Ex-ante Cost-Benefit Analysis of High-end and Low-cost Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Technology Packages for Efficient Irrigation Water Management in the Philippines

Four wireless sensor network (WSN) technology packages developed for efficient irrigation water management in the Philippines were subjected to ex-ante cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to assess their financial viability. The WSN technologies include high-end and low-cost wireless sensors for upland crop production with drip irrigation system and lowland crop production with alternate wetting and drying (AWD). Results showed that the high-end WSN technology packages are only viable for high-value crops such as red onion, bell pepper, and hot pepper. The low-cost WSN technology packages are viable for all selected crops except sweet corn. Minimum areas were also generated for each crop for the technology packages to be viable. Sensitivity analysis showed that the viability of the technologies generally declines at higher discount rates but can be improved by reducing the investment cost and increasing the cropping intensity and crop production area.为菲律宾高效灌溉水管理开发的四款无线传感器网络（Wireless Sensor Network, WSN）技术套件，已接受事前成本效益分析（Cost-Benefit Analysis, CBA）以评估其财务可行性。该类WSN技术涵盖适配旱地作物滴灌种植、水田作物干湿交替灌溉（Alternate Wetting and Drying, AWD）种植的高端与低成本无线传感器。研究结果显示，高端WSN技术套件仅对红洋葱、甜椒、辣椒等高端经济作物具备财务可行性；低成本WSN技术套件则适用于除甜玉米外的全部受试作物。研究还为各作物生成了技术套件实现财务可行所需的最小种植面积。敏感性分析结果表明，技术套件的财务可行性通常随贴现率升高而下降，但可通过降低投资成本、提升种植强度与扩大作物种植面积得到改善。