Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small-Scale Irrigation

Permanent URI for this community

http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/186279

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 92

Advances in water resources research in the Upper Blue Nile basin and the way forward: A review
(Journal of Hydrology, 2018) Dile, Yihun Taddele; Tekleab, Sirak; Ayana, Essayas K.; Gebrehiwot, Solomon G.; Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Bayabil, Haimanote K.; Yimam, Yohannes T.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Daggupati, Prasad; Karlberg, Louise; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Elsevier
The Upper Blue Nile basin is considered as the lifeline for ∼250 million people and contributes ∼50 Gm3/year of water to the Nile River. Poor land management practices in the Ethiopian highlands have caused a significant amount of soil erosion, thereby threatening the productivity of the Ethiopian agricultural system, degrading the health of the aquatic ecosystem, and shortening the life of downstream reservoirs. The Upper Blue Nile basin, because of limited research and availability of data, has been considered as the “great unknown.” In the recent past, however, more research has been published. Nonetheless, there is no state-of-the-art review that presents research achievements, gaps and future directions. Hence, this paper aims to bridge this gap by reviewing the advances in water resources research in the basin while highlighting research needs and future directions. We report that there have been several research projects that try to understand the biogeochemical processes by collecting information on runoff, groundwater recharge, sediment transport, and tracers. Different types of hydrological models have been applied. Most of the earlier research used simple conceptual and statistical approaches for trend analysis and water balance estimations, mainly using rainfall and evapotranspiration data. More recent research has been using advanced semi-physically/physically based distributed hydrological models using high-resolution temporal and spatial data for diverse applications. We identified several research gaps and provided recommendations to address them. While we have witnessed advances in water resources research in the basin, we also foresee opportunities for further advancement. Incorporating the research findings into policy and practice will significantly benefit the development and transformation agenda of the Ethiopian government.
Agricultural Technology Assessment for Smallholder Farms in Developing Countries: An Analysis using a Farm Simulation Model (FARMSIM)
(Feed the Future, 2017) Bizmana, Jean-Claude; Richardson, James W.; USAID; The Borlaug Institute; Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Texas A&M University System; IFPRI; IWMI; ILRI; North Carolina A&T State University
The rural population in developing countries depends on agriculture. However, in many of these countries, agricultural productivity remains low with episodes of famines in drought-prone areas. One of the options to increase agricultural productivity is through adoption and use of improved agricultural technologies and management systems. Being a relatively high risk business due to factors related to production, marketing and finance, agriculture requires to devise risk mitigating strategies. Several models used to evaluate the adoption of agricultural technologies focus mainly on assessing the ex-post impact of technology without necessarily quantifying the profit and risk associated with the adoption of technologies. This paper introduces a farm simulation model (FARMSIM) that attempts to evaluate the potential economic and nutritional impacts of new agricultural technologies before they are adopted (ex-ante). FARMSIM is a Monte Carlo simulation model that simultaneously evaluates a baseline and an alternative farming technology. In this study, the model is used to analyze the impact of adoption of small scale irrigation technologies and fertilizers on the farm income and nutrition of smallholder farmers in Robit kebele, Amhara region of Ethiopia. The farming technologies under study comprise water lifting technologies (pulley and tank, rope and washer pump, gasoline/diesel motor pump and a solar pump) and use of fertilizers. The key output variables (KOVs) are the probability of positive annual net cash income and ending cash reserves, probability of positive net present value and a benefit cost ratio greater than one. For nutrition, the KOVs relate to the probability of consumption exceeding average daily minimum requirements of an adult for calories, protein, fat, calcium, iron, and vitamin A. The application of recommended fertilizers on grain and vegetable crops, alongside the use of irrigation to grow vegetables and fodder using a motor pump had the highest net present value compared to other scenarios. Similar results were observed for the net cash farm income and the ending cash reserves. However, the most feasible and profitable scenario is the one under the pulley system which had the highest benefit cost ratio. Solar pump system had the lowest benefit cost ratio due most likely to high initial investment cost. As for the nutrition, the simulation results show an increase in quantities available to the farm family of all nutrition variables under all alternative scenarios. However, the daily minimum requirements per adult equivalent were met only for calories, proteins, iron and vitamin A but deficiencies were observed for fat and calcium.
