Agricultural Water Use Efficiency and Rebound Effect: A Study for China
Hang Xu1, Rui Yang2, Jianfeng Song1
1College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
Summary
Improving agricultural water use efficiency significantly reduces water use, but an 88.81% rebound effect means savings are minimal. This highlights the need to control irrigation scale alongside efficiency gains for effective water resource management.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Agricultural water use represents the largest portion of global water withdrawal.
- Improving water use efficiency is crucial for alleviating water scarcity.
- The rebound effect can offset water savings achieved through efficiency improvements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure the causal effect of agricultural water use efficiency on agricultural water use.
- To analyze the agricultural water rebound effect, its heterogeneity, and underlying mechanisms.
- To provide implications for agricultural water management strategies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a fixed-effects model to analyze the agricultural water rebound effect.
- Employed panel data from 30 Chinese provinces/cities spanning 2000-2017.
- Investigated the influence of agricultural water use efficiency on planting area and structure.
Main Results:
- Agricultural water use efficiency has a significant negative effect on water use, with an average rebound effect of 88.81%.
- The impact of efficiency improvements is heterogeneous, showing lower rebound effects in humid or major grain-producing regions.
- Efficiency gains influence water use by expanding planting area (increasing use) but altering planting structure (decreasing use).
Conclusions:
- While agricultural water use efficiency reduces water consumption, the substantial rebound effect necessitates careful management.
- Controlling irrigation scale is essential, particularly in water-scarce regions, even when improving efficiency.
- Policy interventions should consider the interplay between efficiency, planting scale, and crop structure for sustainable water resource management.
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