Irrigated Farming Systems Research Articles

Impact of Crop Diversification on Income Generation of Beneficiaries under Rice Based Irrigated Farming System of Myanmar

Impact of Crop Diversification on Income Generation of Beneficiaries under Rice Based Irrigated Farming System of Myanmar

Water conservation practices for improving water-use policy in irrigated rice

Rice will continue to be a staple crop for the majority of the world's population and, thus, its production will require a significant commitment to maintaining large amounts of fresh available water. The water use efficiency of two traditional water management practices used in irrigated rice culture was studied: alternate flooding and drying as well as continuous flooding. The findings indicate that the alternate flooding and drying treatment could reduce water use by 13–29% and increase rice grain yield by 33–36%. These results demonstrate that there is significant potential to increase water use efficiency in wetland rice culture without reducing rice grain yield. Moreover, the results can be used to strengthen government water-use policies in irrigated rice farming systems.

A field study of energy consumption in wheat production in Canterbury, New Zealand

This paper examines the energy consumption of wheat production in Canterbury province, New Zealand. This study was conducted within a 35,300 ha of irrigated and dry land wheat fields in Canterbury in the 2007–2008 harvest year. Total energy consumption for wheat production was estimated at 25,600 MJ/ha. On average, fertilizer and electricity were used more than other energy sources, at around 10,654 (47%) and 4870 (22%) MJ/ha, respectively. The energy consumption for wheat in irrigated farming systems and dry land farming systems was estimated at 25,600 and 17,458 MJ/ha, respectively. The main source of energy in both systems is fertilizer and it consumed around 10,188 and 11,429 MJ/ha for irrigated farming and dry land farming, respectively. The average operational energy consumption was 7997 MJ/ha. In irrigated farming system, operational energy was approximately three times more than that in dry land farming. The maximum energy consumed in operational wheat production was about 7762 (71%) MJ/ha for irrigated farming systems, including irrigation, and it was 1451 (46%) MJ/ha for dry land farming including tillage. The average values of estimated output to input energy ratio for wheat in irrigated and dry land farming systems were 11.5 and 15.1, respectively.

Energy consumption in production of grains prevalent in Saveh, Iran.

This paper examines the energy consumption of wheat, barley and maize production in Iran (Saveh area). This study was conducted over 28,400 ha of irrigated wheat, barley and maize fields and 19,300 ha of dry land wheat and barley fields in Saveh, a central city, Iran, in the harvest year of 2003 - 2004. The data was collected from three different sources: questionnaire, literature review and field measurement. Total energy consumption for irrigated wheat, barley and maize were estimated as 51587, 53529 and 72743 MJ/ha, respectively. Also energy consumption for wheat and barley in dry land system were estimated as 12543 and 11935 MJ/ha, respectively. The average operational energy consumption for cultivation of wheat (irrigated), wheat (dry land), barley (irrigated) , barley (dry land) and maize were 36107, 6067, 40498, 6250 and 48632 MJ/ha, respectively. The maximum energy consumed in these productions, for irrigated farming systems and dry land farming system were irrigation and tillage, respectively. Fuel consumption is one of the important input elements, which must be taken under close managerial supervision in order to optimize the amount of energy consumed.

Breaking the Vicious Cycle in Irrigation Farming System for Sustainable Food Security in Nigeria

This paper is a pilot investigation into irrigation activities and the need for a reform to attain food security in Nigeria. Oke-Oyi irrigation project of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin was chosen as epitome of irrigation projects in Nigeria. Structured questionnaire were administered on the 135 farmers participating in the project for detailed analysis. Past and present project officers were also interviewed. Simple percentages were used to summarize the data for discussion. The study revealed that the services of the irrigation agency is poor and grossly inadequate, revenue from irrigation farming cannot meet the cost let alone aiding further investment. The farmers do not have access to farm inputs such as fertilizer and micro credit among others. The paper is of the opinion that a reform in this sector will transform irrigation system towards a path of sustainable food security.

Comparação da pecuária leiteira a cultivos anuais em áreas irrigadas utilizando-se programação linear

Livestock has been responsible for the maintenance of many people at the rural areas of Brazil. At first this activity was not designed to be a part of the crops production systems. However, livestock production has started to assert itself in these irrigated areas due to the feeding difficulty of livestock in the circumjacent areas, the existence of green fields all year round in the irrigated areas and also the tradition of small farmers in diversifying activities. From information data on small irrigated farming system and recommendations of technical assistance and using a farm based linear programming model, this work was executed with the objective of comparing yearly crops to livestock activity. Despite the way the farm is managed, where the main crops are not profitable, high incomes may be achieved with or without livestock. The livestock activities can be better integrated with the region agroindustry, increasing the activities of the farm, utilizing agroindustrial residues and releasing areas for other more profitable crops.

