Factors influencing Farmers’ Treatments to Use Irrigation Water

Abstract

Northern region of Sudan can rightly be considered as a River Nile-born nation where a high population density (90%) exists in the settled areas along the River Nile where agriculture production based on small-scale irrigation farms and the option of irrigation is mandatory from River Nile by pumps through the surface irrigation system. The country is below the water poverty line of 1000 cubic meter per capita per year and it may continue to be so for the foreseeable future. The competition for irrigation water and land increases resource management complexity. The aim of this research is to assess the social and economical performance of tenants and to identify options to improve irrigation system and water resource management in the State. To realize these objectives structured survey questionnaires of 70 randomly selected respondents from area of the study were interviewed beside literature. Integrated techniques involving economical and hydrological components are used to assess water use efficiency, social and economical performance of tenants in the State. The results suggest that inefficient of irrigation water use coupled with high production cost and low productivity will need attention on water management, allocation, quantities and introduction of water saving technologies.