Agricultural Water Management for Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farms
(Feed the Future, 2018) Glover, Jerry; USAID
Role of Irrigation in African Smallholder Farming Systems
Analysis of Farmers’ Willingness to Pay and the Feasibility of Household Irrigation Technologies
(Feed the Future, 2018) Gebregziabher, Gebrehaweria; Hagos, Fitsum; Lefore, Nicole; Haileslassie, Amare; IWMI; USAID; The Borlaug Institute; TAMU AgriLife Research; TAMU System; IFPRI; ILRI; North Carolina A&T State University; ILSSI
Assessing Irrigation Potential and Land Suitability in Ethiopia
(Texas A&M AgriLife Research, [2019?]) Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Osorio, Javier; Jeong, Jaehak; Gerik, Thomas; Dile, Yihun T.; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Clark, Neville; Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, TAMU, IDSS, ILSSI
Assessing Potential Land Suitability for Surface Irrigation using Groundwater in Ethiopia
([2016?]) Worqlul, A. W.; Osorio, J.; Jeong, J.; Gerik, T.; Dile, Y. T.; Srinivasan, R.; Clarke, N.; Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture; TAMU; IDSS; ILSSI
Assessing potential land suitable for surface irrigation using groundwater in Ethiopia
(Applied Geography, 2017) Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Jeong, Jaehak; Dile, Yihun T.; Osorio, Javier; Schmitter, Petra; Gerik, Thomas; Srinivasan, R.; Clark, Neville; Elsevier
Although Ethiopia has abundant land for irrigation, only a fraction of its potential land is being utilized.This study evaluates suitability of lands for irrigation using groundwater in Ethiopia using GIS-basedMulti-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) techniques in order to enhance the country's agricultural industry.Key factors that significantly affect irrigation suitability evaluated in this study include physical landfeatures (land use, soil, and slope), climate (rainfall and evapotranspiration), and market access (proximity to roads and access to market). These factors were weighted using a pair-wise comparison matrix,then reclassified and overlaid to identify suitable areas for groundwater irrigation using a 1-km grid.Groundwater data from the British Geological Survey were used to estimate the groundwater potential,which indicates the corresponding irrigation potential for major crops. Results indicated that more than6 million ha of land are suitable for irrigation in Ethiopia. A large portion of the irrigable land is located inthe Abbay, Rift Valley, Omo Ghibe, and Awash River basins. These basins have access to shallowgroundwater (i.e., depth of groundwater less than 20 m from the surface) making it easier to extract. Thecomparison between available groundwater and total crop water requirements indicate that groundwater alone may not be sufficient to supply all suitable land. The study estimates that only 8% of thesuitable land can be irrigated with the available shallow groundwater. However, groundwater is a viableoption for supplementing surface water resources for irrigation in several basins in the country
Assessment of Suitable Areas for Home Gardens for Irrigation Potential, Water Availability, and Water-Lifting Technologies
(Water, 2018) Assefa, Tewodros; Jha, Manoj; Reyes, Manuel; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Worqlul, Abeyou W.; MDPI
The study was conducted in Lake Tana Basin of Ethiopia to assess potentially irrigable areas for home gardens, water availability, and feasibility of water-lifting technologies. A GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) technique was applied to access the potential of surface and groundwater sources for irrigation. The factors affecting irrigation practice were identified and feasibility of water-lifting technologies was evaluated. Pairwise method and expert’s opinion were used to assign weights for each factor. The result showed that about 345,000 ha and 135,000 ha of land were found suitable for irrigation from the surface and groundwater sources, respectively. The rivers could address about 1–1.2% of the irrigable land during dry season without water storage structure whereas groundwater could address about 2.2–2.4% of the irrigable land, both using conventional irrigation techniques. If the seven major dams within the basin were considered, surface water potential would be increased and satisfy about 21% of the irrigable land. If rainwater harvesting techniques were used, about 76% of the basin would be suitable for irrigation. The potential of surface and groundwater was evaluated with respect to water requirements of dominant crops in the region. On the other hand, rope pump and deep well piston hand pump were found with relatively the most (26%) and the least (9%) applicable low-cost water-lifting technologies in the basin.
Beyond the drinking glass: Expanding our understanding of water-nutrition linkages. Field Exchange 54(February 2017).