A Bayesian network approach to knowledge integration and representation of farm irrigation: 2. Model validation

For models to be useful, they need to adequately describe the systems they represent. The probabilistic nature of Bayesian network models has traditionally meant that model validation is difficult. In this paper we present a process to validate Inteca‐Farm, a Bayesian network model of farm irrigation that we described in the first paper of this series. We assessed three aspects of the quality of model predictions, namely, bias, accuracy, and skill, for the two variables for which validation data are available directly or indirectly. We also examined model predictions for any systematic errors. The validation results show that the bias and accuracy of the two validated variables are within acceptable tolerances and that systematic errors are minimal. This suggests that Inteca‐Farm is a plausible representation of farm irrigation system in the Shepparton Irrigation Region of northern Victoria, Australia.

Potential contribution by cotton roots to soil carbon stocks in irrigated Vertosols

The well-documented decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in Australian cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growing Vertosols has been primarily analysed in terms of inputs from above-ground crop residues, with addition to soil C by root materials being little studied. Potential contribution by cotton roots to soil carbon stocks was evaluated between 2002 and 2008 in 2 ongoing long-term experiments near Narrabri, north-western New South Wales. Experiment 1 consisted of cotton monoculture sown either after conventional tillage or on permanent beds, and a cotton–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation on permanent beds; Experiment 2 consisted of 4 cotton-based rotation systems sown on permanent beds: cotton monoculture, cotton–vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.), cotton–wheat, and cotton–wheat–vetch. Roundup-Ready™ (genetically modified) cotton varieties were sown until 2005, and Bollgard™ II-Roundup Ready™-Flex™ varieties thereafter. Root growth in the surface 0.10 m was measured with the core-break method using 0.10-m-diameter cores. A subsample of these cores was used to evaluate relative root length and root C concentrations. Root growth in the 0.10–1.0 m depth was measured at 0.10-m depth intervals with a ‘Bartz’ BTC-2 minirhizotron video microscope and I-CAP image capture system (‘minirhizotron’). The video camera was inserted into clear, plastic acrylic minirhizotron tubes (50-mm-diameter) installed within each plot, 30° from the vertical. Root images were captured 4–5 times each season in 2 orientations, left and right side of each tube, adjacent to a furrow, at each time of measurement and the images analysed to estimate selected root growth indices. The indices evaluated were the length and number of live roots at each time of measurement, number of roots which changed length, number and length of roots which died (i.e. disappeared between times of measurement), new roots initiated between times of measurement, and net change in root numbers and length. These measurements were used to derive root C turnover between times of measurements, root C added to soil through intra-seasonal root death, C in roots remaining at end of season, and the sum of the last 2 indices: root C potentially available for addition to soil C stocks. Total seasonal cotton root C potentially available for addition to soil C stocks ranged between ~50 and 400 g/m2 (0.5 and 4 t/ha), with intra-seasonal root death contributing 25–70%. These values are ~10–60% of that contributed by above-ground crop residues. As soil organic carbon in irrigated Vertosols can range between 40 and 60 t/ha, it is unlikely that cotton roots will contribute significantly to soil carbon stocks in irrigated cotton farming systems. Seasonal root C was reduced by cotton monoculture, stress caused by high insect numbers, and sowing Bollgard II varieties; and increased by sowing non-Bollgard II varieties and wheat rotation crops. Permanent beds increased root C but leguminous rotation crops did not. Climatic factors such as cumulative day-degrees and seasonal rainfall were positively related to seasonal root C. Root C turnover was, in general, highest during later vegetative/early reproductive growth. Large variations in root C turnover and seasonal C indices occurred due to a combination of environmental, management and climatic factors.

Performance analysis of pressurized irrigation systems operating on-demand using flow-driven simulation models

On-demand pressurized irrigation systems are designed to deliver water with the flow rate and pressure required by the farm irrigation systems, sprinkling or micro-irrigation, and respecting the time, duration and frequency decided by the farmers. Due to the variation in farm demand along the season and the day, a large spatial and temporal variability of flow regimes occurs in these systems, which may affect the performance of the farm systems and the yields of the irrigated crops. Therefore, there is a need to analyse those systems to identify and solve performance problems. In this research, two simulation models for the analysis of irrigation systems operating on-demand, ICARE and AKLA, are used and compared to assess the hydraulic performance of the irrigation network of the Lucefecit Irrigation System, in Southern Portugal. ICARE assesses the global performance of the irrigation system through the indexed characteristic curves, while AKLA provides for the identification of the relative pressure deficit and reliability at every hydrant. Both models adopt a flow-driven analysis approach, performing the analysis for multiple flow regimes. To support the hydraulic characterization of the system and for calibration of the steady-state hydraulic model, field measurements were performed at selected nodes of the network, including four hydrants. The analysis with ICARE does not provide for a sufficient identification of problems. In fact, poor performance is indicated when a few hydrants operate below the minimum pressure set at design. Differently, the analysis with AKLA, applied at the hydrant level, shows that the performance of the Lucefecit system is generally acceptable. AKLA identifies which hydrants operate below the required pressure and, therefore, allows to support any eventual related improvement. Results show that the performance of the system highly improved when changing the piezometric elevation from 260 to 265 m a.s.l. However, this improvement is not sufficient because three hydrants still have high relative pressure deficit and low reliability. Solutions for those hydrants require increasing diameters of network pipes supplying them.

Carbon Sequestration and Soil Aggregation in Center-Pivot Irrigated and Dryland Cultivated Farming Systems

Although irrigation is considered a benefi ciary management for increasing soil organic C (SOC) stocks in (semi)arid environments, our understanding of the impact of irrigation on soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics in the fi eld remains limited. We investigated the effect of irrigation on soil C storage in relation to soil aggregation by measuring C stocks of bulk soil and different aggreagate fractions in the top 20-cm layer of center-pivot irrigated vs. dryland farming systems in semiarid southwestern Nebraska. The irrigated fi elds (IRR) showed increased C inputs and larger SOC stocks than the dryland cultivated fi elds (DRY). Fractionation of bulk soil samples into non-microaggregate-associated particulate organic matter (free POM) and microaggregate-associated POM, silt, and clay fractions indicated that the larger bulk SOC stock under IRR was explained solely by an increase in microaggregate-associated C storage Wet sieving of bulk soil showed that microaggregation was remarkably low under DRY and did not increase under IRR, suggesting that the protection of microaggregates inside macroaggregates was no prerequisite for C sequestration under IRR. The results of this study confi rm the potential of irrigation to increase soil C stocks through preferential sequestration of C inside microaggregates, but question our understanding of the mechanisms underlying this preferential sequestration. Abbreviations: cPOM, coarse particulate organic matter (>250 µm); DRY, dryland cultivated treatment; iPOM, intramicroaggregate particulate organic matter; IRR, center-pivot irrigated treatment; mClay, microaggregate-associated clay fraction; micro-C, microaggregate-associated C; mSilt, microaggregateassociated silt fraction; NV, native vegetation; POM, particulate organic matter; SOC, soil organic carbon; SOM, soil organic matter; TOC, total organic carbon.

Evaluation of drip irrigation: Selection of emitters and hydraulic characterization of trapezoidal units

The primary focus of this paper is on the estimation of potential application efficiency in drip irrigation units. For this purpose, a new procedure for field evaluation of water distribution in trapezoidal drip irrigation units is proposed. It consists of measurement of flow discharged by a sample of emitters whose location in the unit is selected to assure that the sample has the same mean flow and the same flow variation as all the drippers in the unit. Several emitters at each location are considered to separate the variations due to manufacture and wear from those due to differences in pressure. As an additional aim, a simplified hydraulic analysis is proposed based on known expressions to characterize hydraulically the irrigation unit and also to separate the causes conditioning irrigation performance. This analysis requires data of the unit (lengths, diameters, spacings and elevations) and of the emitters (discharge equation exponent). In addition, variables such as inlet pressure head, total emitter flow, pressure heads at the downstream end of the submain and laterals, are also to be measured. These measurements are required to calibrate unknown parameters (emitter discharge coefficient, equivalent lengths of emitter or lateral insertion) to estimate their variation due to wear. Field evaluations were performance on rectangular and trapezoidal units. Emitters were selected following the proposed method as well as the one developed by Merriam and Keller [Merriam, J.L., Keller, J., 1978. Farm Irrigation System Evaluation: A Guide for Management. Utah State University]. Experimental results confirm the theoretical analysis. Finally, for practical purposes, an index and a unitary distribution curve of emitter discharge during irrigation are proposed to characterize the performance of level irrigation units, independently of their operating inlet pressure.

The impact of water and agriculture policy scenarios on irrigated farming systems in Italy: An analysis based on farm level multi-attribute linear programming models

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impacts of agriculture and water policy scenarios on the sustainability of selected irrigated farming systems in Italy, in the context of the forthcoming implementation of the directive EC 60/2000. Directive EC 60/2000 (Water Framework Directive) is intended to represent the reference norm regulating water use throughout Europe. Five main scenarios were developed reflecting aspects of agricultural policy, markets and technologies: Agenda 2000, world market, global sustainability, provincial agriculture and local community. These were combined with two water price levels, representing stylised scenarios for water policy. The effects of the scenarios on irrigated systems were simulated using multi-attribute linear programming models representing the reactions of the farms to external variables defined by each scenario. The output of the models consists of economic, social and environmental indicators aimed at quantifying the impact of the scenarios on different aspects of sustainability relevant for irrigated farming systems. Five Italian irrigated farming systems were considered: cereal, rice, fruit, vegetables and citrus. The results show the diversity of irrigated systems and the different effects that water pricing policy may produce depending on the agricultural policy, market and technological scenarios. They also highlight a clear trade-off between socio-economic sustainability and environmental (water, nitrogen, pesticide) sustainability. Water pricing will have, in most cases, less impact than agricultural markets and policy scenarios, though it appears to be an effective instrument for water regulation in the least intensive irrigated systems considered. This emphasises the need for a differentiated application of the Water Framework Directive at the local level as well as a more careful balance of water conservation, agricultural policy and rural development objectives.

Boll distribution patterns in Bt and non-Bt cotton cultivars: II. Study on small-scale farming systems in South Africa

The introduction of Bt cotton in small-scale African farming systems raises the question of the technological efficacy of such cultivars in low-input rainfed agriculture conditions. Current surveys on Bt cotton in small-scale farming systems in South Africa suggest this transgenic crop is a key factor for increasing yields and farm income. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of the Bt cultivar under non-optimal conditions that prevail on small-scale farms. We thus carried out a 2-year comparative study on yield performances and boll distribution patterns of Bt and non-Bt cotton in 20 small-scale fields around Makhathini Flats (KwaZulu Natal, South Africa). A survey was also conducted on 86 farms to obtain yield results in a broader sample. In small-scale, low-input rainfed farming systems, productivity is extremely variable and the advantage of transgenic cotton over conventional varieties is not as easy to demonstrate as it is in large-scale, high-input irrigated farming systems. Given the high technological cost, adoption of transgenic crops may sometimes have a negative economic impact for farmers. Nevertheless, the use of transgenic varieties may be effective within the framework of an overall cropping intensification strategy, i.e. as an integrated pest management component and accompanied by fertilizer application and weed management recommendations.

Boll distribution patterns in Bt and non-Bt cotton cultivars: I. Study on commercial irrigated farming systems in South Africa

Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars containing the cryIAc gene accounted for 81% of South Africa's cotton production in 2004. Current research on Bt cotton in developed countries has revealed that this transgenic crop provides a key means for enhancing yields and boosting profits. Our study was designed to assess the agronomic efficiency of Bt cotton particularly in South African commercial (Paper 1) and small-scale (Paper 2) farming systems. Over several consecutive years, we compared yield boll distribution patterns (using a plant mapping analysis) of a Bt cultivar (NuOpal) with a conventional nearly isogenic line (DeltaOpal). Compared with the non-Bt cultivar, Bt cotton had better early boll retention rates at the first and second positions on the fruiting branches. Beyond the third position this trend was reversed, indicating that non-Bt cotton varieties offset losses occurring at the first two positions by producing fruits at further positions. Bt cotton thus had a higher average boll weight, shorter vegetative cycle, earlier boll opening, and 13% higher yield potential on average than the conventional control. These results indicate that using the transgenic variety provided better protection against bollworm as compared to chemical treatments—which are likely not effective at the onset of bollworm infestation and do not protect the first bolls. These observations demonstrate the advantage of transgenic Bt cotton when grown under near optimal conditions.

