Irrigation Development Research Articles

Living with technological drought: Experience of smallholding farmers of Bangladesh

Technological drought is caused by a lack of irrigation technology and a poor water management system. Here we present and analyse the results of a large survey of farmers in Bangladesh, designed to reveal their experience of and attitudes to, as well as factors and challenges of technological drought management. Also, we analysed the impact of water sources and the role of irrigation development to mitigate the technological drought taking North Bengal of Bangladesh as a case study. To explore the nature and characteristics of technological drought, we have used both qualitative and quantitative data from the study area. We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to find out the underlying dimensions and factor loadings of the technological drought using the field data. Moreover, we compared the relations and associations between socio-demographic, water source characteristics and technological drought perceptions. PCA results indicated seven underlying dimensions (challenges) out of thirty-one factors of technological drought related to river water management, irrigation technology, socio-economic conditions, land use, and electricity and fuel supply. The high population, lack of modern irrigation technology, upstream management problems, inefficiencies in the system, electricity connections, load shedding, and poor socio-economic conditions prevent people from getting the water they desperately need in the case study area. We also found a significant relationship between farmers’ socio-demographic and water source characteristics with technological drought perceptions. Although there has been increasing use of irrigation technology and improved water resource management in recent years, it is essential to highlight that there will likely be more challenges in the future if this trend continues.

Assessing the Contribution of Smallholder Irrigation to Household Food Security in Zimbabwe

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 seeks to end hunger and guarantee food and nutrition security worldwide by 2030. Smallholder irrigation development remains a key strategy to achieve SDG 2. This study assesses how smallholder irrigation contributes to household food security in Mberengwa district, Zimbabwe. Primary data were gathered from a randomly chosen sample of 444 farmers (344 irrigators and 100 non-irrigators) using a structured questionnaire. Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27 software packages were used to analyse the data. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression were performed. The t-test results show significant differences in mean between irrigators and non-irrigators for household size, the dependency ratio, farming experience, farm income, food expenditure share, and livestock owned (p < 0.05). Irrigators had significantly higher area planted, yield, and quantity sold for maize during the summer than non-irrigators (p < 0.05). Food Consumption Score results show that 97% of irrigators and 45% of non-irrigators were food secure. Binary logistic regression results reveal a significant association between food security and household size, irrigation access, and farm income (p < 0.05). In conclusion, access to smallholder irrigation increases household food security. The government and its development partners should prioritise investments in smallholder irrigation development, expansion, and rehabilitation.

Community-based irrigation management in Indonesia (Case study: Musi Rawas Regency, Bandung Regency, and Soppeng Regency)

Indonesia is an agricultural country that relies on the food sector.Irrigation infrastructure plays an important role to support the sector. It is therefore the sustainability of irrigation is vital. Community-based management of irrigation has been developed in Indonesia to support the development, operation, and and maintenance of irrigation. The aim of this study is to explore community-based irrigation management to support the sustainability of irrigation infrastructure. Three locations were choosed as case study; Musi Rawas, Bandung, and Soppeng Regency. The data analysis method used is qualitative analysis. The results of this study indicate that community groups are involved in determining irrigation development, such as holding public consultations, site selection, surveys, land acquisition, cooperation, operation, and maintenance. However, this community group does not yet have a robust organizational role because it has not provided rules, sanctions, or solutions to solve problems in the field. In addition, there is a lack of government support for community groups. Realizing a sustainable community-based irrigation system requires a high role of the community in irrigation management and support from the government in supporting the capacity of community groups and financing participatory activities.

Factors Affecting Rural Households Livelihood Diversification in Southern Parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The present study investigated the factors affecting rural households' livelihood diversification in southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Data was collected from 389 sampled respondents through a stratified random sampling technique from four Tehsils of District Bannu and Lakki Marwat. For data collection, a semi-structured questionnaire and face-to-face interview schedule method were used; descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used for analysis purposes. The study finding indicates that the majority, 72 percent of the respondents, had diversified their livelihood income sources due to climatic conditions, limited income, and large family size in the study area. The binary logistic regression result also shows the co-efficient of sampled respondents' age (.048), education (.088), family size (.168), earning members (.364), land irrigation status (2.915), and climate change (4.009) had a positive relationship with livelihood income source diversification. Finally, it is recommended that the farm size in the study area could have been bigger, resulting in more diversification due to limited resources. Therefore, it is suggested that the government should chalk out formal entrepreneurship programs for the local community to work more productively. It also needs to emphasize community-level irrigation development to increase livelihood diversification in the study area.