(2017) Mekonnen, D.K.; IFPRI
Water access and management play central roles in determining nutritional outcomes. Water-for-nutrition is most often approached from a WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) perspective, where the aim is to improve water quality and practices for domestic water supply, thus reducing the burden of water-related diseases in a population. A WASH focus for improving nutritional outcomes is especially pertinent, given recent evidence highlighting the role of diarrhoeal disease and environmental enteropathy in determining child stunting. However, there are a number of water-nutrition pathways in addition to WASH that would benefit from greater attention in research and discussion. A session aimed at expanding our understanding of water-nutrition linkages was organised during the 2016 Stockholm World Water Week (26 August to 5 September, 2016). The session was organised by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in collaboration with the Center for Development Research (ZEF) at the University of Bonn, USAID, and Texas A&M University.
Conservation Agriculture Saves Irrigation Water in the Dry Monsoon Phase in the Ethiopian Highlands
(Water, 2019) Belay, Sisay A.; Schmitter, Petra; Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Reyes, Manuel R.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; MDPI
Water resources in sub-Saharan Africa are more overstressed than in many other regions of the world. Experiments on commercial farms have shown that conservation agriculture (CA) can save water and improve the soil. Nevertheless, its benefits on smallholder irrigated farms have not been adequately investigated, particularly in dry monsoon phase in the Ethiopian highlands. We investigated the effect of conservation agriculture (grass mulch cover and no-tillage) on water-saving on smallholder farms in the Ethiopian highlands. Irrigated onion and garlic were grown on local farms. Two main factors were considered: the first factor was conservation agriculture versus conventional tillage, and the second factor was irrigation scheduling using reference evapotranspiration (ETo) versus irrigation scheduling managed by farmers. Results showed that for both onion and garlic, the yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) was over 40% greater for CA than conventional tillage (CT). The soil moisture after irrigation was higher in CA compared with CT treatment while CA used 49 mm less irrigation water. In addition, we found that ETo-based irrigation was superior to the farmers’ irrigation practices for both crops. IWUE was lower in farmers irrigation practices due to lower onion and garlic yield responses to overirrigation and greater water application variability.
Conservation agriculture with drip irrigation: Effects on soil quality and crop yield in sub-Saharan Africa
(Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2020) Assefa, Tewodros; Jha, Manoj; Reyes, Manuel; Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Doro, L.; Tilahun, S.; MDPI
The traditional agriculture production system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) caused significant soil erosion and degradation of soil quality. In addition, dependability of rainfall for irrigation needs limits the crop production. Advanced agricultural practices are thus needed at the local level to sustain the livelihood of smallholder farmers in the region. In this study, conservation agriculture (CA) practice with drip irrigation technology was compared (using field experiments and watershed modeling) with the traditional conventional tillage (CT) practice for its potential in improving soil quality and crop productivity in the region. Biophysical data were collected (2015 to 2017) from a total of 43 paired plots (CA and CT) at four study sites in SSA: Dangishita and Robit in Ethiopia, Yemu in Ghana, and Mkindo in Tanzania. The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model was calibrated and validated with reasonable efficiency in simulating crop yields for both CA and CT practices; average PBIAS ≤±12% and ≤±11%, for CA and CT. The impact of the CA system on soil quality (soil carbon [C] and nitrogen [N]) was analyzed based on the well-tested model prediction results. The total C and N were increased under CA across the study sites on average by 6% and 4.1%, when compared to CT over the study period. Both the experiment and model prediction showed that crop yield was significantly improved by CA—on average 37.4% increases across the sites when compared to CT. Conservation agriculture with drip irrigation was an efficient local strategy to improve crop production in the region while enhancing the ecosystem
Deep Tillage Improves Degraded Soils in the (Sub) Humid Ethiopian Highlands
(Land, 2019) Abidela Hussein, Misbah; Muche, Habtamu; Schmitter, Petra; Nakawuka, Prossie; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Langan, Simon; Barron, Jennie; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; MDPI
Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of subsoiling on surface runoff, sediment loss, soil water content, infiltration rate, and maize yield. Three tillage treatments were replicated at five locations: (i) no tillage (zero tillage), (ii) conventional tillage (ox-driven Maresha plow, up to a depth of 15 cm), and (iii) manual deep ripping of the soil’s restrictive layers down to a depth of 60 cm (deep till). Results show that the posttreatment bulk density and penetration resistance of deep tillage was significantly less than in the traditional tillage and zero-tillage systems. In addition, the posttreatment infiltration rate for deep tillage was significantly greater, which resulted in significantly smaller runoff and sedimentation rates compared to conventional tillage and zero tillage. Maize yields were improved by 6% under deep tillage compared to conventional tillage and by 29% compared to no tillage. Overall, our findings show that deep tillage can be effective in overcoming some of the detrimental effects of hardpans in degraded soils.
