Study On The Selection Of Effective Water-saving Irritation Techniques For Xinjiang Agriculture

As Xinjiang is characterized by drought and water shortage, so its agriculture depends heavily onirrigation and water is a scarce resource in arid Xinjiang. With the rapid economic and social development,the conflict between demand and supply of water is becoming increasingly evident, water-reservation isinevitable. Water for agriculture accounts for96%of its total consumption, hence the key of water-savinglies in agriculture. Since mid-1990s, Xinjiang has adopted effective water-saving irrigation techniques as aresult of scarce water and now Xinjiang has become the largest demo-zone of water-saving irrigationtechniques nationwide and worldwide. The thesis not only interprets the internal cause for the choice ofwater-saving irrigation techniques, mode of choice, performance and results but also offers a theoreticaland practical reference to other regions.The thesis employs quantitative analysis, comparison, case analysis, observation, combination oftheoretical and empirical study, using theory about induced technology selection, theory of the state,transaction cost theory, theory of collective action and theory of farmer action, in an attempt to establish aframe of theoretical analysis and analyze the reasons for the selection of irritation techniques in Xinjiang.Taking the major body for selecting irrigation techniques-government, enterprises, research departments,farming basis units, cooperation organizations and farmers as a whole, it analyzes the behaviors of themajor body selecting irrigation techniques, operating mechanism and mode and route of selection, andevaluates the performance of water-saving irrigation techniques in XPCC and local Xinjiang with the aid ofquantitative and modeling methods. The main points are presented as follows:Chapter One is the introduction, presenting the background of the study, problems and ideas. It pointsout that water shortage suppresses social and economic development, especially in arid and semiaridregions. Water-saving irrigation is a natural choice for Xinjiang to become a demonstration region. Thereasons for Xinjiang to select water-saving irrigation techniques, the process and performance is a worthytopic of research. In addition, chapter one also deals with the objective of the thesis, contents, methods, andpotential innovation.Chapter Two summarizes the relevant theories (induced selection of techniques, new institutionaleconomics, ideas about public goods), presenting the frame of theoretical analysis, defining relevantconcepts and research range.Chapter Three covers the development of agricultural water-saving irrigation techniques, including theeffects of modern agriculture and farming technologies on the development of irrigation techniques, thedevelopment of water-saving irrigation techniques home and abroad. Emphasis is laid on the developmentof water-saving irrigation techniques in XPCC and local Xinjiang to pave the way for subsequent research.Chapter Four analyses the reason for choosing between techniques of water-saving irrigation in XPCCwith the help of theory of elements rarity and market demand-induced technique selection. It also builds amodel on the basis of mulched drip irrigation to make quantitative analysis. The results suggest thatelements rarity and market demand contribute to the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques. XPCCSystem plays a positive role in choosing between techniques of water-saving irrigation. XPCC is an advantage over local Xinjiang. Land management system, farming system and guarantee system ofagricultural techniques in XPCC all affects the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques.Chapter Five analyzes the participating subjects who are involved in the selection of water-savingirrigation techniques with means of case analysis. This chapter makes an analysis of the responses ofparticipating subjects from XPCC and local Xinjiang, verifying the important role played by differentsubjects in the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques. First of all, it examines the behaviors ofgovernments participating in the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques, analyzing their goals,responses and efficiency in the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques by taking Shihezi of XPCCand Manasi county of local Xinjiang as examples. It concludes that government plays a vital role inselection of water-saving irrigation techniques and is the effective promoter for the selection ofwater-saving irrigation techniques.Secondly, it examines enterprises who get involved in the selection ofwater-saving irrigation techniques. Taking Tianye Group as a case, the chapter analyzes its goals, responsesand efficiency in the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques, indicating that enterprise are the keysubjects for popularizing water-saving irrigation techniques in XPCC.Thirdly, it examines researchdepartments who get involved in the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques. The researchdepartments at different levels under XPCC have made joint