Your search found 9 records
1 Martin-Ortega, J.; Perni, A.; Jackson-Blake, L.; Balana, Bedru B.; Mckee, A.; Dunn, S.; Helliwell, R.; Psaltopoulos, D.; Skuras, D.; Cooksley, S.; Slee, B. 2015. A transdisciplinary approach to the economic analysis of the European Water Framework Directive. Ecological Economics, 116:34-45. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.03.026]
Economic analysis ; Cost effectiveness analysis ; Stakeholders ; Ecology ; Catchment areas ; Hydrology ; Chemicals ; Models ; Water quality ; Water pollution ; Land use ; Phosphorus ; River basins / Europ / Scotland
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046955)
(1.00 MB)
The EuropeanWater Framework Directive(WFD) prescribes economic principles to achieve its ecological targets. The aim is to establish cost-effective measures to attain good ecological status and assess whether the costs of these measures are justifiable in view of the benefits they provide. The complex nature of water problems requires flexible decision-making embracing a diversity of ‘knowledges’. Here, natural and social scientist worked together in an integrated approach ‘ground-tested’ through local stakeholders' knowledge and views. The aims were to: (1) develop a set of steps for implementing this transdisciplinary approach, and (2) critically reflect on the challenges of integrating different strands of knowledge to the specific context of the economics of the WFD. Thiswas tested at a sub-catchment in Scotland. Hydro-chemicalmodelswere used to simulate effectiveness of phosphorous pollution mitigation measures, which was then incorporated into a cost-optimization model. Costs were compared with benefits resulting from water quality improvements. This analysis was accompanied by an iterative local stakeholder consultation process. The research further analysed whether selected measures are ‘future-proof’ in view of climate and land-use changes. Results are used to help set the research agenda for more practical specification of economically sound and socially acceptable ways to deliver theWFD.
2 Balana, Bedru B.; Jackson-Blake, L.; Martin-Ortega, J.; Dunn, S. 2015. Integrated cost-effectiveness analysis of agri-environmental measures for water quality. Journal of Environmental Management, 161:163-172. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.06.035]
Cost benefit analysis ; Agriculture ; Environmental management ; Hydrology ; Chemicals ; Water quality ; Water management ; Wastewater treatment ; Land management ; Nitrates ; Phosphorus ; Pollutants ; Case studies / Scotland / River Dee catchment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047103)
(1.20 MB)
This paper presents an application of integrated methodological approach for identifying cost-effective combinations of agri-environmental measures to achieve water quality targets. The methodological approach involves linking hydro-chemical modelling with economic costs of mitigation measures. The utility of the approach was explored for the River Dee catchment in North East Scotland, examining the cost-effectiveness of mitigation measures for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollutants. In-stream nitrate concentration was modelled using the STREAM-N and phosphorus using INCA-P model. Both models were first run for baseline conditions and then their effectiveness for changes in land management was simulated. Costs were based on farm income foregone, capital and operational expenditures. The costs and effects data were integrated using ‘Risk Solver Platform’ optimization in excel to produce the most cost-effective combination of measures by which target nutrient reductions could be attained at a minimum economic cost. The analysis identified different combination of measures as most costeffective for the two pollutants. An important aspect of this paper is integration of model-based effectiveness estimates with economic cost of measures for cost-effectiveness analysis of land and water management options. The methodological approach developed is not limited to the two pollutants and the selected agri-environmental measures considered in the paper; the approach can be adapted to the cost-effectiveness analysis of any catchment-scale environmental management options.
3 Kizito, F.; Balana, Bedru B.. 2016. Ecosystem services in the Volta Basin. In Williams, Timothy O.; Mul, Marloes L.; Biney, C. A.; Smakhtin, Vladimir (Eds.). The Volta River Basin: water for food, economic growth and environment. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.181-198.
Ecosystem services ; Freshwater ; River basins ; Wetlands ; Dams ; Environmental protection ; Natural resources ; Water resources ; Vegetation ; Coastal area ; Agricultural production ; Livestock ; Fisheries ; Forestry ; Land use ; Land cover change ; Local community ; Economic aspects ; Living standards ; Case studies / Ghana / Volta Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047732)
4 Bekoe, E. O.; Andah, W.; Logah, F. Y.; Balana, Bedru B.. 2016. Water-food-energy nexus and hydropower development. In Williams, Timothy O.; Mul, Marloes L.; Biney, C. A.; Smakhtin, Vladimir (Eds.). The Volta River Basin: water for food, economic growth and environment. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.161-178.
