Your search found 26 records
1 Xenarios, Stefanos; Bithas, K. 2009. Valuating the receiving waters of urban wastewater systems through a stakeholder-based approach. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 25(1):123-140. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900620802517582]
Wastewater management ; Wastewater treatment ; Ecology ; Assessment ; Stakeholders ; Economic aspects ; Decision making / Greece / Saronikos Bay / Athens
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H041817)
The valuation of ecological services in European aquatic ecosystems is increasingly deemed to be an essential element for the integrated management concept pursued by the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). However, the assessment methods are often doubted for their objectivity and transparency when based on the elicitation of stated preferences. The current research attempted to explicitly focus on the biases linked with the stakeholders participating in assessing methods operating with stated preferences. The most significant stakeholder groups were classified in three broad teams of Experts, DecisionMakers and Affected Professions. The three teams’ preferences were in turn assessed in economic and non-economic terms for the accentuation of the high fluctuation among the findings, and the threatening biases emerged in the sourcing of stated preference methods. The wastewater treatment plant in Athens, Greece and Saronikos Bay offered a sound case study.
2 Xenarios, Stefanos. 2009. Developing an ecological-economic assessment framework for urban wastewater systems: the case of Athens and Vils wastewater systems. Urban Water Journal, 6(2):147-167. [doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1080/15730620802673061]
Wastewater management ; Urbanization ; Case studies ; Rivers ; Ecology ; Valuation ; Economic aspects ; Economic evaluation / Greece / Austria / Athens / Psytallia / Saronikos Bay / Vils River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H042268)
(3.22 MB)
To achieve a good ecological status as proposed by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EEC) large investments from urban wastewater authorities are required. The Directive anticipates that cost-effective plans and their economic benefits will offset the high costs required for wastewater upgrading projects. However, urban waste water authorities claim that cost-effective measures are already in place and that little improvement can be made. Current valuation studies have focused either on ecological elements or economic aspects without offering persuading evidence on the cost versus benefits of upgrading projects. To this aim, the current study developed an ecological-economic valuation framework for the comparative assessment of the ecologically sustainable levels in receiving waters and the associated economic effects. The central Wastewater Treatment Plant in Athens (Greece) and the small treatment plant in Vils (Austria) are used as representative case studies.
3 Amarasinghe, Upali A.; Xenarios, Stefanos. 2009. Strategic Issues in Indian Irrigation: overview of the proceedings. In International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Strategic Analyses of the National River Linking Project (NRLP) of India Series 5. Proceedings of the Second National Workshop on Strategic Issues in Indian Irrigation, New Delhi, India, 8-9 April 2009. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). pp.1-17.
Irrigation programs ; Water transfer ; Groundwater recharge ; Water demand ; Water governance ; Water productivity / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H042683)
(0.12 MB)
4 Sharma, Bharat R.; Amarasinghe, Upali; Cai, Xueliang; de Condappa, D.; Shah, Tushaar; Mukherji, Aditi; Bharati, Luna; Ambili, G.; Qureshi, Asad Sarwar; Pant, Dhruba; Xenarios, Stefanos; Singh, R.; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2010. The Indus and the Ganges: river basins under extreme pressure. Water International, 35(5):493-521. (Special Issue on "Water, Food and Poverty in River Basins, Part 1" with contributions by IWMI authors). [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2010.512996]
River basins ; Groundwater management ; Electrical energy ; Water productivity ; Irrigation water ; Rice ; Wheat ; Evapotranspiration ; Cropping systems ; Water governance ; Watercourses ; Water conservation ; Water costs ; Water policy ; Multiple use ; Rural poverty / India / Pakistan / Nepal / Bangladesh / Indus River Basin / Ganges River Basin / Bhakra Irrigation System
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: PER Record No: H043246)
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02508060.2010.512996
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043246.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043246.pdf
(8.90 MB) (1.77MB)
The basins of the Indus and Ganges rivers cover 2.20 million km2 and are inhabited by more than a billion people. The region is under extreme pressures of population and poverty, unregulated utilization of the resources and low levels of productivity. The needs are: (1) development policies that are regionally differentiated to ensure resource sustainability and high productivity; (2) immediate development and implementation of policies for sound groundwater management and energy use; (3) improvement of the fragile food security and to broaden its base; and (4) policy changes to address land fragmentation and improved infrastructure. Meeting these needs will help to improve productivity, reduce rural poverty and improve overall human development.