On-farm performance evaluation of improved traditional small-scale irrigation practices: A case study from Dire Dawa area, Ethiopia

Field evaluation of surface irrigation systems play a fundamental role to determine the efficiency of the system as it is being used and to identify management practices and system configurations that can be implemented to improve the irrigation efficiency. This study evaluated the performance of an ‘improved’ traditional small-scale irrigation practice at Adada, a representative small-scale irrigation practice in Dire Dawa Administrative Council, Eastern Ethiopia. In order to determine numerical values of performance measures, certain parameters were measured/observed before, during and after an irrigation event while farmers are performing their normal irrigation practice. These parameters include: irrigated crop, irrigation method, stream size, cutoff time, soil moisture deficiency, and field size, shape and spacing. The results showed that the irrigation water applied to a farmer's plot during an irrigation event/turn was generally higher than the required depth to be applied per event. Since the irrigation method used was end-dyked, the major cause of water loss was due to deep percolation. The deep percolation loss was 32% in sorghum, 57% in maize, and 70% in tomato and potato fields. The type of irrigation system used, the ridged irrigation practice and the poor irrigation scheduling in the study sites were the main problems identified in the management and operations of the schemes. The following corrective measures are recommended to improve the system: (1) farmers should regulate the depth of irrigation water they apply according to the type of crop and its growth stage, change the field irrigation system and/or configuration especially for shallow rooted row crops, to furrow system, (2) guidance and support to farmers in developing and introduction of appropriate irrigation scheduling, and (3) future development interventions towards improvement of traditional irrigation practices should also focus in improving the on farm irrigation systems in addition to improving physical infrastructure of the scheme.

The impact of land-use intensification on soil physical quality and plant yield response in the North Otago Rolling Downlands

The New Zealand agricultural industry is currently undergoing a large drive for increased productivity. Fuelling this will primarily require greater 'on-farm' landuse intensification involving increasing farm inputs to gain a large increase in farm product outputs. The North Otago Rolling Downlands (NORD) region of New Zealand has traditionally been drought-prone and limited to extensive sheep farming. The establishment of a large district irrigation scheme in spring 2006 will result in large scale intensification of land-use across the NORD region. A field trial has been established in North Otago on a common NORD Pallic soil type (Timaru silt loam) to determine the effect of land use intensification on soil quality and plant yield response. The treatments compare newly sown pasture vs. winter grazed forage crop, irrigated vs. dryland and sheep vs. cattle grazing. The application of irrigation water in 2004/2005 resulted in 17.5 kg pasture DM/mm of irrigation water and 24 kg pasture DM/mm of irrigation water for the drier 2005/ 2006 growing season. Results from the pasture trial suggest that both cattle grazing and irrigation (particularly in combination) are decreasing soil quality with a macroporosity of 9% v/v from pasture plots following the 2004/2005 season compared to 18% v/v for the dryland sheep treatment. In the 2005/2006 season, cattle irrigated plots had a macroporosity of 11% v/v from pasture plots c.f 19% v/v for the dryland sheep treatment To date, this measured decrease has had no significant effect on pasture or crop yield suggesting that soil quality has not yet fallen below a critical level for production under irrigated farming systems. However, further monitoring is required to assess the long term effects as strong trends are emerging that indicate soil quality decline under the cattle grazed and cropping treatments. Keywords: land-use intensification, soil quality, irrigation, cattle grazing, sheep grazing, forage cropping, compaction, pasture yield

Compensation of rodent pests after removal: control of two rat species in an irrigated farming system in the Red River Delta, Vietnam

Abstract Rodent pests have a strong capacity to recover rapidly from imposed reductions in abundance, but it is unclear how populations compensate to removal when farmers apply rodent control. The response of two rat species to rodent control was monitored using regular live-trapping in an irrigated lowland mixed rice agroecosystem. Rice field rats, Rattus argentiventer (52% of rodent captures), and lesser rice field rats, Rattus losea (29%), were removed using trap-barrier systems (TBS) at two sites while rice crops were present. The TBS was a plastic fence that enclosed a small field planted 3 weeks prior to the surrounding fields and set with multiple-capture cage-traps to capture rats that were attracted to the early-planted crop. Demographic responses of rats were compared to two untreated sites. There was a reduction in abundance of rodents on treated sites relative to untreated sites during the summer rice crop (by 45% and 28% for R. argentiventer and R. losea, respectively) an increase in abundance during the winter season (31% and 69%), and a mixed response during the spring rice crop (39% decrease and 41% increase). There was an increase in the proportion of juveniles captured on treated sites relative to untreated sites post-treatment (148% and 158%) and the body mass was lower on treated sites post-treatment (males: 13% and 41%; females: 22% and 22%). Older, larger animals were removed by the TBS and the rodent populations were compensating through high recruitment of young and high immigration into treated sites. No clear patterns were observed in the occurrence of adult breeding females for either R. argentiventer or R. losea. Rodent management, should therefore, occur over large areas (> 100 ha) to reduce the chance of reinvasion.