Energy generation ; Energy demand ; Water power ; Water resources ; Water supply ; Water demand ; Water use ; Domestic water ; Food security ; Industrial uses ; River basins ; Renewable energy ; Dams ; Social impact ; Environmental impact ; Environmental flows ; Climate change ; Emission ; International waters / West Africa / Benin / Burkina Faso / Ivory Coast / Ghana / Mali / Togo / Volta River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047731)
5 Balana, Bedru B.; Mul, Marloes L.; Mante, Yaw. 2017. The economics of re-operating the Akosombo and Kpong hydropower dams. In Ntiamoa-Baidu, Y.; Ampomah, B. Y.; Ofosu, E. A. (Eds.). Dams, development and downstream communities: implications for re-optimising the operations of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams in Ghana. Tema, Ghana: Digibooks Ghana Ltd. pp.277-301.
Economic development ; Dam construction ; Water power ; Ecosystem services ; Cost benefit analysis ; Irrigated farming ; Health hazards ; Fisheries ; Aquatic weeds ; Sediment ; Infrastructure ; Domestic water / Ghana / Akosombo Dam / Kpong Dam
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048405)
6 Tarfasa, S.; Balana, Bedru B.; Tefera, T.; Woldeamanuel, T.; Moges, A.; Dinato, M.; Black, H. 2018. Modeling smallholder farmers' preferences for soil management measures: a case study from South Ethiopia. Ecological Economics, 145: 410-419. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.11.027]
Soil management ; Soil conservation ; Smallholders ; Models ; Ecosystem services ; Farmer participation ; Land degradation ; Investment ; Land tenure ; Land rights ; Water conservation ; Living standards ; Case studies / South Ethiopia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048454)
Land degradation is a major environmental problem in Ethiopia posing serious threats to agricultural productivity and livelihoods. The interactions of numerous socio-economic, demographic, natural, and institutional factors constitute the underlying causes of soil degradation in Ethiopia. However, there exist evidence gaps on the contextual factors that hinder investments on soil conservation among smallholders. Using primary data generated through a stated preference survey among 359 sample smallholder farm households in Southern Ethiopia, this study investigates investment constraints on soil management technologies among smallholders. A random parameter logit model was implemented to estimate the model. Results indicate that smallholders are willing to invest in soil management technologies if appropriate incentive mechanisms, primarily, secured land tenure rights and access to nance are in place. Unfortunately, the prevailing land tenure regime in the country does not allow private property rights on land and smallholders have very limited access to credit. Thus, instituting secure land rights and improving credit access to smallholders should be considered as key interventions to enhance adoption of soil management technologies. The study highlights that policy interventions that incentivize adoption of soil management measures provide not only on-site private bene ts but wider societal o -site bene ts through the provision of multiple ecosystem services.
7 Acheampong, D.; Balana, Bedru B.; Nimoh, F.; Abaidoo, R. C. 2018. Assessing the effectiveness and impact of agricultural water management interventions: the case of small reservoirs in northern Ghana. Agricultural Water Management, 209: 163-170. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.07.009]
Agriculture ; Water management ; Reservoir operation ; Smallholders ; Vegetable growing ; Food security ; Living standards ; Households ; Farmers ; Irrigated farming ; Farm income ; Community involvement / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048872)
Agricultural water management, particularly management of multi-purpose small reservoirs (SRs) in drier savanna areas of the northern Ghana, is being promoted as a key solution to improve agricultural production, enhance food security and livelihoods of smallholder farm households. However, little empirical evidence exist on how effective these small water infrastructures are in terms of delivering multiple benefits and their impact on the livelihood of smallholder farmers. This study assessed the effectiveness and impact of the small reservoirs on smallholder vegetable farmers in northern Ghana. A participatory rating method using a 5-point Likert-scale was used to assess the effectiveness of SRs in delivering multiple livelihood benefits and an endogenous switching regression model was applied to assess the SRs’ impact using a primary data collected from 328 randomly sampled vegetable farmers. Results from the Likert scale analysis show that most of the SRs are either dysfunctional or underutilized and not effective in delivering multiple benefits. Results from the endogenous switching regression model show that there is only about 3% increase in the income of vegetable farmers participating in irrigated vegetable production using SRs against the counterfactual situation but this change is insignificant statistically. The current low level effectiveness and impact of SRs could be enhanced by improving their management, for example, through the provision of incentive mechanisms such as subsidies to the private sector involvement in rehabilitation, management and irrigation service provision and strengthening the capacity of existing water users associations. Furthermore, small reserviors should be recognized not only as water sources for small scale irrigation but also as providers of multiple livelihood benefits to local communities and consequently should attract due attention in public resource allocation in their rehabilitation and management/institutional capacity building.
