Water demand management in Tunisia, Prof. Mounir Belloumi, Prof. Mohamed Salah Matoussi

Professor Mounir Belloumi
University of Sousse
Tunisia
Professor Mohamed Salah Matoussi
Tunisia University
Tunisia
Abstract/Summary: The objective of this paper is to develop a Data Envelopment Analysis DEA model with water salinity as a non-discretionary input and estimate a model of irrigated water demand function based on the role of water in the farm production function. We model production technology by distinguishing six inputs and four outputs. The adjusted-DEA model is applied on a transversal data of 138 water users associations farms. Results show that farms are technically inefficient and they operate under the optimal scale. The shadow prices of irrigated water are found to be positive. The estimation of a model of irrigated water demand function enables us to derive the shadow price elasticitys of the inputs. It should be noticed that the own price elasticity of water is significant and quite high. Thus, the high responsiveness of water demand to price, suggests that pricing policies can be a potential instrument for water conservation.
Citation: Belloumi, M., Matoussi, M. S. (2007):Water demand management in Tunisia. In Ahmed, A. (Ed.): Science,Technology and Sustainability in the Middle East and North Africa, Vol. 1, pp. 276 - 291. WASD: Brighton, United Kingdom.