5 Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Singh, A. 2010. Environmental services and water use in South Asia: evidences from Indo-Gangetic basins. In Proceedings of the Republican Scientific Practical Conference on Efficient Agricultural Water Use and Tropical Issues in Land Reclamation, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 10-11 November 2010. Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources; Tashkent, Uzbekistan: International Water Management Institute; Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Scientific Information Center of Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (SANIIRI) pp.43-52.
Water use ; Farmers attitudes ; Irrigation water ; Environmental effects ; Economic evaluation ; Models / South Asia / India / Pakistan / Nepal / Indo-Gangetic Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043377)
(6.68 MB)
The significance of environmental services related with irrigation is increasingly acknowledged as a critical factor for agricultural productivity in South Asia. However, little is known about farmers’ willingness to contribute for the preservation of these services. To this aim, we conduct a stated preference approach for the elicitation of farmers preferences towards the economic value attributed to environmental services related with agricultural water use. The research is based on results from an extensive survey in selected clusters of India, Pakistan and Nepal. The case studies are situated along Indo-Gangetic basins due to the presence of more evident environmental problem linked with irrigation. The findings present a highly agreeable stance of Indian and Nepalese farmers towards the contribution to the environmental services while the majority of Pakistani is opposed to such a contribution. However, they all agree on the type of the assessment approach. The association of the economic assessment with key wealth indicators and socio-demographic elements depicts the high significance of household size.
6 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew; Adenew, B. 2010. Economic assessment of water storage in Sub-Saharan Africa. Paper presented at the 11th Symposium on Sustainable Water Resources Development, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia, 3-4 December 2010. 8p.
Water storage ; Economic analysis ; Cost benefit analysis ; Case studies ; Small scale systems ; Irrigation water / Africa South of Sahara / Ethiopia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043379)
(0.21 MB) (0.21 MB)
The development of water storage schemes is considered a major aid for agricultural regions in Sub-Saharan Africa with scarce water. The selection of storage options is often conducted through the valuation of direct costs and benefits. Such an approach, based solely on monetary values, often leads to reductionism in the assessment process and loss of valuable information. This in turn can result in less than optimal decision-making. Against this background, this paper proposes an alternative approach based on a range of different criteria. Though based on the underlying principle of economic efficiency, the approach proposed avoids some of the weaknesses of simple cost-benefit analyses. The new approach has been evaluated through application to case studies in Ethiopia.
7 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew. 2010. Economic and environmental related aspects of water storage in Sub-Saharan Africa. [Abstract only]. In ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). CTA Annual Seminar, Closing the Knowledge Gap: Integrated Water Management for Sustainable Agriculture, Johannesburg, South Africa, 22–26 November 2010. Abstracts. Wageningen, Netherlands: ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). pp.12.
Water storage ; Irrigation water ; Cost benefit analysis ; Decision making / Affica South of Sahara / Ethiopia / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 630 G100 TEC Record No: H043380)
(0.05 MB) (652.11 KB)
8 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew; Adenew, B. 2011. Identifying efficient water storage schemes for climate change adaptation in agriculture: evidences from Indris Watershed in Ethiopia. Paper presented at the Conference on Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Development (ECOCASD), Ambo University, Ethiopia, 18-20 February 2011. 10p.
Water storage ; Climate change ; Adaptation ; Irrigated farming ; Farmers attitudes ; Watersheds ; Models / Ethiopia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043590)
(0.17 MB) (0.17 MB)
Considerable research has been conducted into the technical adaptation measures that Ethiopian farmers might adopt to mitigate adverse climate change impacts. However, relatively little is known about Ethiopian farmers’ perceptions of using water storage and land allocation to combat climate change. This paper assesses the major water and land related attributes which could be used to mitigate the impacts of climate change in agrarian regions of Ethiopia. The study was conducted in the Indris small irrigation system located northwest of Addis Ababa in Oromia region. The findings indicate that farmers prefer to utilize modern water canals in combination with large plots in lowland areas and high water consumption, even if they have to share half of their production in exchange.