Evaluation of land suitability for surface irrigation under changing climate in a tropical setting of Uganda, East Africa

CONTEXTAssessment of land suitability for irrigation under changing climate holds paramount significance given the pronounced reliance on rainfed agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVETo investigate land suitability for surface irrigation under changing climate in a tropical setting of Uganda, East Africa and explore implications for irrigation development as well as food security. METHODSThe study used a GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation using the Analytical Hierarchy Process that considered seven factors: soil texture, slope, land use/land cover, soil drainage, distance to river, distance to road network and rainfall deficit. Each factor was rasterized, reclassified and standardized to a similar measuring scale, resulting in a numeric range; higher values indicating areas that are more suitable and lower values indicating areas that are less suitable for irrigation. Weighted factors were added using the weighted overlay approach in the ArcGIS environment to create the final irrigation suitability map. Suitability was further assessed under two scenarios; an increase in average temperature of 1.5 °C and 10% increase in annual rainfall for the period from 2041 to 2060 (scenario I) and an increase in average temperature of 4.3 °C and 20% increase in annual rainfall for the period from 2061 to 2080 (scenario II). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSFindings reveal that of the entire area of Uganda, 43.7% is currently constrained, 32.4% is moderately suitable, 23.1% is marginally suitable, only 0.9% is highly suitable, and only 0.02% is not suitable for surface irrigation. Highly suitable land is mostly found in the Lake Victoria Crescent whereas land not suitable for surface irrigation is mostly found in the Karamoja zone. Suitability of land for surface irrigation generally decreased with changing climate. Land not suitable for surface irrigation increased to 0.11% and 0.34%, and marginally suitable land increased to 28.4% and 35.8% of the total area, under scenarios I and II respectively. Whereas moderately suitable land decreased to 27.5% and 20.1%, and highly suitable land decreased to 0.29% and 0.046% of the total area, under scenarios I and II respectively. In both scenarios, suitable land for surface irrigation is highest in the South East L. Kyoga Flood Plain and lowest in the Western Mid-Altitude Farmland. The investigation underscores the dynamic nature of irrigation suitability of land, subject to various influencing factors with climate dynamics being a major factor. SIGNIFICANCEThe findings emphasize the importance of adopting adaptive strategies and incorporating climate change considerations into irrigation decision-making processes for increased food production.

Вплив зрошення мінералізованими водами на процеси засолення ґрунтів Південно-Бузької та Кам’янської зрошувальних систем

In Ukraine, irrigation development is hampered by a shortage of high-quality irrigation water. Irrigation with mineralized irrigation water causes soil salinization, which negatively affects crop productivity, soil quality, and surface water conditions. The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of irrigation water of different mineralization on soil salinity in the Southern Bug and Kamianske irrigation systems. The field and laboratory studies used the methods and criteria of the salinity laboratory of the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization. The studies showed that irrigation is carried out with water that has an average risk of soil salinity (ECw = 0.7-3.0 dS/m). At the same time, there is some spatial differentiation in the quality of irrigation water. The lands of the Southern Bug irrigation system are irrigated with water with an electrical conductivity of 0.90-1.07 dS/m, and the lands of the Kamianska irrigation system are irrigated with water with an electrical conductivity of 1.86-2.65 dS/m. The mineralization of irrigation water determines the degree of soil salinity. While the soils of the Southern Bug irrigation system are not saline (ECe is less than 2.0 dS/m), the soils of the Kamianske irrigation system have a significant accumulation of salts (ECe reaches 5.5 dS/m). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization classification, such soils are classified as saline. Analysis of the salinity tolerance of individual crops showed that any crops of any salt tolerance can be grown on the irrigated lands of the Southern Bug irrigation system. And on the lands of the Kamianske irrigation system, only moderately sensitive and least sensitive crops to soil salinity can be grown without loss of yield. The conducted research allows us to adjust the structure of sown areas and the structure of crop rotations in terms of salt tolerance of certain crops.