Effect of climate change on land suitability for surface irrigation and irrigation potential of the shallow groundwater in Ghana
(Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2019) Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Dile, Yihun T.; Jeong, Jaehak; Adimassu, Zenebe; Lefore, Nicole; Gerik, Thomas; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Clarke, Neville; Elsevier
Estimating the potential land resources suitable for irrigation and evaluating the possible impact of climate change on land suitability is essential for planning a sustainable agricultural system. This study applied a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) technique to evaluate the suitability of land for irrigation in Ghana for a baseline period (1990 to 2010) and future time horizons 2050s (2041 to 2060) and 2070s (2061 to 2080). Key factors considered to evaluate the suitability of the land for irrigation include biophysical features (such as climate, land use, soil, and slope) and socioeconomic factors (such as proximity to roads and population density). These factors were weighted using a pairwise comparison matrix then reclassified and overlaid on a 30 m grid to estimate the irrigation potential of the country. Groundwater data from the British Geological Survey (BGS) were superimposed onto the land suitability map layer to evaluate the irrigation potential and the accessibility of shallow groundwater with simple water lifting technologies. Downscaled and bias-corrected future climate data from HadGEM2-ES under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 emission scenario were used to represent the future climate horizon. Due to climate change, on average, rainfall will increase by 15 mm and 20 mm from the baseline period in the 2050s and 2070s, respectively. The average temperature shows a consistent increase in the majority of Ghana and a higher rate of increase is expected in the 2070s. Consequently, the rising temperature will increase the potential evapotranspiration by 6.0% and 7.6% in the 2050s and 2070s, respectively. The suitability analysis indicates that approximately 9% of the country is suitable for surface irrigation under the baseline period. A large portion of the potential land is located in the southwestern part of the country. The potential suitable land has an average groundwater access of 12 m from the surface with an average borehole potential yield of 2.5 L/second, which makes it favorable for utilization of simple water lifting technologies. Due to climate change, 9.5% of the suitable land will become unfavorable for irrigation in 2050s, and it is expected to reach 17% in 2070s.
Endosulfan Pesticide Dissipation and Residue Levels in Khat and Onion in a Sub-humid Region of Ethiopia
(Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, 2020) Sishu, Feleke K.; Thegaye, Elisabeth K.; Schmitter, Petra; Habtu, Nigus G.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Springer
Endosulfan, a mixture of α- and β-isomers, is used by farmers in the wet and dry season for khat and onion production. Khat leaf samples were collected in farmer fields at intervals of 1 h; 1, 5, 9 and 14 d after application. The dissipation rate of α- and β-isomers and residue level in khat were compared with residue levels in onion. The extraction was done by using Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) method and analyzed by Gas Chromatography – Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD). Greater residue α- and β-isomer endosulfan levels were found in khat compared to onion as khat leaves are sprayed repeatedly in two week. Residue levels of khat exceeded the tolerable EU limit of 0.05 mg.kg−1 for leafy vegetables and herbs. For both raw and processed onion sample α- and β-endosulfan residues level were below the tolerable of limit EU regulation for bulb vegetables (i.e. 0. 1 mg.kg−1). The mean half-life for the α-isomer of endosulfan was 3.4 d in the wet season and 3.6 d in the dry season whilst that for the β-isomer was 5.0 d and 5.4 d respectively. Both isomers dissipated fastest in the wet season under conditions of high humidity and precipitation. The β-isomer persisted longer and had a lower dissipation rate from plants surface compared to the α-isomer.
Establishing irrigation potential of a hillside aquifer in the African highlands
(Hydrological Processes,, 2020) Tilahun, Seifu A.; Yilak, Debebe L.; Schmitter, Petra; Zimale, Fasikaw A.; Langan, Simon; Barron, Jennie; Parlange, Jean-Yves; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Wiley
Feeding 9 billion people in 2050 will require sustainable development of all water resources, both surface and subsurface. Yet, little is known about the irrigation potential of hillside shallow aquifers in many highland settings in sub‐Saharan Africa that are being considered for providing irrigation water during the dry monsoon phase for smallholder farmers. Information on the shallow groundwater being available in space and time on sloping lands might aid in increasing food production in the dry monsoon phase. Therefore, the research objective of this work is to estimate potential groundwater storage as a potential source of irrigation water for hillside aquifers where lateral subsurface flow is dominant. The research was carried out in the Robit Bata experimental watershed in the Lake Tana basin which is typical of many undulating watersheds in the Ethiopian highlands. Farmers have excavated more than 300 hand dug wells for irrigation. We used 42 of these wells to monitor water table fluctuation from April 16, 2014 to December 2015. Precipitation and runoff data were recorded for the same period. The temporal groundwater storage was estimated using two methods: one based on the water balance with rainfall as input and baseflow and evaporative losses leaving the watershed as outputs; the second based on the observed rise and fall of water levels in wells. We found that maximum groundwater storage was at the end of the rain phase in September after which it decreased linearly until the middle of December due to short groundwater retention times. In the remaining part of the dry season period, only wells located close to faults contained water. Thus, without additional water sources, sloping lands can only be used for significant irrigation inputs during the first 3 months out of the 8 months long dry season.
