

@mastersthesis {6514,
	title = {Adoption and diffusion of irrigation technologies: {Application} on the agriculture of {Murcia}},
	year = {2007},
	note = {3289974},
	school = {Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena (Spain)},
	type = {phdDr.},
	address = {Ann Arbor},
	abstract = {Innovations reach the market as techniques, technologies or management methods, contributing to a more effective use of productive factors. They help differentiate the products of companies that adopt these innovations, with resulting competitive advantages. Once they have been adopted, the benefits derived from innovations are reflected in society, as fast as they are spread among its members. Farmers face a great deal of risks; among those is water availability and price. This problem is especially relevant in the Region of Murcia, where the scarcity of water resources is the most highly noted in Europe. This is why the adoption of water saving technology is one of the goals of the Spanish irrigation policy and the European Union Water Framework. In this context, the aim of this thesis is to analyse the adoption and diffusion of irrigation technology that increases the effectiveness of water use, and reduces its consumption within the scope of irrigation communities and farmers. Furthermore, the farmers{\textquoteright} willingness to pay for irrigation water is analyzed. To achieve these aims, the empirical work carried out focuses on the adoption and diffusion in two levels: irrigation communities, which adopt distributing and controlling technology and grower, who adopt drip irrigation technology. Duration models, diffusion models, and established preferences were analysed in a temporary analysis framework. The results obtained show that the variables that define a greater guarantee of provision, better organization in water management, access to information and its quality, positively influence the adoption of irrigation technologies. Individuals{\textquoteright} features (age, education, cooperatives, aversion to risk, preferences and perceptions), economical factors of the farm (water price and farm size), and origin of the water and its availability influence the probability of adopting drip irrigation technology. On the other hand, those farmers who use underground water in their farms are more willing to pay for the water from the irrigation community, and so are those with bigger acreages. Thus, a great variability exists in this willingness, and a high aversion to the risk is also associated with the water price.},
	keywords = {0473:Agriculture, 0503:Agricultural economics, Agricultural economics, Agriculture, Agronomy, Biological sciences, economics, Irrigation, Irrigation technologies, Murcia, natural resources, Social sciences, Spain, Studies, Technology adoption},
	url = {http://search.proquest.com/docview/304702543?accountid=14270},
	author = {Alcon Provencio, Francisco Jose}
}