9 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew. 2011. Assessing agriculturists' response towards climate change impacts in water storage: evidences from Ethiopia. [Abstract only] In Ambo University, Ethiopia. Department of Biology. International Conference on Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Development (ECOCASD), Ambo University, Ethiopia, 10-12 February 2011. Theme: Natural Resources for Livelihood Enhancement. Book of abstracts. West Shoa, Ethiopia: Ambo University. pp.110.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043591)
(0.72 MB)
10 Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Amarasinghe, Upali; Singh, A. 2011. Research analysis on the effects of agricultural water and landholdings to rural livelihoods in Indo-Gangetic Basin: with emphasis on Bihar State. [Report of the NAIP-IFAD Project on Water and Rural Livelihoods] New Delhi, India: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Bihar, India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for Eastern Region. 96p.
Agricultural development ; River basins ; Water use ; Irrigation water ; Economic aspects ; Land ownership ; Water allocation ; Models ; Case studies ; Policy / South Asia / India / Indo-Gangetic Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043776)
(3.05 MB) (3MB)
11 Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Amarasinghe, Upali. 2011. Economic effects of water use and landholding scale to farming in South Asia: evidences from Indo-Gangetic basin. In Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Amarasinghe, Upali; Singh, A. Research analysis on the effects of agricultural water and landholdings to rural livelihoods in Indo-Gangetic Basin: with emphasis on Bihar State. [Report of the NAIP-IFAD Project on Water and Rural Livelihoods]. New Delhi, India: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Bihar, India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for Eastern Region. 23p.
Agricultural development ; Irrigation water ; Water use ; Water allocation ; Land ownership ; Economic aspects ; River basins ; Models / South Asia / Indo-Gangetic Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043777)
(567 KB)
Water use and landholding factors are widely acknowledged as major determinants of agricultural development in agrarian regions of the Indo-Gangetic basin (IGB). High attention is mainly given to irrigation policy while land is often apprehended through soil productivity aspects. However, the nexus between land scale and water consumption in respect to the economic implications of agricultural development is poorly elaborated. To this aim, this paper examines the economic effects of water use and landholding scale to farming in agricultural communities of IGB area. The research is based on an extensive survey conducted in representative areas of Pakistan, India and Nepal situated along the IGB basin. The results signify that the economic viability of marginal and small landholders and water users is threatened when the study focuses on the land scaling effects to farming. Practical recommendations towards the rescheduling of irrigation and land use policies are introduced.
12 Xenarios, Stefanos; Amarasinghe, Upali; Sharma, Bharat R. 2011. Valuating agricultural water use and ecological services in agrarian economies: evidences from eastern India. In Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Amarasinghe, Upali; Singh, A. Research analysis on the effects of agricultural water and landholdings to rural livelihoods in Indo-Gangetic Basin: with emphasis on Bihar State. [Report of the NAIP-IFAD Project on Water and Rural Livelihoods]. New Delhi, India: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Bihar, India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for Eastern Region. 21p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043778)
(381 KB)
Agricultural water use in agrarian economies is often state subsidized for the enhancement of agricultural productivity while poverty alleviation is also targeted. The Indian agricultural dependent states offer representative examples of undervalued irrigation services mainly sourced by canal networks. However, the current inefficient operation of canal irrigation systems diverts water demand to private initiatives by significantly increasing economic value of agricultural water. The additional recent acknowledgement of economic value encompassed in supportive ecological services enhances the request for reevaluation of agricultural water. The paper attempts to assess the value of irrigation and related ecological services in representative backward clusters of Bihar state in Eastern India. The effects on different landholding groups are analyzed by giving particular emphasis to marginal landholders.
13 Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R. 2011. Assessing institutional and environmental parameters of agricultural water use in South Asia: evidences from the Indo-Gangetic Basin. In Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Amarasinghe, Upali; Singh, A. Research analysis on the effects of agricultural water and landholdings to rural livelihoods in Indo-Gangetic Basin: with emphasis on Bihar State. [Report of the NAIP-IFAD Project on Water and Rural Livelihoods]. New Delhi, India: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Bihar, India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for Eastern Region. 26p.
