Estimation of virtual water trade balance of agricultural products in Hamadan province

The concept of virtual water has considerable potential to help improving water management, especially in the agricultural sector. Therefore, virtual water analysis of basic products of the agricultural sector can help us in policy-making and planning in the optimal use of water resources. In this study, the amount of virtual water and its related indicators were determined using the basic approach and then, based on the amount of production and demand of the province for agricultural products, the amount of agricultural exchanges and the trade balance of virtual water in Hamadan province in 2018 were estimated. The results showed that the trade flow of the studied products has a volume equal to 924.7 million m3 of virtual water exports outside the province and 33.4 million m3 of virtual water imports into the province. Based on this, the trade balance of virtual water was estimated at 891.3 million m3. These results show that Hamedan province produces and exports water-intensive products within the province. The positive and significant trade balance warns of the need to change the cultivation pattern in the province due to the lack of water resources. According to the results of the study, it is suggested that the area under cultivation of crops such as corn, beans and alfalfa with high virtual water content be reduced and crops such as fodder corn and sugar beet, which require less virtual water, be replaced.