The economic value of flood risk regulation by agroecosystems at semiarid areas

Agroecosystems are anthropized ecosystems that provide food and other benefits to society known as ecosystem services (ES). Among these services is the Ecosystem Service for Flood Regulation (ESFR). This regulation service has been scarcely studied in the scientific literature, which has mainly focused on factors such as land use patterns and intermediate indicators. This implies that key physical aspects that condition the development of floods and their impact on society have been ignored. The aim of this work is to develop a methodological proposal for accurate economic valuation of the ESFR provided by agroecosystems. To this end, the avoided damage method is used, carrying out hydrological and two-dimensional hydraulic modeling combined with cadastral cartography and a depth-damage function. The model thus constructed allows the quantification of the damage reduction associated with different levels of agroecosystem ESFR provision. The urban settlement composed mainly of the municipality of Los Alcázares, and also the Bahia Bella housing estate, from the municipality of Cartagena (Murcia, south-eastern Spain), is used as a case study, as it is located downstream of a predominantly agricultural area recurrently affected by floods. The results show that the value of the ESFR provided by the service-maximizing agroecosystem in the area, citrus crops, is 22.51 € ha-1 year-1 in the case study area, which is comparable with that of natural ecosystems. Furthermore, relationships were established between intermediate indicators and economic losses which, in addition to facilitating the valuation process, show a limit in the flood regulation provisioning of agroecosystems in the face of the most extreme events. This work shows the magnitude of the ESFR that can be provided by agriculture and enables its valuation in areas with similar characteristics. The information obtained can be incorporated into the decision-making process of land and risk management organizations, enabling them to rationalize agricultural spatial planning.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education: AgriCambio project (Grant PID2020-114576RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033). Víctor Martínez-García acknowledge the financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Personal Training (FPU19/05143)

Integración espacial en el mercado europeo de aceite de oliva

El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio de la integración espacial del mercado europeo del aceite de oliva, a partir de los niveles de precios de los tres principales productores y comercializadores del producto a nivel mundial (España, Italia y Grecia) entre 1961 y 2007. El análisis se lleva a cabo aplicando la técnica multivalente de cointegracion, identificando tanto relaciones a corto como a largo plazo. Los resultados del análisis de precios muestran que esos mercados de aceite de oliva están altamente integrados, con una transmisión de precios completa de precios a largo plazo, resultando Italia el mercado líder, pese a que la producción española sea con diferencia la más elevada.The aim of this paper is to study the spatial integration of the European olive oil market, from the prices of the three main producers and traders in the world (Spain, Italy and Greece) between 1961 and 2007. The analysis is carried out using multivariate cointegration techniques, identifying the short-run and the long-run relationships. The empirical results show that the three olive oil markets are highly integrated, with a complete price transmission in the long run. They also suggest that Italy is the leader market being Spain the main produce

Integrated valuation of semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystem services and disservices

Agroecosystems are anthropised ecosystems where human activities, mainly agricultural practices, affect the innate functioning, leading to the provision of agroecosystem services (AES) and disservices (AEDS). This study presents a novel and integrated economic valuation of the AES and AEDS provided in a water-scarce Mediterranean area (south-eastern Spain), using a discrete choice experiment. The results reveal the social demand for AES and the disutility of AEDS, as well as the non-linearity in marginal utility for some of these AES and AEDS. Food provision, temperature regulation, leisure and recreation and biodiversity are socially perceived as AES. The water supply for irrigation switches between AES and AEDS depending on its provision level, while groundwater pollution is conceived as one of the AEDS. The integrated non-market value of AES and AEDS reaches 794 €/ha/year for the entire agroecosystem. This work provides guidelines for policy makers in the design of socially supported agricultural policies.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [AGRISERVI: AGL2015-64411-R (MINECO/FEDER)] and the “Fundación Séneca – Region de Murcia” [20912/PI/18]. José A. Zabala acknowledges the financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Personal Training [FPU 16/03473]

Productivity, willingness to pay and technical efficiency in the use of water: The intensive horticulture in Murcia

