Agricultural technologies are vital for farmers adapting to climate change. However, while efforts have focused on improving access and initial adoption, little attention has been given to social disparities in rates of adoption and the benefits derived from these technologies. Our study investigates the adoption of groundwater irrigation technology in India, a transformative innovation that has historically enhanced productivity and food security, and helped agricultural households adapt to a changing climate. We use a nationwide household survey sample that spans nearly a decade, capturing a key period of groundwater expansion in India. Our analysis reveals that members of highly marginalized social groups are less likely to adopt groundwater irrigation technologies, and less likely to sustain their use of the technologies for long periods of time. Furthermore, the household-level benefits of the technologies–operationalized through the relationship between technology adoption and income–appear lower for households belonging to historically marginalized groups compared to the historically advantaged. Our study underscores the importance of addressing social inequalities in both adoption as well as the sustained utilization of agricultural technologies and other climate adaptation tools. Disparities in the utilization of these technologies can hinder farmers’ ability to access new innovations and adapt to increasing threats from climate change. Targeted policies and interventions are essential to not only provide historically marginalized groups access to technological innovations, but also facilitate their effective utilization.
Growing global food demands place major strains on water resources, including quality impairments and increased water scarcity. Drawing on the largely separate bodies of literature on externalities and technological innovation, this article develops a dynamic framework to explore the long‐term impacts of alternative policy approaches to the agricultural impacts on water resources. Environmental policies, which focus on correcting environmental externalities, lead to an overall gain because costs to farmers are more than offset by reduced environmental damages. Technology policies, which direct public investments into agricultural eco‐innovations, lead to benefits for farmers as well as the environment. Joint implementation of both types of policies leads to the largest overall gain. In principle, a technology policy alone could have greater environmental benefits than an environmental policy alone. This outcome is most likely in cases where the productivity effect of new technology is large and the cost of research is low.
As an alternative to traditional environmental policy, investments in research can provide win–win solutions that benefit the environment and agricultural producers. Conceivably, eco‐innovations could lead to environmental conditions that are better than those achieved by environmental policy alone. Adding research investments to existing environmental policy would lead to further improvements in environmental quality while also benefitting farmers. Unlike environmental policies that are perceived to impose costs on agriculture, technology policies impart benefits to farmers and are less likely to face political opposition from industry. Technology policies are likely to be the most effective when eco‐innovation leads to technologies that meaningfully reduce environmental impacts and also raise farm productivity.
- Award ID(s):
- 1739191
- PAR ID:
- 10197758
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Natural Resource Modeling
- Volume:
- 32
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 0890-8575
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
more » « less
Abstract -
more » « less
Agricultural simplification continues to expand at the expense of more diverse forms of agriculture. This simplification, for example, in the form of intensively managed monocultures, poses a risk to keeping the world within safe and just Earth system boundaries. Here, we estimated how agricultural diversification simultaneously affects social and environmental outcomes. Drawing from 24 studies in 11 countries across 2655 farms, we show how five diversification strategies focusing on livestock, crops, soils, noncrop plantings, and water conservation benefit social (e.g., human well-being, yields, and food security) and environmental (e.g., biodiversity, ecosystem services, and reduced environmental externalities) outcomes. We found that applying multiple diversification strategies creates more positive outcomes than individual management strategies alone. To realize these benefits, well-designed policies are needed to incentivize the adoption of multiple diversification strategies in unison.
-
more » « less
Abstract The recovery of water, energy, and nutrients from water resource recovery facilities (
WRRF s) is needed to address significant global challenges, such as increasing water demand and decreasing availability of nonrenewable resources. To meet these challenges, innovative technological developments must lead to increased adoption of water and resource recovery processes, while addressing stakeholder needs (e.g., innovators, practitioners, regulators). A test bed network of over 90 partner facilities within the United States and abroad will help accelerate innovation and widespread adoption of novel processes through multiscale testing and demonstration of technologies. In this paper, we define a common set of environmental, economic, technical, and social performance metrics for innovative technologies, that will meet the needs of multiple stakeholders in the decision‐making process. These triple bottom line performance metrics can be used to track the sustainability of technologies in a consistent and transparent manner, while aiding the decision‐making process forWRRF s.Practitioner points The Facilities Accelerating Science and Technology (FAST) Water Network includes over 90 test bed facilities dedicated to accelerating innovation and adoption of water energy, and nutrient recovery systems.
A common set of environmental, economic, technical, and social performance metrics should be measured and reported when a new technology is evaluated in the FAST Water Network.
Performance metrics can aid sustainable decision‐making at WRRF, while meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders.
-
Abstract Innovations in precision agriculture now enable the identification of crop field patches whose retirement offers high environmental benefits and the low opportunity cost of crop yield loss. Precision conservation can lower costs to farmers and payment costs for government agencies. Precision conservation incentive policy should unite elements of land retirement (set-aside) and working lands policies that pay for environmental services. Key decisions surround how to bundle land fragments in a contract, keep contract design simple, evaluate environmental benefits, monitor compliance, and measure the additionality of those benefits.more » « less
-
more » « less
Abstract Sewers can become hydraulically overburdened during high‐intensity precipitation resulting in untreated water entering receiving streams. Combined (CSOs) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) cause adverse public health and environmental impacts as well as management challenges for many wastewater utilities. This novel review presents information regarding wet weather flow regulation, impacts, and current management methods, and offers ideas for future approaches in the United States. Currently, storage followed by conventional municipal water reclamation facility treatment after precipitation events is often employed. Stand‐alone alternative technologies include high‐rate solids removal, rapid disinfection, filtration, and green infrastructure. However, most current stand‐alone approaches do not address soluble BOD5or emerging contaminants in stormwater and wastewater. As the needs for wet weather flow management change, future approaches should include a goal of zero overflows and achieve effluent quality as good as or better than conventional treatment. To help achieve zero overflows and complete treatment, the “peaker facility” concept is proposed. The peaker facility often remains idle but treats excess flow when needed. Considering the challenges of remaining idle for long periods, starting up quickly, and handling high flows, chemical oxidation may be an applicable peaker facility component. However, more research and development are needed to determine best practices.
Practitioner points Combined (CSO) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) pose both environmental and public health risks as untreated water is discharged into lakes and rivers during high‐intensity rain events.
Current stand‐alone approaches for managing or treating CSOs focus on particulate BOD/COD and solids removal, and do not typically address soluble BOD or emerging contaminants in stormwater and wastewater (including pathogens).
New wet weather policies and regulations encourage more holistic approaches by wastewater utilities, and future approaches should include a zero‐overflow goal for all CSOs and SSOs.
To help achieve zero overflows, the concept of the “peaker facility” is proposed.
Chemical oxidation may be an applicable component of peaker facilities for its short detention time and ability to remove, oxidize, or inactive water impairment‐causing contaminants.
