The Techno-Politics of Irrigation Efficiency
Dursun Yıldız
SPD Technopolitics Center
Irrigation efficiency appears to be a technical concept; however, in reality, it is a techno-political field shaped by technology, power, resource allocation, data sovereignty, and financing relationships. In other words, the question of “which technology is used, by whom, and with what financing and data architecture” determines to whom, when, and how much water is given. Irrigation efficiency is often explained as “more production with the same amount of water.” However, from the perspective of water policies, what is done with the saved water is important. In this context, the question of whether new irrigation areas are opened in the same basin with this water, whether water is transferred to cities, or whether it is directed towards energy production comes to the forefront.
This situation is known in the literature as the rebound effect. Increased technical efficiency can increase, rather than decrease, total water consumption. In transboundary water basins such as the Tigris-Euphrates basin, irrigation modernization is evaluated not only agriculturally but also hydropolitically within the context of transboundary water policy. In this context, irrigation efficiency can become a diplomatic argument for downstream countries; however, modernization in an upstream country can also generate more uncertainty for a downstream country. Therefore, irrigation technology is also a hydrostrategic tool. If the technology becomes widespread in large-scale operations, increased efficiency can also create agricultural stratification.
As a strategic outcome, the techno-politics of irrigation efficiency is seen to be shaped along three axes: technological dominance, data dominance, and resource allocation power. Therefore, irrigation modernization is not only a technical reform but also a governance and redesign process.
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The Techno-Politics of Irrigation Efficiency
Dursun Yıldız
SPD Technopolitics Center
Irrigation efficiency appears to be a technical concept; however, in reality, it is a techno-political field shaped by technology, power, resource allocation, data sovereignty, and financing relationships. In other words, the question of “which technology is used, by whom, and with what financing and data architecture” determines to whom, when, and how much water is given. Irrigation efficiency is often explained as “more production with the same amount of water.” However, from the perspective of water policies, what is done with the saved water is important. In this context, the question of whether new irrigation areas are opened in the same basin with this water, whether water is transferred to cities, or whether it is directed towards energy production comes to the forefront.
This situation is known in the literature as the rebound effect. Increased technical efficiency can increase, rather than decrease, total water consumption. In transboundary water basins such as the Tigris-Euphrates basin, irrigation modernization is evaluated not only agriculturally but also hydropolitically within the context of transboundary water policy. In this context, irrigation efficiency can become a diplomatic argument for downstream countries; however, modernization in an upstream country can also generate more uncertainty for a downstream country. Therefore, irrigation technology is also a hydrostrategic tool. If the technology becomes widespread in large-scale operations, increased efficiency can also create agricultural stratification.
As a strategic outcome, the techno-politics of irrigation efficiency is seen to be shaped along three axes: technological dominance, data dominance, and resource allocation power. Therefore, irrigation modernization is not only a technical reform but also a governance and redesign process.
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