Farming system performance and water use efficiency in the Tunisian semi-arid region: data envelopment analysis approach

Understanding farming strategies and identifying the parameters controlling production technologies are the fundamental elements required to modify the consumption of the irrigated sector without compromising production objectives. In this regard, the objective of this investigation is to analyse the performance of irrigated farms in the region of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. Firstly, farm surveys were carried out in both public and private irrigated areas. Secondly, an analysis of the production system within these farms showed an appropriate technology process. Moreover, the application of the data envelopment analysis approach allowed the measurement of technical and allocative efficiency. The comparison between both production systems, based on public and private resources, revealed that more important resources were wasted under the private than under the public water management system. Thus, the surface wells creation strategy, as a second resource for irrigation, was found to be against the sustainable use of an already overexploited groundwater. However, such strategy is justified when analysing allocative efficiency scores. Indeed, the profitability of the activity, based on the use of wells for irrigation, appears to be much higher than the one based on public resources.