8 Balana, Bedru B.; Bizimana, J.-C.; Richardson, J. W.; Lefore, Nicole; Adimassu, Zenebe; Herbst, B. K. 2020. Economic and food security effects of small-scale irrigation technologies in northern Ghana. Water Resources and Economics, 29:100141. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wre.2019.03.001]
Household food security ; Small scale systems ; Irrigation systems ; Economic situation ; Farm income ; Smallholders ; Nutrition ; Crop production ; Crop yield ; Seasonal cropping ; Agricultural production ; Water management ; Water availability ; Profit ; Pumps ; Climate change ; Feasibility studies ; Household consumption ; Food consumption / Ghana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049159)
(2.64 MB)
Small-scale irrigation (SSI) technologies can be useful not only to increase crop productivity and income but also as a viable adaptation practice to climate variability. A farm simulation model (FARMSIM) and data from selected SSI technologies piloted in northern Ghana under the ‘Feed the Future-Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation’ (ILSSI) project were used to assess the economic feasibility of the SSI technologies and their potential to improve income and nutrition of smallholder farm households. Three dry season irrigated crops (onion, corchorus, amaranthus) grown under three agricultural water management regimes were analysed. Results show that adoption of the SSI technologies could increase the net farm profit by 154%–608% against the baseline depending on the ‘crop type - SSI technology’ combination. Nutrition levels also improved significantly as a result of the improvements in crop yields due to irrigation and use of complementary inputs. However, the results further reveal that the options that utilize capital-intensive SSI technologies such as solar-powered water pumps to grow high value cash crops are constrained by the high investment cost. Currently, farmers tend to choose low-cost SSI technologies such as a traditional watering-cans, which generate low economic returns. Improving access to credit or alternative financing schemes could mitigate the capital constraints and enable smallholders to gain more benefits from participating in market-oriented high-value irrigated production.
9 Balana, Bedru B.; Sanfo, S.; Barbier, B.; Williams, Timothy; Kolavalli, S. 2019. Assessment of flood recession agriculture for food security in northern Ghana: an optimization modelling approach. Agricultural Systems, 173:536-543. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2019.03.021]
Agricultural practices ; Floodplains ; Water management ; Crop production ; Food security ; Models ; Supplemental irrigation ; Household income ; Food consumption ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Rainfed farming ; Soil moisture ; Dry season ; Wet season ; Land allocation ; Communities / Ghana / White Volta River Basin / Bawku West / Talensi / West Mampurusi
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049190)
(0.95 MB)
Food insecurity is a recurrent problem in northern Ghana. Food grown during the rainy season is often insufficient to meet household food needs, with some households experiencing severe food insecurity for up to five months in a year. Flood recession agriculture (FRA) – an agricultural practice that relies on residual soil moisture and nutrients left by receding flood water – is ordinarily practiced by farmers along the floodplains of the White Volta River in northern Ghana under low-input low-output conditions. Opportunities abound to promote highly productive FRA as a means of extending the growing season beyond the short rainy season (from May to September) into the dry season and thereby increase household income and food security of smallholder farmers. This study uses an optimization modelling approach to explore this potential by analyzing the crop mix and agricultural water management options that will maximize household income and enhance food security. Results indicate that growing cowpea, groundnut and melon under residual-moisture based FRA and high value crops (onion, pepper, and tomato) under supplementary irrigation FRA maximize household income and food security. The cash income from the sale of FRA crops was sufficient to purchase food items that ensure consumption smoothing during the food-insecure months. The study concludes that the full potential of FRA will be realized through a careful selection of crop mixtures and by enhancing access of farmers to improved seeds, integrated pest management and credit and mainstreaming FRA through targeted policy interventions and institutional support.
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