Analysis Of Factors Affecting Agricultural Water Use Efficiency In Arid Inland Area Of Hexi Corridor

Water is a basic resource and a key element in maintaining human harmony,social progress,and regional economic development.With the continuous development of China’s social economy,the demand for water has also rapidly increased,and the contradiction between water supply and demand has intensified.Judging from the current situation and the development of the 21 st century,the three major problems of floods,droughts,water shortages and deterioration of the water environment,especially drought and water shortages,have become the key factors constraining the sustainable development of China’s social economy.Therefore,in terms of the use of agricultural water resources,taking measures to increase the benefits of water resources utilization is an important way to solve water shortages,increase farmers’ income,and ensure national food security.The data of this paper comes from more than 306 households survey questionnaires conducted by the National Social Science Fund Project “Agricultural Water Price Reform and Water Saving Strategy in Arid Inland Areas”(12BJY100).According to the survey data of farmers,the agricultural water use efficiency of farmers in the Hexi Corridor area of Gansu Province is estimated.From the perspective of the intersection of natural sciences and social sciences,this thesis tries to build a model from four aspects of river basin management,irrigation technology and facilities,farmer households,and natural factors based on the theory of bounded rational “economic man” and loss aversion.,Comprehensively analyze the intrinsic and external factors that affect the water use efficiency of farmers.The study found that:(1)Water resources management has a strong influence on improving water efficiency in the region.Among them,the stricter implementation of the irrigation quota in the river basin will have a certain positive impact on the agricultural water use efficiency.At the same time,the spontaneous organization and management of the farmers will also promote the water efficiency,while increasing the water price will have a certain negative impact on the agricultural water use efficiency.(2)Advanced irrigation technology(drip irrigation)has a positive impact on farmers’ unilateral water efficiency.(3)Farmers’ perceptions and attitudes on irrigation water use also have a significant impact on water use efficiency.The head of the household is the decision-maker of family management.The impact on water efficiency cannot be ignored.The influence of household head age on the unilateral water benefits of farmers is U-shaped,and the risk preference of the head of household has a positive correlation with the unilateral water benefits of agriculture.Operational decisions have a certain impact on the efficiency of water resources.The proportion of acreage planted by economic crops has a positive impact on water efficiency,while households with non-agricultural incomes have a lower water benefit due to the outflow of labor.(4)The differences in natural conditions and economic and social development between river basins have a significant impact on unilateral water efficiency.Based on the above analysis,the paper concludes that the conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater is a prerequisite for strengthening agricultural irrigation water management.On the basis of conjunctive management,the implementation of water price reforms and the strengthening of agricultural water irrigation quota control can greatly release agricultural water use efficiency in a short period of time.However,within a certain period of time,due to the influence of agricultural planting techniques and varieties,the benefits of comprehensive water resources management measures will enter a “platform period” after rapid release.Instead,regional demand for new technologies,new facilities,and intensive agriculture is based on this.Therefore,while it is impossible for the system to create long-term and sustainable growth drivers for water efficiency,it can be a permanent basis for the sustainable development of technologies,facilities,markets and other water-saving potentials.Therefore,reforming the water resources management system,advocating agricultural intensive management,promoting water-saving irrigation technologies,and raising farmers’ water-saving awareness are still issues and directions that the regional water resources management focuses on.