Water Quantity and Quality Issues in Mediterranean Agriculture - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 76

Government water authorities, environmental NGOs and international organisations
should look carefully at the results of sound empirical research that takes into account the
underlying biophysical processes and the complex spatial, dynamic and social dimensions
involved in the design of water policies. The findings of Cornish and Perry (2003) and
Bosworth et al. (2002) on water pricing, together with the recent experience in Australia,
provide further evidence. They suggest that, although water and pollution markets are
difficult to implement, they are a much more efficient and feasible policy approach than
water pricing to allocate water for agriculture and to curb pollution. Even the current
command and control water policies that are in place in most countries seem to be more
appropriate than water pricing for irrigation management.
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