Water Pricing for Agriculture between Cost Recovery and Water Conservation: Where do we Stand in France? - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 27

From the diversity of selected cases, we can derive that a water pricing system is
always needed even if quotas systems are implemented. Secondly, it makes very little
sense to speak about the design of water pricing in general because a tariff has to be
defined according to an objective that has to be shared among the main stakeholders.
Thirdly, as irrigation tariffs have their own life cycle, a pricing system will evolve over
time depending on the economic situation and, once again, the objectives of public
authorities and water managers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author is grateful for useful comments and information to: Gleyses Guy (Cemagref),
Plantey Jacques (Société du canal de Provence), Trier Rémi (Compagnie d'Aménagement
du Bas Rhone Languedoc, Villocel Alain (Compagnie d'Aménagement des Coteaux de
Gascogne). However, the author is responsible for any remaining errors or omissions.
Funding from the French Government, Department of Agriculture, is greatly appreciated.
Bibliography
Chohin-Kuper A., Rieu T., Montginoul M., 2002. Les outils économiques pour la gestion
de la demande en eau pour la méditerranée, Forum Avancées de la gestion de la
demande en eau dans la région méditerranéenne, Fiuggi 3- 5 Octobre 2002 , 34 p.
Dinar A., 1997. Water pricing experiences : an international perspective . World Bank
Technical Paper n°386, Washington DC,164 p.
European Communities. (2000). Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in
the field of water policy . Official Journal of the European Communities.
Flory Jean Claude, 2003, Les redevances des agences de l'eau : enjeux , objectifs et
propositions d'évolution dans la perspective de la réforme de la politique de l'eau,
Rapport au Premier Ministre et à la Ministre de l'Ecologie et du Développement
Durable. 126 p. + annexes .
Gleyses G., Rieu T., 2004, L'irrigation en France, État des lieux et évolution . Ouvrage
Cemagref Éditions, ISBN 2-85362-642-3, 60p.