River basins ; Irrigation water ; Water use ; Economic aspects ; Environmental effects ; Corporate culture ; Valuation ; Case studies ; Water market ; Wells / South Asia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043779)
(353 KB)
The Indo-Gangetic Basin encompasses most of the fertile landholdings in South Asia. However, low agricultural productivity is observed in the four riparian countries - India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh - by nailing down rural welfare. Accusations are directed at the inability of water supply sector to ensure high productivity rates and security of subsistence farmers. However, little is known about the demand side and farmers’ perceptions towards the effects of water use on agricultural productivity. To this aim, we conduct an economic assessment through a stated preference approach on crucial institutional and environmental related parameters of agricultural water that could enhance productivity potential. Also, vital socio-demographic elements are examined as influential factors. The analysis is based on an extensive research survey accomplished in selected clusters along the Indo-Gangetic Basin.
14 Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Singh, A. 2011. Environmental services and agricultural water in South Asia: evidence from Indo-Gangetic Basin. In Xenarios, Stefanos; Sharma, Bharat R.; Amarasinghe, Upali; Singh, A. Research analysis on the effects of agricultural water and landholdings to rural livelihoods in Indo-Gangetic Basin: with emphasis on Bihar State. [Report of the NAIP-IFAD Project on Water and Rural Livelihoods]. New Delhi, India: International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Bihar, India: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for Eastern Region. 26p.
Irrigation water ; Water use ; River basins ; Environmental effects ; Models / South Asia / India / Pakistan / Nepal / Indo-Gangetic Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043780)
(255 KB)
The environmental services related with agricultural water are increasingly acknowledged as a critical factor for farming development in South Asia. However, little attention is given to the demand side linked with the preservation of these services. To this aim, we conduct a stated preference approach for the elicitation of farmers’ preferences towards the economic value rendered to environmental services related with agricultural water. The research is based on an extensive survey in selected clusters of India, Pakistan and Nepal. The case studies are situated along Indo-Gangetic basin due to more evidential linkages between environmental services and irrigation. The findings depict a highly agreeable stance of Indian and Nepalese farmers for the contribution to environmental services while the majority of Pakistani are opposed to such a contribution. However, they almost all agree on the type of the assessment approach while the agreeable Pakistanis offer the highest contributions. The association of the economic assessment with key wealth indicators and socio-demographic elements depicts the high significance of household size.
15 Xenarios, Stefanos; Asante, F.; McCartney, Matthew. 2011. Economic efficiency of water storage options: an application of the approach to Ghana. Paper presented at the Third Ghana Water Forum (GWF-3) on Water and Sanitation Services Delivery in a Rapidly Changing Urban Environment, Accra, Ghana, 5-7 September 2011. 6p.
Water storage ; Economic aspects ; Climate change ; Cost benefit analysis ; Upstream ; Downstream ; Reservoirs ; Models ; Economic thresholds ; Case studies / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044292)
(0.18 MB)
Water storage is widely promoted as an effective method for mitigating some of the adverse impacts of climate change. Cost benefit analysis is one approach to evaluate which is the most appropriate water storage type under any specific biophysical and socio-economic conditions. However, this often result in loss of significant information for those characteristics which cannot be easily assessed using monetary values. Against this background, the study reported in this paper developed an outranking-based methodology, designed with threshold systems and weighting values, in order to overcome some of the constraints of traditional cost-benefit analysis. The method has been applied in three representative catchments in central and northern Ghana. The results present a preponderance of upstream areas linked with small reservoirs because of the considerably high income, the sufficient water supply, the low costs given for water related illnesses and the low costs for domestic water use.
16 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew. 2011. Economic assessment of water storage for adaptation to climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa. Paper presented at the International Congress on Water 2011: Integrated Water Resources Management in Tropical and Subtropical Drylands, Mekelle, Ethiopia, 19-26 September 2011. 14p.
Water storage ; Climate change ; Decision making ; Cost benefit analysis ; Case studies ; Economic aspects ; Assessment ; Environmental effects ; Indicators ; Surveys / Africa South of Sahara / Ethiopia / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044343)
(0.38 MB)
The development of water storage schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa is considered a major aid for agricultural regions with scarce water and anticipated climate change impacts. The selection of storage options is often conducted through monetary assessment of direct costs and benefits. Such an approach, although prompt and straightforward, often leads to reductionism in the assessment process and loss of valuable information. This in turn can result in less than optimal decision-making. Against this background, this paper proposes an alternative approach based on an outranking methodology designed with threshold systems and weighting values. Though based on the underlying principle of economic efficiency, the approach proposed avoids some crucial weaknesses of cost-benefit related analyses. The methodology has been evaluated to six case studies in Ethiopia and Ghana through the introduction of socioeconomic and environmental related indicators.
