Towards more sustainable irrigation: Factors influencing allocation and entitlement prices and demand in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District of Australia

Martin Shanahan, Sarah Wheeler, Henning Bjornlund

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

For well over a decade, water markets have been used in Australia to reallocate water to more efficient, productive and sustainable irrigators. In the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District, records have been kept since 1992, and trading in both water allocations (seasonal trading) and water entitlements (permanent trading) is permitted. This chapter discusses the published quantitative estimates of farmers' responses to changes in prices, focusing particularly on two periods of drought (2002-03 and post 2006). Changes in the farmers' demand and supply of water during drought provide insights into their behaviour in the future when it is anticipated water will be increasingly scarce. We conclude that we can predict some of the likely effects, and the likely sustainability of farm production, in a future with less available water for farm production, by learning from the responses of farmers to past periods of scarcity.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIncentives and Instruments for Sustainable Irrigation
EditorsH. Bjornlund
Place of PublicationSouth Hampton
PublisherWITPress
Chapter7
ISBN (Electronic)9781845644079
ISBN (Print)9781845644062
Publication statusPublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

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