The water rebound effect in the Spanish agricultural sector: evidence from regional data between 2010-2018

Abstract

As the human population grows, and agriculture production increases, water becomes a scarcer resource. Not only the demand for food production increases but also climate change contributes to lower water availability. Therefore, technology is expected to play an important role for sustainable water management. This work aims to assess the impact of the technology improvements in the Spanish agricultural sector at a national and regional level, between 2010-2018. By using a direct comparison model an average 7.14% agricultural water rebound effect was found, while annually it decreased, suggesting that technology is a key factor in agricultural water use.