Files
Abstract
This study aims first to measure the farm specific irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE),
through non parametric DEA model; and second to evaluate the potential irrigation cost
reductions and identify the main factors causing variations in IWUE among the sample farms.
Cross sectional data collected from a sample of 75 farms participating in the WaDImena
project in Nadhour region (northern Tunisia) was used for this aim. The results showed that
the average level of IWUE across the farm sample was around 61.2% under variable returns
to scale (VRS) assumption. However, the estimated mean irrigation water technical cost
efficiency (ITCE) is much higher than IWUE. Farmers would be able to reduce their actual
cost by 5% under VRS by adjusting irrigation water to its efficient level. This low level of
cost reductions is consistent with the existing literature about IWUE in Tunisia. Moreover,
education level of farmers, access to credit and agricultural extension service showed a
positive relationship with the IWUE in our case study.