Survey-based factors that influence farmers water saving in arid inland zones of Northwest China

To reveal factors that affect farmers´ water saving willingness, we used the analysis of logistic regression model, had an empirical investigation with household questionnaire in the middle basin of Heihe River, the second largest inland river basin in arid area of Northwest China. The results show that the personal factors (age, education, being a village cadre, or a MCCP), household factors (proportion of agricultural income, degree of understanding water-saving methods and join WUA) and farm factors (a larger plowland, a higher irrigation cost, a water-saving irrigating way) were important to water saving. The quantitative analysis of factors which affect farmer water saving based on household perspective, is the innovation of this paper. Several water-saving suggestions were aslo given, this could provide some valuable references for government to construct a water-saving society in inland arid regions of northwest China, and some useful information for water authorities.