Fish passage across Southeast Asia: key informant insights into motivations and triggers for water resource planning and policymaking

Southeast Asia’s inland fisheries are under threat from extensive irrigation and hydropower development. Of particular concern is the Mekong River, which is currently home to the world’s most productive inland fishery. To minimise these negative impacts, fish-friendly infrastructure can be incorporated into these barriers to facilitate fish migration or “passage.” However, historically fishways have often been overlooked given cost considerations and a lack of awareness of benefits across irrigation managers and funding bodies. This study aimed to understand fishway implementation decision-making across the Mekong. Findings from 19 interviews showed that funding was central to decision-making and acted as an ability and a trigger, to both positively and negatively influence stakeholders’ motivations for fishway implementation. Masterclasses were viewed as key vehicles for building technical capacity and consent within the region through the creation of networks and social capital between irrigation engineers and fisheries staff, as well as the development of “champions.”

Trade-off and synergy analysis between hydropower generation and irrigation development in the Abbay River Basin, Ethiopia

Study region: Abbay River Basin, EthiopiaStudy Focus: This research focused on evaluating the trade-off and synergy between hydropower and irrigation under various development scenarios. The hydro-economic analysis was undertaken to provide insight regarding the benefits received from hydropower and irrigation development scenarios. New hydrological insights for the regionThe research demonstrated the holistic development of water resources for both energy generation and irrigation purposes, thereby maximizing economic benefits while ensuring sustainable water resource management. HEC-ResSim model was found to be adequate for evaluating the power generating capacity of multiple hydropower cascade systems under various irrigation water diversion scenarios. The findings revealed that by focusing solely on hydropower projects without incorporating irrigation development, Abbay river basin would generate up to 38 TWh of annual energy from GERD, Karadobi, Bekoabo and Mandaya cascades, with GERD accounting for 39% of the total output. Under full integration of irrigation development with four hydropower cascades, annual system energy generation was reduced by 12%. Despite the trade-off, the hydro-economic analysis revealed that the combined benefit from hydropower and irrigation surpass the benefits derived exclusively from hydropower only. Under full irrigation development the combined benefit exceeded the benefit obtained solely from four cascade hydropower without irrigation by 94%. The result revealed that simultaneous development of hydropower and irrigation is advisable, rather than prioritizing hydropower projects exclusively over Abbay river basin.

Analysis of the social and physical factors affecting irrigation scheme performance: The case of the Omo Gibe river basin in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, Ethiopia

AbstractOne hundred years ago, irrigation development began in Ethiopia, but the efficiency and sustainability of the developed scheme have remained very low. As a result, this study aimed to assess the factors that most frequently affect a scheme's performance. The study analysed general physical and social performance indicators. Structural and social factors were used to identify the most common causes of underperformance of the schemes in the Omo Gibe river basin. Frequency analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The relative operational scheme performance and relative irrigated area were 32 and 31%, respectively. The beneficiary to target performance was 63%. Structural and social factors such as flooding and subsequent damage to the under sluice and lack of participatory approaches during scheme development were the most common determinants of irrigation scheme performance. Hence, catchment development and community participation in scheme development are crucial for mitigating irrigation scheme underperformance.

