysis is based on a basin‐level linear programming model, comparing the situation with and without a market. It includes both fixed and variable transaction costs and estimates their combined effects on market performances. The model is applied in two areas in Southern Italy and Spain, and simulates the behaviour of different farm types, derived from cluster analysis on a sample of farms in each area. The paper confirms that water markets could potentially improve the economic efficiency of water use, in terms of higher profit per hectare, given limited water availability. The potential improvements are associated with a more intense specialisation of farms and are strongly differentiated among farmers, particularly where significant restrictions to water availability occur. This corroborates the expectations of institutional difficulties in implementing water markets. However, the exchanges, and consequently the potential effects of water markets, are heavily affected by the actual level of water availability, as well as the size and the structure (fixed vs. proportional) of transaction costs. The paper calls for a more in‐depth analysis of the connections between market performances and institutional settings, as related to the issue of water‐agriculture policy design and coordination.     

农业供水改革的问题分析与途径研究

简述我国农业水资源利用的低效率,分析了我国农业用水管理中存在的问题,提出设计节水激励机制、改善水利工程管理、完善有利于农业产业化的相应对策。     

对山西经济发展若干认识问题的思考

面对日益激烈的全球化竞争，山西能否抓住机遇，迎接挑战，主动参与竞争，最大限度地分享域际和国际分工合作的利益，无疑是一个关乎山西经济发展的重要课题。要彻底摆脱山西经济发展的落后局面，必须从根本上解放思想，更新观念，解决好几个思想认识上的问题。     

Rural Income Poverty in Western China Is Water Poverty

I. IntroductionThe elimination of poverty lies at the heart of development economics, and providesthe main justification for policies of promoting economic growth and development allover the world. Although arduous efforts have been devoted to poverty reductionworldwide, about 1.2 of 6 billion live on less than $1 a day (World Bank, 2002). AlthoughChina has reduced its poor population from 250 million in 1978 to 30 million in 2003, anoverall reduction in world poverty still depends on progre…     

Land acquisition and irrigation in Nigeria

With land as Nigeria's most important asset, successive local and central governments have sought to control the acquisition of land so that it may be put to optimal use by the population of 70 million. The author looks into the theory of land acquisition and its history in Nigeria, with special reference to a number of irrigation projects. He examines in depth the actions and attitudes of the developers in several cases and notes a lack of consistency and consideration on their part. The author records the resulting opposition to any irrigation project due to the injustices such schemes have engendered in the past. He suggests a set of guidelines to bring an Improvement in relations between land-owners and the authorities, so that development projects are not held back and finally implemented in an atmosphere of hostility.     

农业再生水灌溉现状及发展对策分析

农业再生水灌溉是解决水资源短缺的有效途径之一。从再生水灌溉的优势着眼,介绍了国内再生水灌溉的现状,分析再生水灌溉存在的问题,并在此基础上从政策等方面提出了农业再生水灌溉发展的对策和建议。     

农业灌溉经济统计中的信息管理与建设

水资源和水土环境资料的整理分析,是农业水利灌溉中一项细致复杂的统计基础工作.全面客观地反映农业灌溉统计信息的各项指标、经济整体与灌溉水环境影响因素,定期撰写农村灌渠水土环境统计分析报告,及时提供灌溉指标数据,实现有效信息交换与共享,更新完善灌溉统计数据库,建设统计信息智能网络化平台,健全灌溉信息通报机制,充实基层统计队伍,提高灌溉统计信息分析、监测量化和服务管理能力,是实现农业水利统计的准确性、时效性、科学性和权威性的要求.     

林草结合 使林场成为新的畜牧基地

林业是国民经济的基础,这不是空泛的理论之争,而是如何进行经济建设及农业建设的实践之争。我国国土天然形成的大格局,决定了惟有实施林农牧共同发展的大农业战略,使山区、牧区、农区成三足鼎立之势,相互依持,共生共存,我国农业才有出路。这个大农业战略简称为"林草兴邦"。林草结合,也是国有林场建设的新思路。     

山东省雪野水库灌区管理体制与运行机制改革浅析

介绍了雪野水库灌区管理体制与运行机制改革情况，在分析借鉴其经验的基础上，对我国水库灌区管理体制与运行机制改革提出了对灌区产权制度、人事劳动分配制度、农业用水水价制度、水费征收制度进行改革，建立以农户参与灌溉管理为主的灌区基层管理体制的建议。