Optimization of Virtual Water Exchange for Different Price Elasticity of Agricultural Products (Case study: Urmia Lake Basin)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor at Department of Irrigation and Drainage, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran.

2 M.Sc. student in Water Resources Engineering, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran.

3 PhD student in Economy, Department of Economy, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.

4 PhD student in Water Resources Engineering, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran.

Abstract

In this research, with the aim of maximizing the income of Lake Urmia basin, a linear optimization model was developed to apply three kinds of constraints, including cropping pattern, available water and constant prices and price elasticity of agricultural products to optimize crop production and net imports of crop’s virtual water under 18 scenarios. The considered constrains in optimization were consumed virtual water in the basin, available water and boundaries of increasing or decreasing in the crop production. Regarding the number of studied crops, results have a wide variation but in general, for farm crops and horticulture products, the largest changes in production and net imports of virtual water (comparing to the present condition) were observed for onion, mushroom, apple and grape. In examining the changes in basin income due to the implementation of developed scenarios, it was found that the scenario in which the available water is 60% of the present condition and price elasticity is applied has the highest profitability and is considered to be the most favorable scenario. Altogether, with the application of the proposed scenario, the optimum level of areas under cultivation is less than present for more than a third of the products, and the imports of these products should be increased for the basin. According to the results of this research, the pressure on the water resources of the basin will be reduces by importing virtual water.

Keywords

References

Alamri Y, Reed MR (2019) Estimating virtual water trade in crops for Saudi Arabia. American Journal of Water Resources 7(1):16-22
Allan J (1998) Virtual water: a strategic resource. Ground water 36(4):545-547
AsaadiMehrabani M, Banihabib M, Roozbahany A (2018) Fuzzy linear programming model for the optimization of cropping pattern in Zarrinehroud Basin. Iran-Water Resources Research 14(1):13-24 (In Persian)
Banihabib M, Mohammad RezapourTabari M, Mohammad RezapourTabari M (2017) Development of integrated multi-objective strategy for reallocation of water resources in agriculture systems; Case study: Zarinehrood Basin. Iran Water Resources Research 13(1):38-52 (In Persian)
Banihabib ME, Tabari MM, Tabari MM (2019) Development of a fuzzy multi-objective heuristic model for optimum water allocation. Water Resources Management 1-7
Ehsani M, Khaledi H, Barghi Y (2009) Introduction to virtual water. Iranian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (IRNCID) (In Persian)
Farokhnia, A, Morid S (2014) Assessment of GRACE and GLDAS capabilities for estimation of water balance in large scale areas, a case study of Urmia Lake Watershed. Iran-Water Resources Research 10(1):51-62 (In Persian)
Hadinezhad MD (2016) Model of virtual water exchange optimization- Case study: Lake Urmia watershed. Master's Thesis 105p (In Persian)
Jamab Consulting Engineers (2005) Comprehensive program of adaptation to climate, current and future status of water resources in the watershed of Lake Urmia. Organization for Management and Planning, Office of Water, Agriculture and Natural Resources (In Persian)
Mapani B, Makurira H, Magole L, Meck M, Mkandawire T, Mul M, Ngongondo C (2018) Innovative solutions for intractable water problems in the face of climate change in southern and East African sub regions. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 105:1-2
Márquez AL, Baños R, Gil C, Montoya MG, Manzano‐Agugliaro F, Montoya FG (2011) Multi-objective crop planning using pareto-based evolutionary algorithms. Agricultural Economics 42(6):649-56
Pant M, Thangaraj R, Rani D, Abraham A, Srivastava DK (2010) Estimation of optimal crop plan using nature inspired metaheuristics. World Journal of Modelling and Simulation 6(2):97-109
Rouzbehan M (1997) Farkocene; theory of microeconomics. Tehran University Press, Fifth Edition (In Persian)
Sabouhi M, Ahmadpour M (2012) Estimation of Iran agricultural products demand functions using mathematical programming (Application of maximum entropy method). Agricultural Economics 6(1):71-91 (In Persian)
Sabouhi M, SoltaniGh (2008) Optimal cropping patterns in the basin area with emphasis on social benefits and net imports of virtual water: A case study of Khorasan region. Journal of Agriculture and Natural Resources Science and Technology 43:313-297 (In Persian)
Sadat Hosseini A, Mehregan N, Ebrahimi M (2016) Determining the optimal planting crops with emphasis on maximizing social benefits and net imports of virtual water (Plains study Bahar of Hamedan). Agricultural Economics Research 8(31):123-144 (In Persian)
Safi R, Amirlatifi S (2015) Evaluation of sugarcane cultivation in the Khuzestan province in the context of virtual water. Water Resources Engineering 8(25):87-96 (In Persian)
Shahidi A, Morovatneshan A (2017) Agricultural water management approach through the technique of virtual water genetic optimization (GA) (Case study: Birjand plain). Iranian Journal of Irrigation & Drainage 10(6):714-722 (In Persian)
Sixth 5 year Socio-economic and Cultural Development Plan Act of Islamic Republic of Iran and Permanent Notes Law of Development Plans (2016) Budget planning organization. Tehran, Iran, 288p (In Persian)
Stavenhagen M, Buurman J, Tortajada C (2018) Saving water in cities: Assessing policies for residential water demand management in four cities in Europe. Cities 79:187-195
ULRP (2016) Agricultural Renaissance by changing the pattern of cultivation in the catchment area. Retrieved http://www.ulrp.ir/fa (In Persian)
Yang LE, Chan FK, Scheffran J (2018) Climate change, water management and stakeholder analysis in the Dongjiang River basin in South China. International Journal of Water Resources Development 34(2):166-191
Ye Q, Li Y, Zhuo L, Zhang W, Xiong W, Wang C, Wang P (2018) Optimal allocation of physical water resources integrated with virtual water trade in water scarce regions: A case study for Beijing, China. Water Research 129:264-276
Iran-Water Resources Research
Volume 15, Issue 4
December 2019
Pages 107-123

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 25 June 2019
  • Revise Date: 21 September 2019
  • Accept Date: 29 September 2019

Share

How to cite

Statistics