Suitability of Virtual Water Exchange Strategy Wheat, Barley, and Rice: Evaluating with an integrated water-ecosystem-economy index

Iran has limited water resources, and more than 90% of its water is used in the agriculture sector. Virtual water exchange plan is a suitable method to optimize water consumption in the agricultural sector. Attention to water resources, economic factors, technology and transportation, society, and the environment is necessary to examine the suitability of virtual water exchange plans between regions. To do that, this study using the principal component analysis (PCA) method, and an integrated water-ecosystem- economy index has been constructed that includes the indicators of resources, technology, and transportation, economy, society, and environment. The suitability of the virtual water exchange plan in wheat, barley, and paddy products for each province has been investigated based on an integrated index. The results show that Kermanshah, Ilam, and Fars are good and North Khorasan and Golestan are weak for the exchange of virtual water of wheat. In the barley, Chaharmahal Bakhtiari has a good condition, and Khorasan Razavi has a weak condition. For paddy, Mazandaran has a good, and Gilan and Golestan have a weak condition.