Next Article in Journal
The “Contamination Lab” as a Viable Pathway for Agricultural Engineering to Enhance Its Academic Prominence and Centrality Within the Italian Academia
Next Article in Special Issue
Application of Fuzzy Logic to Predict Instantaneous Water Use Efficiency in a Forage Grass Under Organic and Mineral Fertilization and Water Deficit Conditions
Previous Article in Journal
Development and Assessment of Odor Footprint Tools from Air Dispersion Modeling: A Case Study in North Dakota
Previous Article in Special Issue
Evaluating the PhenoGlad Model as a Decision-Support Tool for Gladiolus Production in Tropical and Subtropical Environments
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
AgriEngineering
Volume 8
Issue 6
10.3390/agriengineering8060238
agriengineering-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Multi-Scenario Optimization of Cropping Patterns Under Variable Water Availability in Lao Irrigation Systems

by
Khambay Phomphakdy
1,
Rapeepat Techarungruengsakul
2,
Ratsuda Ngamsert
3,
Haris Prasanchum
4,
Jirawat Supakosol
5,
Kantiya Sanusan
2,
Ounla Sivanpheng
1,
Phetyasone Xaypanya
1 and
Anongrit Kangrang
2,*
1
Faculty of Water Resources, National University of Laos, Vientiane 0100, Laos
2
Faculty of Engineering, Mahasarakham University, Kantharawichai District, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
3
Division of Research Facilitation and Dissemination, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
4
Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology, Isan Khon Kaen Campus, Khon Kaen 40000, Thailand
5
Faculty of Industry and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Sakon Nakhon Campus, Sakon Nakhon 47160, Thailand
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
AgriEngineering 2026, 8(6), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8060238
Submission received: 18 March 2026 / Revised: 6 June 2026 / Accepted: 8 June 2026 / Published: 11 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agrometeorology and Agricultural Water Management: Technology Advances and Applications in Cropping Systems)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Sustainable irrigation planning under increasing water scarcity requires quantitative optimization tools to balance land and water resources. This study develops a linear programming (LP)-based framework to determine optimal cropping patterns under variable seasonal water availability in three irrigation projects in Lao PDR: Nam Tong 2 (1000 ha; ≈48.16 million m3 (MCM)), Nam Hin (80 ha; ≈0.73 MCM), and Xe Salalong (1530 ha; ≈30.80 MCM). Six major crops were analyzed for each project, with crop water requirements ranging from 4000 to 12,000 m3 ha−1 and gross revenues from 1200 to 41,322 US$ ha−1. Eight irrigation scenarios were constructed by combining land suitability (suitable vs. unsuitable), crop water requirement levels, and gross revenue assumptions. The model maximizes total gross revenue subject to seasonal water and land constraints. The results indicate that under limited water availability (e.g., 5.35–6.20 MCM in Nam Tong 2), crops with lower water demand (≤6000 m3 ha−1) and higher economic return per unit of water are prioritized, improving water-use efficiency. As water availability increases, high-value but water-intensive crops expand until land suitability becomes the dominant constraint. Expanding irrigation on unsuitable land produces diminishing economic returns. The framework enhances the realism of irrigation planning and supports economically efficient, water-sustainable crop allocation in water-scarce regions.
Keywords: optimization model; linear programming; irrigation planning; cropping pattern; gross revenue optimization model; linear programming; irrigation planning; cropping pattern; gross revenue

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Phomphakdy, K.; Techarungruengsakul, R.; Ngamsert, R.; Prasanchum, H.; Supakosol, J.; Sanusan, K.; Sivanpheng, O.; Xaypanya, P.; Kangrang, A. Multi-Scenario Optimization of Cropping Patterns Under Variable Water Availability in Lao Irrigation Systems. AgriEngineering 2026, 8, 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8060238

AMA Style

Phomphakdy K, Techarungruengsakul R, Ngamsert R, Prasanchum H, Supakosol J, Sanusan K, Sivanpheng O, Xaypanya P, Kangrang A. Multi-Scenario Optimization of Cropping Patterns Under Variable Water Availability in Lao Irrigation Systems. AgriEngineering. 2026; 8(6):238. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8060238

Chicago/Turabian Style

Phomphakdy, Khambay, Rapeepat Techarungruengsakul, Ratsuda Ngamsert, Haris Prasanchum, Jirawat Supakosol, Kantiya Sanusan, Ounla Sivanpheng, Phetyasone Xaypanya, and Anongrit Kangrang. 2026. "Multi-Scenario Optimization of Cropping Patterns Under Variable Water Availability in Lao Irrigation Systems" AgriEngineering 8, no. 6: 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8060238

APA Style

Phomphakdy, K., Techarungruengsakul, R., Ngamsert, R., Prasanchum, H., Supakosol, J., Sanusan, K., Sivanpheng, O., Xaypanya, P., & Kangrang, A. (2026). Multi-Scenario Optimization of Cropping Patterns Under Variable Water Availability in Lao Irrigation Systems. AgriEngineering, 8(6), 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering8060238

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop