On the scarcity value of irrigation water: juxtaposing two market estimating approaches
(EN)
Ροζακης Στυλιανος
(EL)
Kampas Athanasios
(EN)
Rozakis Stylianos
(EN)
Πολυτεχνείο Κρήτης
(EL)
Technical University of Crete
(EN)
The aim of this paper is to compare the supply-side and demand-side approaches for assessing the scarcity rents of irrigation water. The results obtained from the case study confirm the expectation that the demand-side rationale provides the lower bound estimate of water scarcity rents. Specifically, a hypothetical elimination of water scarcity brings extra benefits to the local farmers, but these benefits cannot compensate the costs of the backstop technology which provide such extra water. Therefore, the lost opportunities, in terms of income forgone due to water scarcity, cannot legitimize supply-side approaches alone. A “soft” sensitivity analysis was included to examine the robustness of such a cost-effective property, while the policy implications of the results are also examined.
(EN)