Evaluate the knowledge impact for the extension activities of the field irrigation development project in the ancient lands in Beni Suef and Nasser districts at Beni Suef Governorate

Evaluate the knowledge impact for the extension activities of the field irrigation development project in the ancient lands in Beni Suef and Nasser districts at Beni Suef Governorate

Impact of traditional community tanks rejuvenation on groundwater recharge and crop productivity in Yadgir district of Kalyan Karnataka Region, India

Yadgir district is identified as most backward ditrict by NITI ayoga on account of their “lowest composite indicators in terms of health and nutrition, education, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion, skill development and basic infrastructure. Traditional community tanks (TCT’s) are classic examples of common pool resources that have been traditionally managed by local communities for irrigating their crops since age old and they are a living example that illustrates the capability of a man-made tank ecosystem evolved in harmony with nature to withstand natural disasters like drought, floods, and cyclones. These tanks not only protect and conserve the environment, but also contribute to livelihood security to rural farmers. These tanks have contributed significantly in agricultural production through supplementary irrigation and are declined recent decades in Yadgir district which is susceptible to drought compared to other district in the states. Such 13 TCT’s were rejuvenated for enhancing water storage capacity in the district under “Jal Samvardhane -District-wide Water Conservation Project” by Bharatiya Jain Sangh (BJS) In colloboration with Dept. of Agriculture, Yadgir. The study proved that, the average water storage capacity was raised by 24.80 percent in selected rejunuvented TCT’s. The average GWL increased for all selected tanks from 1.62 m to 3.81 m during the post-monsoon seasons of 2019 and 2020, respectively, compared to 1.31 metres before tank disiltation in Rabi 2018. Pigeonpea yield was increased by 4.13 percent (6.56 q/ha) to 20.57 percent (7.62 q/ha) with an average of 11.80 percent across all TCTs. Similarly, cotton prices increased by 4.85 percent (7.13 q/ha) to 21.53 percent (7.45 q/ha) throughout the growing season, with an average of 13.44 percent across all TCTs. Tank irrigation development activities have a substantial impact on groundwater recharge, access to groundwater, and in turn on the extension of irrigated water area. Tank irrigation development efforts have been shown to alter crop patterns, increase crop yields, and diversify crops, resulting in increased employment and farm income of small & marginal farmers of the Yadgir district.

Impacts of irrigation development on water quality in the San Salvador watershed (Part 2): Implementation of scenarios in SWAT

Intensive agricultural activities pose a significant threat to water quality as critical non-point sources of pollution. Effective mitigation strategies demand understanding the causes and processes of water pollution. This study aimed to quantify the impacts of irrigation development on water quality and assess best management practices for sustainable agriculture intensification. Employing the calibrated SWAT model for the San Salvador watershed (baseline scenario), two scenarios were implemented and evaluated: the first one depicted irrigation development from a future reservoir, and the second integrated riparian buffer zones to minimize nutrient and sediment losses. Notably the baseline scenario did not achieve nutrient water quality objectives. Results revealed that irrigation development increases nutrient yields, driving the future reservoir toward eutrophication. Implementing riparian buffer zones reduced nutrient loss, but additional measures are necessary for sustainable environmental goals at the basin scale. This research contributes with valuable insights for formulating effective management strategies to minimize nutrient pollution in water and safeguard water quality and biodiversity in the basin.

Impacts of irrigation development on water quality in the San Salvador watershed (Part 1): Assessment of current nutrient delivery and transport using SWAT

The development of irrigation involves a change in land use and management and has implications for water quality and quantity. It is critical to design conservation practices and best management practices consistent with sustainable agricultural intensification. The objective of this work was to understand and characterize key processes affecting hydrology, nutrient export and transport, and quantify impacts in the San Salvador watershed. For such purpose, the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was implemented, calibrated for water quantity, and water quality was adjusted using soft calibration techniques. The model reproduces water quantity and nutrient balance, and aids in characterizing the nutrient delivery and transport in the watershed. The magnitude of runoff affects the balance of nutrients. In high flows, diffuse sources are more prevalent, while in low flows, point sources and direct livestock manure to the river are more significant. The main outcomes of this work contribute to the design of strategies to achieve sustainable agricultural intensification. It also describes a new modeling tool freely available that could be used in further studies.

