Assessing concerns about fertigation costs with desalinated seawater in south-eastern Spain

V. Martínez-Alvarez, B. Gallego-Elvira, J.F. Maestre-Valero, B. Martin-Gorriz and M. Soto-Garcia

Agricultural Water Management, 2020, vol. 239, issue C

Abstract: Desalinated sea water (DSW) provides a steady agricultural water supply that overcomes climatological and hydrological constraints, fostering food security and socio-economic stability in water-stressed regions. In the last decade, seawater desalination for irrigation has been massively implemented in south-eastern (SE) Spain amid rising pressure and competition for water resources. However, farmers seem reluctant to replace conventional water sources with DSW due to its higher price and the need for additional fertilization. This article assesses how fertigation cost increases can affect farming profitability when integrating DSW for irrigation. The increases in water and fertilizer costs of totally (100 %) and partially (50 %) replacing conventional water with DSW were calculated for the most representative crops of the Segura basin in SE Spain.

Keywords: Desalination; Irrigation; Fertilization; Water blending; Farming profitability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:239:y:2020:i:c:s0378377420304121

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106257

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