Using Rainwater for Off-Season Small-Scale Irrigation in Arid and Semi-arid Areas of Sub-Saharan Africa: Key Working Principles and Best Practices

2017 ◽  
pp. 9-36
Author(s):  
Josep de Trincheria Gomez ◽  
Desalegn Dawit ◽  
Sebastiao Famba ◽  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
Maimbo Malesu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Arid Areas ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals Shallow groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa: neglected opportunity for sustainable intensification of small-scale agriculture?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gowing ◽  
Geoff Parkin ◽  
Nathan Forsythe ◽  
David Walker ◽  
Alemseged Tamiru Haile ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Sustainable Intensification ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Groundwater Levels ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

Abstract. There is a need for an evidence-based approach to identify how best to support development of groundwater for small scale irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We argue that it is important to focus this effort on shallow groundwater resources which are most likely to be used by poor rural communities in SSA. However, it is important to consider constraints, since shallow groundwater resources are likely to be vulnerable to over-exploitation and climatic variability. We examine here the opportunities and constraints and draw upon evidence from Ethiopia. We present a methodology for assessing and interpreting available shallow groundwater resources and argue that participatory monitoring of local water resources is desirable and feasible. We consider possib le models for developing distributed small-scale irrigation and assess its technical feasibility. Because of power limits on water lifting and also because of available technology for well construction, groundwater at depths of 50 m or 60 m cannot be regarded as easily accessible for small-scale irrigation. We therefore adopt a working definition of shallow groundwater as < 20 m depth. This detailed case study in the Dangila woreda in Ethiopia explores the feasibility of exploiting shallow groundwater for small-scale irrigation over a range of rainfall conditions. Variability of rainfall over the study period (9 % to 96 % probability of non-exceedance) does not translate into equivalent variability in groundwater levels and river baseflow. Groundwater levels, monitored by local communities, persist into the dry season to at least the end of December in most shallow wells, indicating that groundwater is available for irrigation use after the cessation of the wet season. Arguments historically put forward against the promotion of groundwater use for agriculture in SSA on the basis that aquifers are unproductive and irrigation will have unacceptable impacts on wetlands and other groundwater-dependent ecosystems appear exaggerated. It would be unwise to generalise from this case study to the whole of SSA, but useful insights into the wider issues are revealed by the case study approach. We believe there is a case for arguing that shallow groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa represents a neglected opportunity for sustainable intensification of small-scale agriculture.

scholarly journals Reform of irrigation management and investment policy in African development

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 652-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
KW Easter ◽  
S Zekri
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Investment Strategy ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Farm ◽  
Irrigation Development ◽  
Farm Productivity ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Direct Government ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

This paper examines the reform of water and irrigation management in Africa and compares it with similar reforms in Asia.  Several things are evident from the review.  First, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is at an earlier stage of irrigation development and reform than Asia.  Second, the articulated need for reform is much stronger in Asia than it is in SSA.  Third, the productivity of small-scale irrigated farms is significantly lower in SSA compared to Asia.  Thus any irrigation investment strategy in SSA should be different from Asia and focus on increasing small-farm productivity as well as small-scale irrigation projects.  Finally, all direct government irrigation investments should be done jointly with decisions regarding the type of project management.

The prospects for small scale irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa

1985 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Kay ◽  
W. Stephens ◽  
M. K. V. Carr
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

Rainwater Harvesting Options to Support Off-Season Small-Scale Irrigation in Arid and Semi-arid Areas of Zimbabwe

2017 ◽  
pp. 175-197
Author(s):  
Menas Wuta ◽  
George Nyamadzawo ◽  
Blessing Nyamasoka ◽  
Rumbidzai Nyawasha ◽  
Grace Matayaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Arid Areas ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation ◽  
Semi Arid

scholarly journals The influence of groundwater abstraction on interpreting climate controls and extreme recharge events from well hydrographs in semi-arid South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. R. Sorensen ◽  
Jeff Davies ◽  
Girma Y. Ebrahim ◽  
John Lindle ◽  
Ben P. Marchant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Extreme Event ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Hierarchical Cluster ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Groundwater Abstraction ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Semi Arid

AbstractThere is a scarcity of long-term groundwater hydrographs from sub-Saharan Africa to investigate groundwater sustainability, processes and controls. This paper presents an analysis of 21 hydrographs from semi-arid South Africa. Hydrographs from 1980 to 2000 were converted to standardised groundwater level indices and rationalised into four types (C1–C4) using hierarchical cluster analysis. Mean hydrographs for each type were cross-correlated with standardised precipitation and streamflow indices. Relationships with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) were also investigated. The four hydrograph types show a transition of autocorrelation over increasing timescales and increasingly subdued responses to rainfall. Type C1 strongly relates to rainfall, responding in most years, whereas C4 notably responds to only a single extreme event in 2000 and has limited relationship with rainfall. Types C2, C3 and C4 have stronger statistical relationships with standardised streamflow than standardised rainfall. C3 and C4 changes are significantly (p < 0.05) correlated to the mean wet season ENSO anomaly, indicating a tendency for substantial or minimal recharge to occur during extreme negative and positive ENSO years, respectively. The range of different hydrograph types, sometimes within only a few kilometres of each other, appears to be a result of abstraction interference and cannot be confidently attributed to variations in climate or hydrogeological setting. It is possible that high groundwater abstraction near C3/C4 sites masks frequent small-scale recharge events observed at C1/C2 sites, resulting in extreme events associated with negative ENSO years being more visible in the time series.

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