Is irrigation fit for purpose? A review of the relationships between scheme size and performance of irrigation systems

Is irrigation fit for purpose? A review of the relationships between scheme size and performance of irrigation systems PDF

Author: McCarthy, Nancy

Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst

Published: 2023-04-18

Total Pages: 57

ISBN-13:

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Irrigation is increasingly being called upon to help stabilize and grow food and water security in the face of multiple crises; these crises include climate change, but also recent global food and energy price crises, including the 2007/08 food and energy price crises, and the more recent crises triggered by the COVID 19 pandemic and the war on Ukraine. While irrigation development used to focus on public, large-scale, surface- and reservoir-fed systems, over the last several decades, private small-scale investments in groundwater irrigation have grown in importance and are expected to see rapid future growth, particularly in connection with solar-powered pumping systems. But is irrigation ‘fit-for-purpose’ to support population growth, economic development, and multiple food, energy and climate crises? This paper reviews how fit-for-purpose irrigation is with a focus on economies of scale of surface and groundwater systems, and a particular examination of systems in Sub-Saharan Africa where the need for expansion is largest. The review finds challenges for both larger surface and smaller groundwater systems in the face of growing demand for irrigated agriculture and dwindling and less reliable water supplies. To support resilience of the sector, we propose both a holistic design and management improvement agenda for larger surface systems, and a series of suggestions to improve sustainability concerns of groundwater systems

Irrigation Manual

Irrigation Manual PDF

Author: Andreas Savva

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org

Published: 2010

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9789250065236

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This manual (most of whose modules were originally published 2001-2002) aims at strengthening various aspects of irrigation development, mainly emphasizing the engineering, agronomic and economic aspects of smallholder irrigation, in view of the limited practical references available in this area. It also introduces the irrigation practitioner to the social, health and environmental aspects, providing a bridge between the various disciplines involved in irrigation development.--Publisher's description.

Water-energy-food Linkages in Shared Smallholder Irrigation Schemes

Water-energy-food Linkages in Shared Smallholder Irrigation Schemes PDF

Author: Ankit Chandra

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13:

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Irrigation is a policy focus in Sub-Saharan Africa and is viewed as an important mechanism to improve farmers' income and livelihoods while reducing the impacts of climate change. Water, energy, and food are linked in intricate ways in irrigated agriculture, and understanding the interplay of these components is crucial for sustainable and profitable crop production. Although studies have been conducted in different parts of the world to understand water and energy use at a field scale under large irrigation systems, little is known about linkages under farmer-managed mechanized irrigated schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluates water-energy-food linkages, engineering and economic performance, current irrigation decision making, and challenges faced around water management in a community-based mechanized irrigation scheme. The research synthesizes intraseasonal water and energy use data for selected crops in a shared center-pivot irrigation scheme in Rwanda. The major cultivated crops are maize and beans (French beans, dry beans, common beans). A daily soil-water balance is central to estimate actual irrigation water requirement (IWR) and is simulated in FAO-CROPWAT 8.0. The study further investigates the variation in water requirements, and the relationship and impacts of this variability on crop yield. Assessment of irrigation performance is done by estimating and comparing crop water productivity (CWP) and crop water use efficiency with global and local averages. Observed irrigation decision-making analyses demonstrate a lack of irrigation planning during growth stages and significant field-to-field variation in irrigation; this is linked to yield reduction in major crops. An econometric model assessment is used to understand the relationship between yield and energy inputs. The energy use assessment includes both direct (electricity) and indirect energy inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, machinery, labor, etc.). This study has implications for understanding irrigation policies in the context of the water-energy-food nexus and decision-making in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Efficient Use of Water in Irrigation

The Efficient Use of Water in Irrigation PDF

Author: Daniel Hillel

Publisher:

Published: 1987

Total Pages: 124

ISBN-13:

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This book is in the nature of a primer, providing a basic review and analysis of the principles governing soil-crop-water-climate relationships, irrigation and the efficient utilization of water in arid and semiarid regions. It presents a critique of traditional and of current irrigation concepts and practices, pointing out the needs and potentialities for improving the efficiency of land and water use in developing countries. Starting from a basic analysis of the environmental, physiological and agronomic factors affecting irrigation, the book contrasts historical and modern approaches to management. It then describes methods of scheduling irrigation and of measuring irrigation water, and compares alternative irrigation systems. It also specifies the requirements and methods of drainage and salinity control. Finally, this book discusses some of the human considerations involved in the vital task of developing sound, appropriate and sustainable irrigation systems.

Fundamentals of Irrigation and On-farm Water Management: Volume 1

Fundamentals of Irrigation and On-farm Water Management: Volume 1 PDF

Author: Hossain Ali

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-09-08

Total Pages: 578

ISBN-13: 1441963359

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Agriculture is one of the few industries that has been creating resources conti- ously from nature. Sustainability of this industry is a crucial issue at now-a-days. Agricultural technologies are important to feed the growing world population. Agricultural engineering has been applying scienti?c principles for the optimal use of natural resources in agricultural production for the bene?t of humankind. The role of agricultural engineering is increasing in the coming days at the forthcoming challenges of producing more food with less water coupled with climate uncertainty. I am happy to know that a book entitled "Fundamentals of Irrigation and On-farm Water Management", written by Engr. Dr. M. H. Ali, is going to be p- lished by Springer. The book is designed to cover the major ?elds of agricultural and environmental engineering such as weather, plant, soil, water, and basics of on-farm water management. The book will be quite useful for the students of agricultural engineering. Students of other related branches of engineering s- ences, and engineers working in the ?eld and at research institutes will also be beni?ted. The book may serve as a text book for the students and as a practical hand-book for the practitioners and researchers in the ?eld of irrigation and on-farm water management. Utilization of the recent literature in the area and citation of relevant journals / reports have added a special value to this book. Considering the topics covered, engineers, scientists, practitioners, and educators will ?nd this book as a valuable resource.

Deficit Irrigation Practices

Deficit Irrigation Practices PDF

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13: 9789251047682

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In the context of improving water productivity, there is a growing interest in deficit irrigation, an irrigation practice whereby water supply is reduced below maximum levels and mild stress is allowed with minimal effects on yield. Under conditions of scarce water supply and drought, deficit irrigation can lead to greater economic gains than maximizing yields per unit of water for a given crop; farmers are more inclined to use water more efficiently, and more water-efficient cash crop selection helps optimize returns. However, this approach requires precise knowledge of crop response to water as drought tolerance varies considerably by species, cultivar and stage of growth. The studies present the latest research concepts and involve various practices for deficit irrigation. Both annual and perennial crops were exposed to different levels of water stress, either during a particular growth phase, throughout the whole growing season or in a combination of growth stages. The overall finding, based on the synthesis of the different contributions, is that deficit or regulated-deficit irrigation can be beneficial where appropriately applied. Substantial savings of water can be achieved with little impact on the quality and quantity of the harvested yield. However, to be successful, an intimate knowledge of crop behavior is required, as crop response to water stress varies considerably.

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