Towards Optimizing the Performance and Cost-Effectiveness of Farm Pond Technology for Small-Scale Irrigation in Semi-arid Farming Systems

2017 ◽  
pp. 59-76
Author(s):  
Stephen N. Ngigi
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Farm Pond ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation ◽  
Semi Arid

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

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 Evaluating Irrigation and Farming Systems with Solar MajiPump in Ethiopia

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Tewodros T. Assefa ◽  
Temesgen F. Adametie ◽  
Abdu Y. Yimam ◽  
Sisay A. Belay ◽  
Yonas M. Degu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Water Saving ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Overhead Irrigation ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

Small-scale irrigation in Ethiopia is a key strategy to improve and sustain the food production system. Besides the use of surface water for irrigation, it is essential to unlock the groundwater potential. It is equally important to use soil management and water-saving systems to overcome the declining soil fertility and the temporal water scarcity in the region. In this study, the solar MajiPump was introduced to enable dry season crop production in Ethiopia using shallow groundwater sources. The capacity of the MajiPumps (MP400 and MP200) was tested for the discharge head and discharge using three types of solar panels (150 W and 200 W rigid, and 200 W flexible). Besides, drip irrigation and conservation agriculture (CA) farming systems were evaluated in terms of water productivity and crop yield in comparison to the farmers’ practice (overhead irrigation and tilled farming system). Results indicated that the maximum discharge head capacity of the MajiPumps was 18 m, 14 m, 10 m when using MP400 with 200 W rigid, MP400 with 200 W flexible, and MP200 with 150 W rigid solar panels, respectively. The corresponding MajiPump flow rates ranged from 7.8 L/min to 24.6 L/min, 3 L/min to 25 L/min, and 3.6 L/min to 22.2 L/min, respectively. Compared to farmer’s practice, water productivity was significantly improved under the CA farming and the drip irrigation systems for both irrigated vegetables (garlic, onion, cabbage, potato) and rainfed maize production. The water productivity of garlic, cabbage, potato, and maize was increased by 256%, 43%, 53%, and 9%, respectively, under CA as compared to conventional tillage (CT) even under overhead irrigation. Thus, farmers can obtain a significant water-saving benefit from CA regardless of water application systems. However, water and crop productivity could be further improved in the combined use of MajiPump with CA and drip irrigation (i.e., 38% and 33% water productivity and 43% and 36% crop productivity improvements were observed for potato and onion, respectively). Similarly, compared to CT, the use of CA significantly increased garlic, cabbage, potato, and maize yield by 170%, 42%, 43%, and 15%, respectively under the MajiPump water-lifting system. Overall, the solar-powered drip irrigation and CA farming system were found to be efficient to expand small-scale irrigation and improve productivity and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia.

scholarly journals Agricultural Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia: A Stochastic Frontier Approach

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Markose Chekol Zewdie ◽  
Michele Moretti ◽  
Daregot Berihun Tenessa ◽  
Zemen Ayalew Ayele ◽  
Jan Nyssen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

In the past decade, to improve crop production and productivity, Ethiopia has embarked on an ambitious irrigation farming expansion program and has introduced new large- and small-scale irrigation initiatives. However, in Ethiopia, poverty remains a challenge, and crop productivity per unit area of land is very low. Literature on the technical efficiency (TE) of large-scale and small-scale irrigation user farmers as compared to the non-user farmers in Ethiopia is also limited. Investigating smallholder farmers’ TE level and its principal determinants is very important to increase crop production and productivity and to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihood and food security. Using 1026 household-level cross-section data, this study adopts a technology flexible stochastic frontier approach to examine agricultural TE of large-scale irrigation users, small-scale irrigation users and non-user farmers in Ethiopia. The results indicate that, due to poor extension services and old-style agronomic practices, the mean TE of farmers is very low (44.33%), implying that there is a wider room for increasing crop production in the study areas through increasing the TE of smallholder farmers without additional investment in novel agricultural technologies. Results also show that large-scale irrigation user farmers (21.05%) are less technically efficient than small-scale irrigation user farmers (60.29%). However, improving irrigation infrastructure shifts the frontier up and has a positive impact on smallholder farmers’ output.

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