The impact of irrigation on agricultural productivity: The case of FADN farms in Veneto

Abstract

The aim of the research is to analyze economic aspects related to the use of water in agriculture, by evaluating the effect of irrigation on agricultural productivity in a sample of FADN farms in the Veneto region in 2018. Specifically, the change of the Gross Saleable Production (GSP) is analysed as against the binary variable use/non-use of irrigation by applying an econometric analysis. To estimate how irrigation might influence gsp we have considered, in addition to the variable use/non-use of irrigation, other explanatory variables that could leverage the gsp , in particular ‘variable costs’, ‘use of land’ and ‘uaa’. Results of the analysis show that a positive relationship exists between irrigation and the GSP . This result is considered relevant in the context of water resource management policies.

Keywords

• irrigation
• land productivity
• water value