Henk Folmer
University of Groningen

This paper examines the efficiency of the 1998 irrigation management reform in the Guanzhong Plain, Shaanxi, China, at farm and canal level. Stochastic frontier analysis is applied to estimate irrigation water use efficiency, based on panel data for 800 farmers, spread over 80 irrigation canals, for the period 1999-2005. Analysis of determinants of water use efficiency shows that at farm level, water price is the most important determinant, followed by disclosure and the reform measures Joint-stock cooperative, Water user association and Contractor. The canal model is in line with the farm level model, although estimates are less significant.