Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon
Efficient water management is critical in addressing the challenges posed by water scarcity and resource sustainability in agriculture. However, the utilization of remote sensing technology to monitor and enhance water productivity in data-scarce environments remains an open question. This study und...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Agricultural Water Management |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837742400516X |
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| author | Hadi Jaafar Poolad Karimi Edoardo Borgomeo |
| author_facet | Hadi Jaafar Poolad Karimi Edoardo Borgomeo |
| author_sort | Hadi Jaafar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Efficient water management is critical in addressing the challenges posed by water scarcity and resource sustainability in agriculture. However, the utilization of remote sensing technology to monitor and enhance water productivity in data-scarce environments remains an open question. This study underscores the importance of integrating earth observation systems into agricultural water management policies, elucidating their potential to shape crucial policy decisions and investment strategies, particularly in regions facing data limitations. To address this issue, we provide a comprehensive framework that blends remote sensing data with field-based economic information, to develop the concept of economic productivity of irrigation water. Leveraging FAO’s Water Productivity Open-access portal (WaPOR) data, we spatially assess yields, water use, crop water productivity, economic water productivity, and economic irrigation water productivity (EIWP) for wheat and potatoes in the Upper Litani Basin of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. Early season potatoes outperform irrigated wheat significantly, providing up to ten times higher returns on irrigation water ($6/m3 vs. $0.6/m3). Spatial analysis shows that southern areas have 30 % lower potato EIWP than northern areas of the valley but 55 % higher wheat EIWP, mainly due to higher rainfall. Our findings reveal that merely considering crop water productivity is insufficient when deciding what to plant, as it fails to account for profitability. While transitioning to crops or practices with greater EIWP can enhance economic productivity on the short-term, it may simultaneously lead to increased water consumption. As a result, the shift towards highly water-productive systems may require measures such as controlling irrigated areas or implementing restrictions on water withdrawals to maintain stable water consumption levels. This study offers valuable insights for water resource management, agricultural policy, and sustainable water utilization, especially in semi-arid regions like the Litani Basin, providing a foundation for informed decision-making in these resource-constrained environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cb68e3890e624c049a0a4754a683b549 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1873-2283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agricultural Water Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-cb68e3890e624c049a0a4754a683b5492024-12-14T06:29:44ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832024-12-01306109180Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, LebanonHadi Jaafar0Poolad Karimi1Edoardo Borgomeo2Department of Agriculture, American Univeristy of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon; Corresponding author.Department of Land and Water Management, IHE Delft Institute of Water Education, Delft, the NetherlandsCentre for Sustainable Development, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandEfficient water management is critical in addressing the challenges posed by water scarcity and resource sustainability in agriculture. However, the utilization of remote sensing technology to monitor and enhance water productivity in data-scarce environments remains an open question. This study underscores the importance of integrating earth observation systems into agricultural water management policies, elucidating their potential to shape crucial policy decisions and investment strategies, particularly in regions facing data limitations. To address this issue, we provide a comprehensive framework that blends remote sensing data with field-based economic information, to develop the concept of economic productivity of irrigation water. Leveraging FAO’s Water Productivity Open-access portal (WaPOR) data, we spatially assess yields, water use, crop water productivity, economic water productivity, and economic irrigation water productivity (EIWP) for wheat and potatoes in the Upper Litani Basin of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. Early season potatoes outperform irrigated wheat significantly, providing up to ten times higher returns on irrigation water ($6/m3 vs. $0.6/m3). Spatial analysis shows that southern areas have 30 % lower potato EIWP than northern areas of the valley but 55 % higher wheat EIWP, mainly due to higher rainfall. Our findings reveal that merely considering crop water productivity is insufficient when deciding what to plant, as it fails to account for profitability. While transitioning to crops or practices with greater EIWP can enhance economic productivity on the short-term, it may simultaneously lead to increased water consumption. As a result, the shift towards highly water-productive systems may require measures such as controlling irrigated areas or implementing restrictions on water withdrawals to maintain stable water consumption levels. This study offers valuable insights for water resource management, agricultural policy, and sustainable water utilization, especially in semi-arid regions like the Litani Basin, providing a foundation for informed decision-making in these resource-constrained environments.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837742400516XRemote sensingEvapotranspirationBekaaCerealsCrop yieldsWapor |
| spellingShingle | Hadi Jaafar Poolad Karimi Edoardo Borgomeo Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon Agricultural Water Management Remote sensing Evapotranspiration Bekaa Cereals Crop yields Wapor |
| title | Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon |
| title_full | Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon |
| title_fullStr | Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon |
| title_short | Economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato: An earth observation perspective on policy implications in the Litani Basin, Lebanon |
| title_sort | economic irrigation water productivity of wheat and potato an earth observation perspective on policy implications in the litani basin lebanon |
| topic | Remote sensing Evapotranspiration Bekaa Cereals Crop yields Wapor |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837742400516X |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hadijaafar economicirrigationwaterproductivityofwheatandpotatoanearthobservationperspectiveonpolicyimplicationsinthelitanibasinlebanon AT pooladkarimi economicirrigationwaterproductivityofwheatandpotatoanearthobservationperspectiveonpolicyimplicationsinthelitanibasinlebanon AT edoardoborgomeo economicirrigationwaterproductivityofwheatandpotatoanearthobservationperspectiveonpolicyimplicationsinthelitanibasinlebanon |