Can farm-management practices reduce the impact of house mouse populations on crops in an irrigated farming system?

The impacts of a range of farm-management practices on house mouse (Mus domesticus) populations were tested in a large replicated field study in a complex irrigated farming system in southern New South Wales, Australia. An advisory panel, made up of farmers, extension officers, industry representatives and scientists developed a series of best-practice farm-management actions to minimise the impact of mice. Twelve experimental sites were split into six treated sites, where farmers were encouraged to conduct the recommended practices, and six untreated sites, where farmers conducted their normal farming practices. Mouse abundance was generally low to moderate for the 4-year project (5–60% adjusted trap success). We found significant reductions in population abundance of mice on treated sites when densities were moderate, but no differences when densities were low. Biomass of weeds and grasses around the perimeter of crops were significantly lower on treated sites because of applications of herbicide sprays and grazing by sheep. We could not detect any significant difference in mouse damage to crops between treated and untreated sites; however, levels of damage were low (<5%). Yields of winter cereals and rice crops were significantly higher on treated sites by up to 40%. An analysis of benefits and costs of conducting farming practices on treated sites compared with untreated sites showed a 2 : 1 benefit to cost ratio for winter cereals, 9 : 1 for rice and 4 : 1 for soybeans.

Options for management of saline groundwater in an irrigated farming system

Groundwater pumping is used to control salinity problems in many irrigation regions of Australia. Options for managing the pumped groundwater are required to be consistent with achieving high farm production levels and minimising salt export from irrigation regions. In this study, pasture production and economic aspects of 6 options for managing pumped groundwater are compared. The 6 options include (i) complete farm reuse of pumped groundwater for irrigation; (ii) complete export to river system; (iii) complete disposal to evaporation basin; (iv) partial farm reuse with reduced salt export; (v) partial farm reuse with reduced disposal to evaporation basin; and (vi) partial farm reuse with disposal to a salt tolerant forage crop. The comparison between the 6 options is made for a hypothetical 100 ha dairy farm that has a perennial pasture based production system. Complete farm reuse was the most economic option in areas where groundwater salinity is low (<5 dS/m). Partial farm reuse with disposal of surplus groundwater to a salt tolerant forage species was the most economical option for managing higher salinity groundwater.

Flood recession agriculture in the Senegal River Valley

The purpose of this paper is to explore the system dynamics, the importance and future of the low yielding flood recession farming system as practiced in the Senegal River Valley. This is discussed in relation to the introduction of irrigated agriculture into villages of the valley and to the hydrological changes of the Senegal River caused by the construction of the Manantali dam and the Sahelian drought of the 1970s and 1980s. The paper is based on data collected during three months of fieldwork in three villages located in the Podor region in Senegal. The fieldwork focused on the physical and ecological aspects of the flood recession farming system. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews on the household level and with groups of village elders and local agricultural leaders. On the regional and national level interviews were carried out with the agricultural and water management authorities. The flood recession farming system is based on natural irrigation and fertilization of the flood plain. Sorghum, beans and melons are cultivated on the remaining soil moisture from the yearly inundations of the river valley in August and September. Flood recession farming receives no controllable input other than land and labour and therefore has a very high net return to energy expenditures. The study however shows that the labour productivity and the net income from the input intensive irrigated farming system far exceed that of the traditional flood recession farming. Nevertheless, the output front the recession farming is very important to household subsistence since the general energy requirements of the households are far front covered by the irrigated farming. The recession agriculture would then support the household subsistence during months where other contributions to the household subsistence are limited. Furthermore, results of the recession farming are strongly affected by the limited flooding that prevailed during the investigated period. The management of the Manantali dam in Mali and the varying precipitation in the upper part of the river basin cause large yearly variations in river valley inundations and thus affects the yield from recession farming. Since the farmer cannot control the access of river water to the recession fields there exists no incentive for the farmer to invest in the development of the flood recession farming system. If the system is not further developed, the future potential for recession agriculture is likely to decrease as population and subsistence demands increase and irrigated agriculture is further developed. Therefore, the future of flood recession agriculture depends for a large part on the willingness of the dam management authorities to ensure a yearly and stable inundation of recession land in years of limited natural flows. This would eliminate the insecurity of water availability and justify investments in and further development of traditional farming practices.