Technical efficiency in irrigated farming in Nabeul, Tunisia: total factor productivity and horizontal integration

摘要

Abstract Due to natural and anthropogenic factors, water scarcity became a source of concern in many parts of the world as it affects people and local economies. International and national strategies are adopted to reduce the impact of water shortage and to preserve it. Among these measures, the focus on on-farm water management strategies through the improvement of irrigation efficiency is a relevant solution for water saving. This work aims to assess the economic efficiency of farmers using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach, in the Lebna Dam irrigated perimeter in Nabeul, Tunisia over the period 2011–2014. In this study, we assessed the efficiency of producers, Total Factor Productivity (TFP), and potential gains from horizontal integration. The main findings are that (i) DEA is relevant to identify crops that have a positive impact on efficiency, (ii) TFP using Malmquist Productivity Index shows 2% gains in productivity and (iii) considering two scenarios of merger of lands, we found an overall potential improvement in efficiency. We conclude that water savings are possible with an increased agricultural productivity, promoting thereby a more efficient water use.