Participatory Crossover Analysis to Support Discussions about Investments in Irrigation Water Sources

Nikkels, Melle J.; Guillaume, Joseph H. A.; Leith, Peat; Mendham, Neville J.; van Oel, Pieter R.; Hellegers, Petra J. G. J.; Meinke, Holger

doi:10.3390/w11071318

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Participatory Crossover Analysis to Support Discussions about Investments in Irrigation Water Sources

Melle J. Nikkels

^1,2,3,*

Joseph H. A. Guillaume

^4,5

Peat Leith

²,

Neville J. Mendham

²,

Pieter R. van Oel

Petra J. G. J. Hellegers

¹ and

Holger Meinke

^2,6

Water Resources Management (WRM) Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 98, Hobart TAS 7001, Australia

Aequator Groen & Ruimte, P.O. Box 1171, 3840 BD Harderwijk, The Netherlands

⁴

Water & Development Research Group, Aalto University, P.O. Box 15200, FIN-00076 Aalto, Finland

⁵

Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Building 141, Linnaeus Way, ACT, Canberra 2601, Australia

⁶

Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 430, 6700 AK Wageningen, The Netherlands

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Water 2019, 11(7), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071318

Received: 26 May 2019 / Revised: 21 June 2019 / Accepted: 22 June 2019 / Published: 26 June 2019

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Socioeconomic Indicators for Sustainable Water Management)

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Abstract

Regional long-term water management plans depend increasingly on investments by local water users such as farmers. However, local circumstances and individual situations vary and investment decisions are made under uncertainty. Water users may therefore perceive the costs and benefits very differently, leading to non-uniform investment decisions. This variation can be explored using crossover points. A crossover point represents conditions in which a decision maker assigns equal preference to competing alternatives. This paper presents, applies, and evaluates a framework extending the use of the concept of crossover points to a participatory process in a group setting. We applied the framework in a case study in the Coal River Valley of Tasmania, Australia. Here, farmers can choose from multiple water sources. In this case, the focus on crossover points encouraged participants to engage in candid discussions exploring the personal lines of reasoning underlying their preferences. Participants learned from others’ inputs, and group discussions elicited information and insights considered valuable for both the participants and for outsiders on the factors that influence preferences. We conclude that the approach has a high potential to facilitate learning in groups and to support planning. View Full-Text

Keywords: participatory crossover analysis; discussion support framework; personal preference; investment decisions; irrigation water

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MDPI and ACS Style

Nikkels, M.J.; Guillaume, J.H.A.; Leith, P.; Mendham, N.J.; van Oel, P.R.; Hellegers, P.J.G.J.; Meinke, H. Participatory Crossover Analysis to Support Discussions about Investments in Irrigation Water Sources. Water 2019, 11, 1318. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071318

AMA Style

Nikkels MJ, Guillaume JHA, Leith P, Mendham NJ, van Oel PR, Hellegers PJGJ, Meinke H. Participatory Crossover Analysis to Support Discussions about Investments in Irrigation Water Sources. Water. 2019; 11(7):1318. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071318

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nikkels, Melle J., Joseph H. A. Guillaume, Peat Leith, Neville J. Mendham, Pieter R. van Oel, Petra J. G. J. Hellegers, and Holger Meinke. 2019. "Participatory Crossover Analysis to Support Discussions about Investments in Irrigation Water Sources" Water 11, no. 7: 1318. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071318

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Participatory Crossover Analysis to Support Discussions about Investments in Irrigation Water Sources

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