Comprehensive assessment of socio-economic impacts of agricultural water uses: concepts, approaches and analytical tools

Water use / Irrigation water / Cost benefit analysis / Pricing / Economic aspects / Agricultural production / Hydroelectric schemes / Fisheries

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ANALYSIS AND INSTRUMENTS FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION: A REVIEW OF RECENT ECONOMIC LITERATURE

This paper provides a synthesis of recent literature dealing with the institutional environment, policy framework, and economic instruments used in policy analysis related to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. The paper analyzes the economic consequences of alternative policy options and summarizes the application of these economic issues in the formulation of biodiversity protection policy. The paper also concludes that the proper understanding of underlying institutions and, if needed, institutional reforming procedures are also required to provide appropriate incentive structures for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. Illustrations of these principles and examples are taken from published accounts of biodiversity policy debates and policy implications.biodiversity, conservation, resource management, Environmental Economics and Policy, Q2, Q3,

Implications Of Bulk Water Transfer On Local Water Management Institutions: A Case Study of the Melamchi Water Supply Project in Nepal

To mitigate a drinking water crisis in Kathmandu valley, the Government of Nepal initiated the Melamchi Water Supply Project in 1997, which will divert water from the Melamchi River to Kathmandu city's water supply network. In the first phase, the Project will divert 170,000 cubic meters of water per day (at the rate of 1.97M3/sec), which will be tripled using the same infrastructure as city water demand increases in the future. The large scale transfer of water would have farreaching implications in both water supplying and receiving basins. This paper analyzes some of the major changes related to local water management and socioeconomics brought about by the Project and in particular the changes in the local water management institutions in the Melamchi basin. Our study shows that traditional informal water management institutions were effective in regulating present water use practices in the water supplying basin, but the situation will vastly change because of the scale of water transfer, and power inequity between the organized public sector on one side and dispersed and unorganized marginal water users on the other. The small scale of water usage and multiple informal arrangements at the local level have made it difficult for the local users and institutions to collectively bargain and negotiate with the central water transfer authority for a fair share of project benefits and compensation for the losses imposed on them. The process and scale of project compensation for economic losses and equity over resource use are at the heart of the concerns and debates about the Melamchi water transfer decision. The Project has planned for a one-time compensation package of about US$18 million for development infrastructure related investments and is planning to share about one percent of revenue generated from water use in the city with the supplying basin. The main issues here are what forms of water sharing governance, compensation packages, and water rights structures would emerge in relation to the project implementation and whether they are socially acceptable ensuring equitable distribution of the project benefits to all basin communities. In addition, these issues of the Melamchi project discussed in this paper are equally pertinent to other places where rural to urban water transfer projects are under discussion

Irrigation Kuznets Curve, governance and dynamics of irrigation development: a global cross-country analysis from 1972 to 1991

Models / Economic aspects / Irrigated farming / Income / Policy / Governance / ProductivityAsia / Africa / Latin America

Implications of bulk water transfer on local water management institutions: A case study of the Melamchi Water Supply Project in Nepal

"To mitigate a drinking water crisis in Kathmandu valley, the Government of Nepal initiated the Melamchi Water Supply Project in 1997, which will divert water from the Melamchi River to Kathmandu city's water supply network. In the first phase, the Project will divert 170,000 cubic meters of water per day (at the rate of 1.97M3/sec), which will be tripled using the same infrastructure as city water demand increases in the future. The large scale transfer of water would have farreaching implications in both water supplying and receiving basins. This paper analyzes some of the major changes related to local water management and socioeconomics brought about by the Project and in particular the changes in the local water management institutions in the Melamchi basin. Our study shows that traditional informal water management institutions were effective in regulating present water use practices in the water supplying basin, but the situation will vastly change because of the scale of water transfer, and power inequity between the organized public sector on one side and dispersed and unorganized marginal water users on the other. The small scale of water usage and multiple informal arrangements at the local level have made it difficult for the local users and institutions to collectively bargain and negotiate with the central water transfer authority for a fair share of project benefits and compensation for the losses imposed on them. The process and scale of project compensation for economic losses and equity over resource use are at the heart of the concerns and debates about the Melamchi water transfer decision. The Project has planned for a one-time compensation package of about US$18 million for development infrastructure related investments and is planning to share about one percent of revenue generated from water use in the city with the supplying basin. The main issues here are what forms of water sharing governance, compensation packages, and water rights structures would emerge in relation to the project implementation and whether they are socially acceptable ensuring equitable distribution of the project benefits to all basin communities. In addition, these issues of the Melamchi project discussed in this paper are equally pertinent to other places where rural to urban water transfer projects are under discussion." authors' abstractInstitutional Impacts, Water transfer, Melamchi Water Supply Project, Urban water supply, Water rights, Local water management institutions, Kathmandu, Environmental management, Devolution,

