Irrigation as adaptation strategy to climate change - a biophysical and economic appraisal for Swiss maize production


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Date

2011-04

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

Citations

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Abstract

The impact of climate change on Swiss maize production is assessed using an approach that integrates a biophysical and an economic model. Simple adaptation options such as shifts in sowing dates and adjustments of production intensity are considered. In addition, irrigation is evaluated as an adaptation strategy. It shows that the impact of climate change on yield levels is small but yield variability increases in rainfed production. Even though the adoption of irrigation leads to higher and less variable maize yields in the future, economic benefits of this adoption decision are expected to be rather small. Thus, no shift from the currently used rainfed system to irrigated production is expected in the future. Moreover, we find that changes in institutional and market conditions rather than changes in climatic conditions will influence the development of the Swiss maize production and the adoption of irrigation in the future.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

105 (3-4)

Pages / Article No.

509 - 528

Publisher

Springer

Event

Edition / version

Methods

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Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

Adaptation; Climate change; Crop yields; Yield variability; Maize; Switzerland

Organisational unit

09564 - Finger, Robert / Finger, Robert check_circle
03327 - Lehmann, Bernard (ehemalig)

Notes

It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher

Funding

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