efforts to study water-saving irrigationtechniques. Public research departments are the undertakers of tasks of studying and popularizingwater-saving irrigation techniques and the important suppliers of water-saving irrigation techniques.Besides, the chapter looks at the behaviors of basic farming units getting involved in the selection ofwater-saving irrigation techniques. Taking Taxihe village in Manasi county of Xinjiang and FarmingCompany19, Farming Regiment121, Agricultural Eighth Division of XPCC as examples, the chapteranalyzes the goals, responses and efficiency of basic farming units in the selection of water-savingirrigation techniques, indicating. The analysis suggests that the basic farming units under different systemsuse different the ways and methods to select water-saving irrigation techniques. They can choose betweencompulsion, inducedness and cooperation on the basis of systems and field conditions to make thetechnique work better. Finally, it examines the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques bymulti-subjects. selection of water-saving irrigation techniques is the dynamic response by multi-subjects,and effective mechanism of selection of water-saving irrigation techniques has been developed.Governments’ compulsory and induced selection of irrigation technique and selection made by variouscooperative units work together to promote the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques. Under suchcircumstance of spreading different techniques, farmers will voluntarily and rationally select properwater-saving irrigation techniques based on their benefits. So when many subjects get involved theselection, the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques can handle market failure, cut downtransaction costs, overcome the dilemma of collective action, and compensate for organization loss.Chapter Seven makes empirical analysis of the behaviors of the demanding subjects-farmers. Firstly, itanalyzes the data obtained from the questionnaires about the selection of water-saving irrigation techniquesby farmers, investigating the reasons for the selection, their willingness, ways and performance. It concludes that compulsory spreading of techniques by government contributes a lot to the selection of dripirrigation. Induced selection of techniques also plays an important role. Government policies, funds andtechnology support greatly affect their selection of drip irrigation in the change from initial compulsoryselection to voluntary selection. Secondly, it analyses the factors that affect the selection of water-savingirrigation techniques. The results show that the selection are affected by many factors, including individualcharacteristics, farming management characteristics, water-saving characteristics and the intensity ofgovernment spreading.Chapter Seven evaluates the performance of selection of water-saving irrigation techniques in XPCCand local Xinjiang. The chapter employs different methods to compare the performance of selection ofwater-saving irrigation techniques in different systems. Firstly, it describes the performance of selection ofwater-saving irrigation techniques in XPCC and local Xinjiang. Secondly, it analyses the performance ofselection of water-saving irrigation techniques in regions with similar resource endowment in XPCC andlocal Xinjiang. It makes further analysis of the selection performance from various perspectives usingquantification and modeling. The results are important in improving the system environments, exalting theability and performance of selection of water-saving irrigation techniques and presenting relevant policiesand measures.Chapter Eight copes with conclusions and suggestions of policies. The thesis comes to the conclusionthat water-saving irrigation techniques in Xinjiang result from the induced selection due to element rarityand market demands. Government, enterprises, public research departments, basic farming units,cooperative units and individual farmers all are responsible for the result. Systems greatly affects theselection of water-saving irrigation techniques. The special administrative system and land managingsystem give XPCC an advantage over local Xinjinag in the selection of water-saving irrigation techniques.In the end, the thesis suggests the following proposals. Make good use of water resource and exert theinducing function of water shortage on water-conservation. Build a system and mechanism for the selectionof water-saving irrigation techniques by multi-subjects. Improve the selection ability of individual subjectsin selecting water-saving irrigation techniques. Strengthen the leading function by government, enhancingthe innovative capacity of enterprises and intensifying the service by public research departments.Strengthen the organizing ability of basic units, exerting the mobilizing ability of cooperative units andimproving farmers’ water-saving techniques. Refine the system environments for selection of water-savingirrigation techniques, improving the macro system environments, innovating the modes of land contractmanagement and perfecting the system for agricultural technologies innovation and spread.