Comparison of Water Productivity Indicators for Major Crops in Ardabil Plain

In Iran, about 70% of agricultural crops are obtained through irrigation and the share of irrigation has been increasing since 1960. Given the growing trend in the world's population and to meet the water demand of other sectors, the share of water in the agricultural sector should be adjusted by improving water productivity. In Iran, the average water productivity is lower than that of the developed countries. In Ardebil plain, due to the decrease of groundwater resources and the decrease of rainfalls over the past 30 years, it is necessary to manage the water productivity and to reduce water consumption properly. The purpose of this study was to compare water productivity indices for major crops in Ardabil plain. In this study, the sample size was determined using Cochran's and Bartlett's et al. relationships, and the required information was collected by questionnaire. At first, 50 questionnaires were distributed among experts in agriculture. After assuring the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, 1046 questionnaires were distributed among the farmers in Ardabil plain. Results of water productivity (CPD index) showed that potato crop had the highest water productivity of 2.95 kg m-3 and rapeseed crop had the lowest water productivity of 0.67 kg m-3. Furthermore, potato (6093 Tomans) and barley (505 Tomans) had the highest and the lowest net profit per cubic meter of irrigation water, respectively. Based on the results, it is suggested that strategic crops such as wheat and rapeseed should be cultivated in order to reduce import level and facilitate the export mechanism for crops such as potatoes.