This paper examines water use efficiency and economic efficiency with a particular focus on the Murray-Darling Basin of Australia and the stated policy goal of increasing environmental flows of water in the Basin. The different measures of efficiency are explained, and their implications for water reform and the efficacy of market based approaches to addressing the water scarcity issues and environmental flow needs are explored. Public policies to subsidize investments for improvements in irrigation efficiency are shown not to be currently cost effective compared to alternatives, such as buying water through water markets. The implications of these findings, and the factors that determine the demand for irrigation water by competing uses, can guide policy makers undertaking water reforms in the agricultural sector to mitigate the environmental consequences of overuse of water resources.
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Research Article|
January 14 2011
Understanding irrigation water use efficiency at different scales for better policy reform: a case study of the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia Available to Purchase
M. Ejaz Qureshi;
aCSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, P.O. Box 284, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
bFenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
Fax: + 61 2 6242 1705; E-mail: [email protected]
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R. Quentin Grafton;
R. Quentin Grafton
cCrawford School of Economics and Government, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
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Mac Kirby;
Mac Kirby
dCSIRO Land and Water, P.O. Box 1666, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Munir A. Hanjra
Munir A. Hanjra
eInternational Centre of Water for Food Security, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia
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Water Policy (2011) 13 (1): 1–17.
Article history
Received:
May 17 2009
Accepted:
November 25 2009
Citation
M. Ejaz Qureshi, R. Quentin Grafton, Mac Kirby, Munir A. Hanjra; Understanding irrigation water use efficiency at different scales for better policy reform: a case study of the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. Water Policy 1 February 2011; 13 (1): 1–17. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2010.063
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