| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: The possibility of increasing the water supply for irrigation through adoption of more efficient water-application techniques as an alternative to new irrigation projects was studied in an irrigated region of Iran. Excessive water application at the farm level ranks high among the causes of water shortages in the selected region. An empirical analysis of the effect of water-saving technology on the farm operator's net return was made choosing two farms in the region as a case study. The problems facing these farms are common to most farms throughout the country. The results of the budgeting analysis of the selected farms indicated that an improvement in irrigation technique can result in the expansion of water supply and higher marginal value product for water. Comparing the costs of irrigation systems with the net returns resulting from the higher efficiency showed that such an investment is economically feasible. |