Technical and allocative efficiency of crop production using different storage and water‐lifting technologies in Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia

AbstractAssessing the efficiency gains, in terms of crop production and productivity, of using agricultural water management is critical to understanding the comparative advantage of using different storage and water‐lifting technologies in irrigation development. This study aims to compare the efficiency differences among irrigation farmers using various water‐lifting technologies and among users of various technology suites in the Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia. Cross‐sectional data collected from 320 randomly selected smallholder farmers, considering the 2019/2020 production season, were used to analyse a one‐step Cobb–Douglas stochastic frontier function. The results of the study revealed the existence of technical and allocative efficiency differences between gravity and fuel pump users. Factors that positively determine the level of technical efficiency scores are gender, age, education status, technology type and extension contact. Irrigation experience, access to credit, training and technology type positively affected allocative efficiency, while the distance to the irrigation water source had a negative effect. The findings have important implications for agricultural policy and practice as improving efficiency through the adoption of fuel‐powered water‐lifting technology could further improve overall agricultural productivity. Designing small‐scale friendly business models and promoting irrigation extension services, among others, is critical for scaling successful water management technologies.

Water Utilization Status and Suggestions for the Development of Green and Efficient Irrigation and Drainage Technology in the Main Rice-Producing Areas of Southwest China

Water Utilization Status and Suggestions for the Development of Green and Efficient Irrigation and Drainage Technology in the Main Rice-Producing Areas of Southwest China

Spatiotemporal variation of the major meteorological elements in an agricultural region: A case study of Linyi City, Northern China

<abstract> <p>Evaporation is a key element of the water and energy cycle and is essential in determining the spatial and temporal variations of meteorological elements. In particular, evaporation is crucial for thoroughly understanding the climate variations of a region. In this study, we discussed evaporation, precipitation, and temperature by adopting Linyi City in Shandong Province, China, which is an important agricultural region, as a research case. Linear regression analysis, the empirical orthogonal decomposition function, and the Morlet wavelet function were used to reveal the trends, spatiotemporal modes, and multi-time scale characteristics of the three climate factors and provide a theoretical basis for the efficient use of climate resources in the future development of regional agriculture. Results showed that the precipitation (2.09 mm/a) and temperature (0.04 ℃/a) in Linyi City exhibited a synchronous growth trend. Conversely, evaporation (−6.47 mm/a) showed a decreasing trend and the evaporation paradox because of the considerable decrease in evaporation energy. Regional development of water-consuming agriculture in consideration of global warming is a key point for improving water use efficiency in Linyi City. In terms of spatial distribution, precipitation was dominated by the first mode wherein low precipitation was observed at the early stage, and high precipitation occurred at the late stage. The first mode was supplemented by the second mode wherein an inverse phase change occurred in the southeast-northwest direction. Large interannual fluctuations were observed only in Yinan County. Temperature exhibited a pattern of warming change with high homogeneity. Evaporation demonstrated obvious heterogeneity and was dominated by two major modes, and the difference in evaporation between Junan County and the other regions of Linyi City was large. Therefore, the local regional climate changes in Yinan and Junan should be given attention. All three meteorological elements showed interannual and interdecadal variations in the short (5 a), medium (16 a), and long (25 a) terms, with precipitation, temperature, and evaporation dominated by 16 a, 24 a, and 31 a, respectively. In the short-term future, the regional precipitation and temperature in Linyi will experience decrements that are above the multiyear average, and evaporation will increase to above the multiyear average. Given the changing trends of precipitation, temperature, and evaporation, urgent requirements for the regional development of efficient water-saving irrigation and the promotion of digital agriculture should be proposed.</p> </abstract>

Issues of ecological impact of irrigation works and development of new lands in the steppe region

In this article, during the rule of the Russian Empire, the digging of new ditches, the development of new lands, especially desert areas, farming on newly acquired lands, the ecological impact of excavated canals and acquired lands, the issues of erosion of the banks of the "Emperor Nicholas I" canal are analyzed based on the materials of the "Turkestan Collection" done.

