Potential interest in agricultural water management investments in the context of sustainable development

This article contributes to the discussion on water management in agriculture and investment needs in this area. Water is a key resource for agricultural production. Contemporary economic, social, and environmental challenges require farmers to implement modern drainage and irrigation solutions that will increase the efficiency of agricultural water use and produce food in line with sustainable development principles. The aim of the study was to determine the potential interest of farmers in modern irrigation and drainage investments (regarding both traditional solutions and digital innovations, including specialised software). Primary data were collected by survey method using an electronic questionnaire in 2021–2022. The research group consisted of 784 Polish farmers. Secondary source data was supplemented by analysis of specialised literature. The research results were analysed using a descriptive method. Additionally, statistical methods were used (Pearson's chi-square test of independence, Wald-Wolfowitz runs test, Kruskal-Wallis test). The study results indicate a significant need for irrigation and drainage investments on Polish farms. The results also indicated that farmer age and farm size significantly influence farmers' interest in modern solutions supporting sustainable water use for agricultural purposes.

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