Evaluation and Prediction of Agricultural Water Use Efficiency in the Jianghan Plain Based on the Tent-SSA-BPNN Model

The Jianghan Plain (JHP) is a key agricultural area in China where efficient agricultural water use (AWUE) is vital for sustainable water management, food security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. This study introduces a novel AWUE prediction model for the JHP, combining a BP neural network with the Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA) and an improved Tent Mixing Algorithm (Tent-SSA-BPNN). This hybrid model addresses the limitations of traditional methods by enhancing AWUE forecast accuracy and stability. By integrating historical AWUE data and environmental factors, the model provides a detailed understanding of AWUE’s spatial and temporal variations. Compared to traditional BP neural networks and other methods, the Tent-SSA-BPNN model significantly improves prediction accuracy and stability, achieving an accuracy (ACC) of 96.218%, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.952, and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9939, surpassing previous models. The results show that (1) from 2010 to 2022, the average AWUE in the JHP fluctuated within a specific range, exhibiting a decrease of 0.69%, with significant differences in the spatial and temporal distributions across various cities; (2) the accuracy (ACC) of the Tent-SSA-BPNN prediction model was 96.218%, the root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.952, and the coefficient of determination (R²) value was 0.9939. (3) Compared with those of the preoptimization model, the ACC, RMSE, and R² values of the Tent-SSA-BPNN model significantly improved in terms of accuracy and stability, clearly indicating the efficacy of the optimization. (4) The prediction results reveal that the proportion of agricultural water consumption has a significant impact on AWUE. These results provide actionable insights for optimizing water resource allocation, particularly in water-scarce regions, and guide policymakers in enhancing agricultural water management strategies, supporting sustainable agricultural development.