[EN] This work presents some results derived from a study on efficiency and productivity of the water in the coastal intensive horticulture of the Spanish South-eastern. After the characterization of this productive activity, 230 direct surveys to horticulture’s farmers and 50 interviews to agrarian technicians (made in campaign 2004/05) are analyzed, measuring the productivity and the levelling-prices and stopprice of water for the most characteristic productions. The paper finally analyzes the «willingness to pay» by the water revealed by the farmers, which shows a positive relation with the levels of technical efficiency at this productive system.[ES] Este trabajo presenta los resultados derivados de un estudio sobre eficiencia y productividad del agua en la horticultura intensiva litoral del sureste español. Tras la caracterización de esta actividad productiva, se analizan 230 encuestas directas a horticultores y 50 entrevistas a técnicos agrarios realizadas en la campaña 2004/05, calculando la productividad aparente y los precios de nivelación y cierre para los cultivos más característicos. Seguidamente se estima la disposición al pago por el agua de los horticultores, la cual muestra una relación positiva con los niveles de eficiencia técnica previamente estimados para este sistema productivo.Este trabajo es el resultado de una parte del proyecto de Investigación «Eficiencia económica, demanda y productividad del agua en la agricultura del sureste español», financiado por la Fundación Instituto Euromediterráneo de Hidrotecnia (Consejo de Europa). Igualmente, los autores desean expresar su agradecimiento a los revisores anónimos de la revista, cuyas sugerencias han contribuido a mejorar diferentes aspectos del presente trabajo.Colino Sueiras, J.; Martínez Paz, JM. (2011). Productivity, willingness to pay and technical efficiency in the use of water: The intensive horticulture in Murcia. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 7(14):109-125. https://doi.org/10.7201/earn.2007.14.06SWORD10912571

Efficiency and productivity in the Spanish food distribution sector

This study investigated the efficiency and productivity change of a sample of food distribution units (MERCAs) in Spain over the 1.997-1.999 period, applying non-parametric frontier methodology in a sales efficiency framework. We specified a mean sales model composed of two blocks of variables, the production block, and the marketing management block. Then we applied output oriented DEA methodology to perform the efficiency analysis, also taking into account the overall efficiency decomposition into pure and scale efficiency. The Malmquist index was calculated in order to analyse the components of the productivity change. The mean pure sales efficiency index was high, around 0.8, the mean scale index being 0,9. As appears from the results, six food distribution units were efficient, but some of the wholesale markets need to adapt their sales technology in order that their input bundle reaches a Most Productive Scale Size unit. We found no evidence of technical change during the period considered, but concluded that a notable scale efficiency change took place during the studied period. To summarise, we conclude that improvement in sales efficiency could be reached in the studied sector in both the pure and the scale efficiency

Perception welfare assessment of water reuse in competitive categories

The supply of reclaimed water to ecosystems increases their ecosystem service flows, which is directly translated into terms of social welfare. This study explores the factors that determine the different perceptions of the welfare impact of supplying reclaimed water to different, and competitive, ecosystems in the Segura river basin (southern Spain): specifically, an agroecosystem (agricultural irrigation) and a river (higher river flow). the results of a contingent valuation exercise with the population of the Murcia region show four different groups of respondents, depending on their willingness to pay (WTP) preferences. the factors that identify differences among welfare impacts are the age, the gender, the education level, the monthly income, the nearness of the household to the river, and, above all, the degree of satisfaction with funding of water reclamation. this study broadens our knowledge of individuals’ heterogeneous preferences in water reuse options, which is crucial for policy makers in the development of socially accepted and sustainable water resource management strategies.This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities [AGRISERVI: AGL2015-64411-R (MINECO/FEDER)], the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (FPU 16/03473), and the ‘Fundación Seneca – Region de Murcia’ (19342/PI/14)

Impacto económico del cambio climático sobre la agricultura en regadío de la Demarcación Hidrográfica del Segura

El objetivo de este trabajo es cuantificar el impacto económico que el Cambio Climático (CC) tendrá sobre la agricultura en regadío de la Demarcación Hidrográfica del Segura (DHS) y valorar posibles medidas de adaptación al mismo. Esta cuenca mediterránea semiárida cuenta con un complejo sistema de gestión de recursos hídricos, pudiendo servir como ejemplo de adaptación a otras cuencas de similares características. Para ello, se simulan tres escenarios climáticos, uno actual que sirve de marco de referencia y otros dos para las proyecciones climáticas futuras (RCP 4.5 y RCP 8.5). La metodología se resume en tres fases secuenciales: evaluación de recursos hídricos, modelización integral del sistema de explotación de la cuenca y modelización de los principales sistemas de regadío de la DHS. En términos agregados, se predice una reducción de la superficie de regadío del -4,7% en el escenario RCP 4.5 y del -7,4% en el escenario RCP 8.5, con un impacto económico medio en términos de pérdidas de margen bruto, del -4,0% y del -7,3%, respectivamente.Este trabajo se ha realizado en el marco del proyecto 20912/PI/18 financiado por la “Fundación Séneca-Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia

Eligiendo no elegir: meta-análisis de los efectos de status quo en la valoración del medioambiente usando experimentos de elección

