From reported water savings to practical implementation What drives decision-makers to change?

Farmers are interested in increasing their reliable income. We know little about actual cost/benefit; however, as water becomes scarcer, these are interventions they can consider to increase production. The decision to adopt these interventions will depend on the amount of risk involved. Trade-offs balance the economic risks and potential profits. ‘

Extension agents are responsible for communicating research information to farmers. They share the interest of the farmers in increasing farm incomes and should know which interventions are cost-effective under what conditions. Neither of these two groups has any interest in ‘saving’ water except to increase beneficial consumption.

Scheme managers (of irrigation districts) may be interested in these interventions if there is shortage at tail ends (end of canal water users), or more commonly if groundwater is over-abstracted.

Planners and policymakers are the priority target group for the ‘real water savings’ issue as the effects are more immediate in their realm of managing water resources at a basin scale.