Understanding behavioral and socio-economic determinants of farmer adoption of efficient irrigation technologies

Smallholder farmers are critical to global food production and natural resource management. Due to increased competition for water resources and/or variability in rainfall due to climate change, chronic irrigation water scarcity is rising particularly in drought prone regions like Vidarbha, Maharashtra (India). Improving irrigation water efficiency is key to sustainable agricultural intensification. Research has recognized that the motivations of farmers to adopt such strategies can go beyond the standard assumptions of utility maximization towards social and cognitive parameters. Understanding such determinants in the local context can provide insight for the design of local advisory services to steer farmer behavior towards water efficient practices. This study analyzes these factors in the Vidarbha through a behavioral lens using econometric methods and a social survey conducted with 419 farmers. The results from the survey contribute to the understanding the factors behind adoption of efficient technologies and their underlying dynamics, which can drive the development of agricultural extension and policy for sustainable agricultural intensification.