Institutional and management implications of drip irrigation introduction in collective irrigation systems in Spain

•We identify management changes and adaptation to drip irrigation technologies.•Centralization on water management has occurred after drip implementation.•Unintended consequences affect both farmer’s and manager’s objectives.•Water saving goals become blurred along the implementation process. This w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAgricultural water management Vol. 187; pp. 164 - 172
Main Authors Ortega-Reig, M., Sanchis-Ibor, C., Palau-Salvador, G., García-Mollá, M., Avellá-Reus, L.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 01.06.2017
Subjects
Adaptation
Collective action
Institutions
Technology
Water saving
Water use efficiency
Collective action
Water use efficiency
Technology
Water saving
Institutions
Adaptation
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Summary:•We identify management changes and adaptation to drip irrigation technologies.•Centralization on water management has occurred after drip implementation.•Unintended consequences affect both farmer’s and manager’s objectives.•Water saving goals become blurred along the implementation process. This work focuses on the transformation occurred with the shift from surface to drip irrigation, looking at three collective irrigation systems in Valencia (Spain). The extension of drip irrigation over areas previously irrigated by systems of gravity channels entails a process of change and transformation of institutions and organizations managing irrigation. We analyze the main management changes occurred and how farmers adapt to the new technology. In order to assess these changes, interviews were conducted with farmers and managers of Water User Associations. Drip irrigation implementation policies result in unforeseen consequences, paradoxes and challenges for collective drip irrigation management. In the three cases, drip irrigation and automation has contributed to the centralization of decision-making. Besides, farmers and managers have also developed irrigation and fertigation strategies to adapt to the new technology. When some of these new operating procedures are applied, farmers obtain results closer to their own goals, but not necessarily linked to the virtues frequently attributed to drip systems.
ISSN:0378-3774
1873-2283
DOI:10.1016/j.agwat.2017.03.009