17 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew. 2011. Economic assessment of water storage for adaptation to climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa [Abstract only]. In University of Leuven. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Book of abstracts - International Congress: Water 2011, Integrated Water Resources Management in Tropical and Subtropical Drylands, Mekelle, Ethiopia,19-26 September 2011. Heverlee, Belgium: University of Leuven. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. pp.77.
Water storage ; Climate change ; Decision making ; Cost benefit analysis ; Case studies ; Economic aspects ; Assessment ; Environmental effects ; Indicators / Africa South of Sahara
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044347)
(0.11 MB)
The development of water storage schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa is considered a major aid for agricultural regions with scarce water and anticipated climate change impacts. The selection of storage options is often conducted through monetary assessment of direct costs and benefits. Such an approach, although prompt and straightforward, often leads to reductionism in the assessment process and loss 01 valuable information. This in turn can result in less than optimal decision-making. Against this background, this paper proposes an alternative approach based on an outranking methodology designed with threshold systems and weighting values. Though based on the underlying principle of economic efficiency, the approach proposed avoids some crucial weaknesses 01 cost-benefit related analyses. The methodology has been evaluated to six case studies in Ethiopia and Ghana through the introduction 01 socioeconomic and environmental related indicators.
18 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew; Polatidis, H.; Eguavoen, I. 2011. Economic assessment of water storage for adaptation to climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa. [Abstract only]. In German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). International Conference on Integrated Water Resources Management - Management Water in a Changing World: Lessons Learnt and Innovative Perspectives, Dresden, Germany, 12-13 October 2011. Abstracts. Bonn, Germany: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). pp.150.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044447)
(0.39 MB)
19 Xenarios, Stefanos; McCartney, Matthew; Polatidis, H.; Eguavoen, I. 2011. Economic assessment of water storage for adaptation to climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa. Paper presented at the International Conference on Integrated Water Resources Management - Management Water in a Changing World: Lessons Learnt and Innovative Perspectives, Dresden, Germany, 12-13 October 2011. 14p.
Water storage ; Adaptation ; Climate change ; Economic aspects ; Case studies / Africa South of Sahara / Ethiopia / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044450)
(0.21 MB)
The development of water storage schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa is considered a major aid for agricultural regions with scarce water and anticipated climate change impacts. The selection of storage options is often conducted through monetary assessment of direct costs and benefits. Such an approach, although prompt and straightforward, often leads to reductionism in the assessment process and loss of valuable information. This in turn can result in less than optimal decision-making. Against this background, this paper proposes an alternative approach based on an outranking methodology designed with thresholds and weighting values. Though based on the underlying principle of economic efficiency, the approach proposed avoids some crucial weaknesses of cost-benefit analysis and places greater emphasis on socioeconomic and environmental criteria. The method has been evaluated in six case studies conducted in Ethiopia and Ghana.
20 Xenarios, Stefanos; Amarasinghe, Upali; Sharma, Bharat R. 2011. Economic implications of agricultural water use in eastern India. Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research, 3(4):371-391. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/19390459.2011.613633]
Economic situation ; Agricultural production ; Water use ; Water consumption ; Canal irrigation ; Water rates ; Water costs ; Assessment ; Case studies ; Pumping / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044452)
(0.33 MB)
The irrigation services are often state-subsidized in agrarian economies for the enhancement of agricultural productivity while they also target poverty alleviation. The agriculture-dependent states of India offer representative examples of undervalued irrigation services mainly sourced by canal networks. However, canal irrigation is nowadays lagging behind private groundwater initiatives but with significant costs which question the concept of low water pricing in agriculture. This paper assesses irrigation water costs in representative backward clusters of Bihar state in eastern India while the effects on different landholding groups are analysed. The results indicate that marginal landholders heavily rely on purchased water from unofficial markets while they pay the highest amount for irrigation. This is due to limited access in the canal network, possession of inefficient pumping systems and cultivation of crops with a high demand for water. However, acute policy reforms could drastically decrease water costs and improve agricultural productivity.
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