Application of Data Envelopment Analysis in Efficiency Evaluation of Agricultural Water Exploitation Systems in Khozestan province

Efficiency evaluation and performance analysis of agricultural water exploitation systems is so significant to utilize the optimal of resources and prevent the waste of them. In this respect, this paper is aimed to evaluate the efficiency of exploitation systems within the irrigation and drainage networks of Khuzestan province by applying Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. Based on the results, average efficiency scores of exploitation systems of exploitation companies of irrigation and drainage networks, production cooperatives, water users cooperatives, Farming joint stock and private companies are 0.906, 0.962 0.895.0.950 and 1.00, respectively. In water users cooperatives system with the lowest average efficiency, the irrigation network and contracts as inputs have the highest consumption. The efficiency of Maroon exploitation system and Keshtgaran exploitation system with 0.73 value was obtained as the lowest among all of exploitation systems. Cost and Beneficiaries have caused the highest rate of inefficiency on Maroon exploitation system and Keshtgaran exploitation system, respectively. According to the results, among exploitation systems which are under evaluation, all systems of private companies are efficient.