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Project Overview

Project Code: MGT 04

Project name:

Water Irrigation Sustainability & Efficiency in Japan

TUM Department:

MGT – School of Management

TUM Chair / Institute:

Production and Resource Economics

Research area:

Environmental Economics, Sustainability, Resilience, Climate change

Student background:

Management / EconomicsSustainability

Further disciplines:

Participation also possible online only:

Planned project location:

Alte Akademie 14, Freising

Project Supervisor - Contact Details


Title:

Dr.

Given name:

Maria

Family name:

Vrachioli

E-mail:

maria.vrachioli@tum.de

Phone:

08161716320

Additional Project Supervisor - Contact Details


Title:

Given name:

Family name:

E-mail:

Phone:

Additional Project Supervisor - Contact Details


Title:

Given name:

Family name:

E-mail:

Phone:

Project Description


Project description:

Project Description
This project applies a hydro-economic modeling framework (Harou et al., 2009) to evaluate the efficiency and sustainability of Japan’s aging irrigation infrastructure. The study will analyze how declining system performance and demographic challenges—particularly an aging farming population—affect water allocation, agricultural productivity, and long-term sustainability. Weather variability (droughts and floods) will be incorporated to assess resilience under stress scenarios.

Individual Student Tasks:
1. Literature Review & Data Collection: Summarize Japan’s irrigation infrastructure characteristics, water use in agriculture, and demographic trends.

2. Model Adaptation: Implement a simplified hydro-economic model based on a selected case study region, focusing on crop productivity and water allocation.

3. Scenario Analysis: Compare baseline irrigation efficiency with stress cases (e.g., drought, reduced labor due to aging farmers).

4. Assessment & Reporting: Evaluate productivity losses and inefficiencies, propose strategies for sustainable irrigation use, and prepare a short presentation.

Expected Outcomes
The project is expected to deliver a quantitative assessment of irrigation water efficiency and productivity in a selected Japanese region, highlighting how aging irrigation infrastructure and demographics reduce system performance. By incorporating climate variability and demographic constraints, the study will provide scenario-based insights into productivity losses and sustainability challenges, providing in a set of recommendations for improving irrigation resilience and water-use efficiency. Results will be summarized in a final report and short presentation.

Working hours per week planned:

Mon-Fri, 35 hours/week

Prerequisites


Required study level minimum (at time of TUM PREP project start):

3 years of bachelor studies completed

Subject related:

Other:

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