The water use efficiency and its determinants in small horticultural farms in Algeria

The objectives of this study are to calculate the water use efficiency (WUE) and its determinants in small-scale horticultural farms in Jijel-Taher in the Northeast of Algeria. This paper is divided into two main parts. We first start by calculating the scores of technical and water use efficiencies using data envelopment analysis method of a sample of 93 horticultural farms. Secondly, a Tobit regression was used to identify the determinants of WUE. Results showed that average technical efficiency scores are 68% and 79%, respectively, for CRS and VRS assumptions, while average WUE scores obtained are only 51% and 61% under CRS and VRS assumptions, respectively. Tobit regression shows that the total number of cultivated crops and water sources, the percentage of greenhouses, the level of education and technical assistance, the form of commercialization, and the access of farmers to credit are significantly affecting WUE.