[EN] Discrete choice experiments (DCE) normally include in their choice sets an option described as the status quo (i.e. no change to current situation; SQ). The literature has identified Status Quo Effect (SQE) as the systematic preference of the SQ over the alternatives that propose changes over and beyond what can be captured by the variation of attributes’ levels. In this paper, we conduct a meta-analysis of DCE applied in environmental policy to identify potential drivers of SQE. We find that accounting for heterogeneity in the econometric analysis, excluding protest responses and easing the choice’s cognitive burden reduce the presence of SQE.[ES] Los experimentos de elección suelen incluir en sus opciones de elección un status quo (i.e. situación actual sin cambios, SQ). En la literatura se ha identificado el efecto SQ como una preferencia sistemática por el SQ sobre las demás alternativas más allá de las capturadas por la variación de los niveles de los atributos. En este artículo se presenta un meta-análisis de experimentos de elección aplicados a política ambiental para identificar las causas potenciales del efecto SQ. Los resultados muestran que la incorporación de la heterogeneidad en el análisis econométrico, la exclusión de respuestas protesta y la disminución del esfuerzo cognitivo asociado a la elección reducen la presencia del efecto SQ.Barreiro-Hurle, J.; Espinosa-Goded, M.; Martínez-Paz, JM.; Perni, Á. (2018). Choosing not to choose: A meta-analysis of status quo effects in environmental valuations using choice experiments. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 18(1):79-109. doi:10.7201/earn.2018.01.04SWORD7910918

The social wellbeing of irrigation water. A demand-side integrated valuation in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

Irrigation water is a vital input for agricultural production. The supply of irrigation water to crops enhances land productivity and affects the agroecosystem functioning. Agroecosystems co-provide a wide range of agroecosystem services and disservices, which contribute positively and negatively, respectively, to human wellbeing. Therefore, irrigated agroecosystems produce several positive and negative outcomes in relation to society, and agricultural water management is key to the provision of adequate incentives for the enhancement of social wellbeing. In such a context, the aim of this work was to value the contribution of water to the provision of agroecosystem services and disservices, as a way to summarise the contribution of irrigation to social wellbeing. To this end, a demand-side integrated valuation of agroecosystem services and disservices was carried out for both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture in two different agroecosystems of the Region of Murcia (south-eastern Spain), a semi-arid western Mediterranean region characterised by water scarcity. In addition, the intensity of the agricultural water use was considered by distinguishing traditional and highly-intensive irrigated agroecosystems. Almond and lemon, two woody crops, were employed to develop the economic valuation in rain-fed and irrigated agroecosystems, respectively. The assessment of biophysical indicators to quantify the provision of services and disservices and their economic valuation, using market and non-market methods, were used. The results show that the contribution of water to social wellbeing is valued at 9000–12,300 €/ha/year, being greater when the intensive use of agricultural water is promoted. The net economic value of all categories of agroecosystem services and disservices increases when irrigation water is supplied. Notwithstanding, the greatest contribution is due to the increase in provisioning services, mainly food provision in the case of the highly-intensive agroecosystem. Traditional irrigated agroecosystems make a greater contribution to regulating and cultural agroecosystem services. Hence, agricultural water management should focus on increasing the contribution of irrigated agroecosystems to human wellbeing.This work was supported by the AgriCambio project (Grant PID2020-114576RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033). José A. Zabala, Víctor Martínez-García and José A. Albaladejo-García acknowledge the financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Personal Training (FPU 16/03473; FPU19/05143; FPU 16/03562)

Assessing the effects of soil liming with dolomitic limestone and sugar foam on soil acidity, leaf nutrient contents, grape yield and must quality in a Mediterranean vineyard

[EN] Aluminium toxicity has been recognized as one of the most common causes of reduced grape yields in vineyard acid soils. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two liming materials, i.e. dolomitic lime and sugar foam, on a vineyard cultivated in an acid soil. The effects were studied in two soil layers (0-30 and 30-60 cm), as well as on leaf nutrient contents, must quality properties and grape yield, in an agricultural soil dedicated to Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Mencía’ cultivation. Data management and analysis were performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). As liming material, sugar foam was more efficient than dolomitic limestone because sugar foam promoted the highest decrease in soil acidity properties at the same calcium carbonate equivalent dose. However, potassium contents in vines organs, including leaves and berries, seemed to decrease as a consequence of liming, with a concomitant increase in must total acidity. Soil available phosphorus also decreased as a consequence of liming, especially with sugar foam, though no effects were observed in plants. For these reasons fertilization of this soil with K and P is recommended along with liming. Grape yields in limed soils increased, although non-significantly, by 30%. This research has therefore provided an important opportunity to advance in our understanding of the effects of liming on grape quality and production in acid soils.SIWe are especiallly grateful to “Losada Vinos de Finca, S.A.”, for its assistance in the research project. The authors would also like to thank the editor and the two anonymous reviewers for their comments and remarks that were of much help to improve the article