Estimating the impacts of land use/land cover changes on Ecosystem Service Values: The case of the Andassa watershed in the Upper Blue Nile basin of Ethiopia
(Ecosystem Services, 2018) Gashaw, Temesgen; Tulu, Taffa; Argaw, Mekuria; Worqlul, Abeyou; Tolessa, Terefe; Kindu, Mengistie; Elsevier
Estimating the impacts of land use/land cover (LULC) changes in Ecosystem Service Values (ESV) is indispensable to provide public awareness about the status of ESV, and to help in policy-making processes. This study was intended to estimate the impacts of LULC changes on ESV in the Andassa watershed of the Upper Blue Nile basin over the last three decades (1985–2015), and to predict the ESV changes in 2045. The hybrid land use classification technique for classifying Landsat images, the Cellular-Automata Markov (CA-Markov) model for LULC prediction, and the modified ecosystem service value coefficients for estimating ESV were employed. Our findings revealed that there was a continues expansions of cultivated land and built-up area, and withdrawing of forest, shrubland and grassland during the 1985–2015 periods, which are expected to continue for the next three decades. Consequently, the total ESV of the watershed has declined from US$26.83 × 106 in 1985 to US$22.58 × 106 in 2000 and to US$21.00 × 106 in 2015 and is expected to further reduce to US$17.94 × 106 in 2030 and to US$15.25 × 106 in 2045. The impacts of LULC changes on the specific ecosystem services are also tremendous.
ETHIOPIA - Feed the Future Innovation Laboratory for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI)
(ILSSI, [2018?]) Lefore, Nicole; Stellbauer, Matt
Innovation Laboratory for Small Scale Irrigation
ETHIOPIA - Feed the Future Innovation Laboratory for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI) - Research Results Discussion Brief
(ILSSI, [2018?]) Clarke, Neville
Innovation Laboratory for Small Scale Irrigation
Ethiopia: Success Story
(ILSSI, 2018) Clarke, Neville
Small scale irrigation in Ethiopia
Evaluating hydrologic responses to soil characteristics using SWAT model in a paired-watersheds in the Upper Blue Nile Basin
(CATENA, 2018) Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Ayana, Essayas K.; Yen, Haw; Jeong, Jaehak; MacAlister, Charlotte; Taylor, Robin; Gerik, Thomas J.; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Elsevier
Watershed responses are affected by the watershed characteristics and rainfall events. The characteristics of soil layers are among the fundamental characteristics of a watershed and they are input to hydrologic modeling similar to topography and land use/cover. Although the roles of soils have been perceived, there are limited studies that quantify the role of soil characteristics on watershed runoff responses due to the lack of field datasets. Using two adjacent watersheds (Ribb and Gumara) which have a significant different runoff response with a similar characterstics except geological settings (including soil characteristics), we studied the effects of soil characteristics on runoff and water balance. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate the surface runoff response at the outlet of the watershed and the optimal model parameters distribution was tested with a non-parametric test for similarity. Results indicated that SWAT model captured the observed flow very well with a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of greater than 0.74 and with a PBIAS of less than 10% for both calibration and validation period. The comparison of the optimal model parameter distributions of the SWAT model showed that the watershed characteristics could be uniquely defined and represented by a hydrologic model due to the differences in the soils. Using field observations and modeling experiments, this study demonstrates how sensitive watershed hydrology is to soils, emphasizing the importance of accurate soil information in hydrological modeling. We conclude that due emphasis should be given to soil information in hydrologic analysis.

Browse

Browsing Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small-Scale Irrigation by Subject "Water resources"

Results Per Page

Sort Options