THE NEW ECONOMICS OF DISTANCE: LONG-TERM TRENDS IN INDEXES OF SPATIAL FRICTION

Distance-related costs have changed at different rates across categories of resource flows and across modes and media between 1960 and 1998. The cost of moving knowledge/information has dropped much faster than the costs of moving people or materials. The costs of processing and moving information have dropped by 98% and 92% respectively, in real terms since 1960. In addition, there are big differences in the rates of change within the real costs of moving people using different travel modes--just as big differences exist within the real costs of moving materials using different modes. For example, the real costs of moving materials by domestic rail and inland waterway have decreased by 58% and 42% in real terms, respectively, while inter-city trucking costs have not changed significantly in real terms since 1960. Thus, this paper suggests that the 'new economics of distance' is not about the disappearance of distance nor the demise of borders as factors in economics. Rather, 'the new economics of distance' is about the increasing role played by logistics management and the adjustment processes that are occurring as firms creatively seek to substitute between types of resources and between the modes and media for moving those resources.Industrial Organization,

AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST LANDUSE CHANGES, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL KUZNETS CURVE FOR DEFORESTATION: AN INTERTEMPORAL DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM

This study is an investigation of the process of land conversion from forest to agricultural production, and assessing the factors affecting the process. We also analyze the conditions that would ultimately lead to the EKC type of relationship between deforestation and societal income in an economy.Land Economics/Use,

The Economic Aspects of Chilli Production in Central Java

This study analyses the economic aspects of chilli in Central Java where chilli is massively and intensively cultivated. Data for this study is compiled during 2009-2011 in three chilli producing districts: Brebes, Magelang and Rembang. Analyses is conducted using qualitative and quantitative approaches. The results indicate that many important findings related to economic aspects of chilli. There are various ranges of economic aspects across regions. The main findings is that chilli provided positive net returns, has relatively high economic risk and intensive use of chemicals. The policies related to improvement of chilli cultivation need to be formulated based on local specific constraints

The economic aspects of chilli production in Central Java

This study analyses the economic aspects of chilli in Central Java where chilli is massively and intensively cultivated. Data for this study is compiled during 2009-2011 in three chilli producing districts: Brebes, Magelang and Rembang. Analyses is conducted using qualitative and quantitative approaches. The results indicate that many important findings related to economic aspects of chilli. There are various ranges of economic aspects across regions. The main findings is that chilli provided positive net returns, has relatively high economic risk and intensive use of chemicals. The policies related to improvement of chilli cultivation need to be formulated based on local specific constraints

The economic aspects of chilli production in Central Java

This study analyses the economic aspects of chilli in Central Java where chilli is massively and intensively cultivated. Data for this study is compiled during 2009-2011 in three chilli producing districts: Brebes, Magelang and Rembang. Analyses is conducted using qualitative and quantitative approaches. The results indicate that many important findings related to economic aspects of chilli. There are various ranges of economic aspects across regions. The main findings is that chilli provided positive net returns, has relatively high economic risk and intensive use of chemicals. The policies related to improvement of chilli cultivation need to be formulated based on local specific constraints