Barriers to the uptake of solar-powered irrigation by smallholder farmers in sub-saharan Africa: A review

Irrigation expansion is critical for agricultural and rural development, food and nutrition security, and climate change adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Lack of accessible energy for irrigation development due to limited off- and on-grid infrastructure and the resulting dependence on costly fuel-based irrigation have been key inhibiting factors for irrigation expansion in the region. Off-grid solar-powered irrigation pumps (SIPs) can overcome many of the energy access and other challenges in the region, but their uptake has been slow. Given the nascent development of the solar irrigation sector in SSA, this paper combines a review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature with key informant interviews to identify systemic barriers to the adoption and growth of solar-powered irrigation. We identify uncovered risks, lack of incentives, and lack of capacity as the key factors limiting the adoption of solar-powered irrigation. Moreover, despite significant global cost reductions, solar-powered irrigation systems remain costly in SSA due to limited market development and geographical constraints. Lack of regulation and low investment in building local institutions and value chains further affect uptake and inhibit leveraging the energy transition for ensuring food security and agriculture-led poverty alleviation in SSA. We propose a move away from thinking of SIPs as “silver bullets” and towards a systems approach and the design of context-specific solutions to address risks, incentives and capacity challenges.

Assessment of Irrigation Potential in Jewuha Watershed, Middle Awash River Basin, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is endowed with immense water and land resources that could be tapped and used for irrigation development. However, little has been done so far due mainly to lack of comprehensive knowledge on the potential of these resources. This study was, therefore, taken up to assess the irrigation potential in data scarce Jewuha watershed of the Awash River Basin. To achieve the objective of the study, the suitability of the land for both surface and pressurized irrigations was estimated using a parametric evaluation technique combined with the FAO land evaluation framework in the GIS environment with multi-criteria analysis of irrigation suitability factors. The irrigation water demands of major crops adopted in the area were determined using CROPWAT software. The surface water potential at the sub watershed was estimated using a combination of SWAT model and the spatial proximity regionalization technique. The performance of the SWAT model was checked by statistical parameters. The irrigation suitability analysis reveals that 51372ha of the study area are suitable and 16274ha are unsuitable for surface irrigation system. Furthermore, 52768ha of the area are suitable and 15088ha are unsuitable for a sprinkler irrigation system. For drip irrigation, 52751ha are suitable and 14855ha are unsuitable. The calibration and validation of SWAT model showed that the model has performed well to simulate the hydrology of the watershed with a coefficient of determination (R2), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and Percent of bias (PBIAS) of 0.74, 0.73 and 0.80 for calibration and 0.71, 0.70 and 7.90 for validation, respectively. From a combined analysis of the available land and water resources, the gross irrigation potential of the area is estimated to be 12,997ha, of which 3098ha of land is exclusively suitable for surface irrigation and 9,899ha is suitable for pressurized irrigation systems.

How do irrigation district managers deal with climate change risks? Considering experiences, tipping points, and risk normalization in northern Italy

Agriculture is one of the most sensitive and vulnerable activities to climate variations; climate change impacts crop yield, soil processes, water availability, and pest dynamic. Farmers are on the front lines of climate change-induced stressors, shifts, and shocks, having to provide solutions as planners, performers, and innovators working under challenging and uncertain risk conditions. Extensive research has been carried out to deepen farmers’ behavior on risks posed by climate change. However, less attention was paid to irrigation district managers, even though their essential role in guaranteeing hydraulic safety, ensuring water supply, even as on-site observers of farmers’ behavior. This paper seeks to uncover the attitudes and actions of irrigation districts managers towards climate change, and their ability to gather significant information on the climate experiences of farmers in the Lombardy region, Italy. Employing a mix of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, the exploratory approach gathered insights from the managers of the 12 public irrigation districts tasked with governing irrigation development and water management in the region. The study reveals that managers are cognizant of the shifting climate caused by warmer temperatures and extreme weather events, implementing both hard (e.g. water infrastructure maintenance, water storage) and soft (climate and weather services) adaptation countermeasures. Through their own experiences, managers brought to light the driving factors behind farmers’ willingness to adopt water-saving techniques or adapt their crops, despite facing obstacles (e.g. financial investment, institutional support). In addition, the identification of tipping points related to water scarcity and security is coupled with managers and farmers’ trust in technological solutions to partially counteract risk normalization. In line with the findings, suggestions were put forth to enhance managers’ adaptive capacity.