scholarly journals A Framework for Irrigation Performance Assessment Using WaPOR data: The case of a Sugarcane Estate in Mozambique

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abebe Demissie Chukalla ◽  
Marloes L. Mul ◽  
Pieter van der Zaag ◽  
Gerardo van Halsema ◽  
Evaristo Mubaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Assessment ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Absolute Error ◽  
Irrigation Performance ◽  
Irrigation Method ◽  
Spatially Distributed ◽  
Response To Water

Abstract. The growing competition for the finite land and water resources and the need to feed an ever-growing population requires new techniques to monitor the performance of irrigation schemes and improve land and water productivity. Datasets from FAO’s portal to monitor Water Productivity through Open access Remotely sensed derived data (WaPOR) is increasingly applied as a cost-effective means to support irrigation performance assessment and identifying possible pathways for improvement. This study presents a framework that applies WaPOR data to assess irrigation performance indicators including uniformity, equity, adequacy and land and water productivity differentiated by irrigation method (furrow, sprinkler and centre pivot) at the Xinavane sugarcane estate, Mozambique. The WaPOR data on water, land and climate is near-real-time and spatially distributed, with the finest spatial resolution in the area of 100 m. The WaPOR data were first validated agronomically by examining the biomass response to water, then the data was used to systematically analyse seasonal indicators for the period 2015 to 2018 on ~8,000 ha. The WaPOR based yield estimates were found to be comparable to the estate-measured yields with ±20 % difference, root mean square error of 19 ± 2.5 ton/ha and mean absolute error of 15 ± 1.6 ton/ha. A climate normalization factor that enables the spatial and temporal comparison of performance indicators are applied. The assessment highlights that in Xinavane no single irrigation method performs the best across all performance indicators. Centre pivot compared to sprinkler and furrow irrigation shows higher adequacy, equity, and land productivity, but lower water productivity. The three irrigation methods have excellent uniformity (~94 %) in the four seasons and acceptable adequacy for most periods of the season except in 2016, when a drought was observed. While this study is done for sugarcane in one irrigation scheme, the approach can be broadened to compare other crops across fields or irrigation schemes across Africa with diverse management units in the different agro-climatic zone within FaO WaPOR coverage. We conclude that the framework is useful for assessing irrigation performance using the WaPOR dataset.

scholarly journals Influence of Spatial Resolution on Remote Sensing-Based Irrigation Performance Assessment Using WaPOR Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 2949
Author(s):  
Megan Blatchford ◽  
Chris M. Mannaerts ◽  
Yijian Zeng ◽  
Hamideh Nouri ◽  
Poolad Karimi
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Performance Assessment ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Irrigation Performance ◽  
Crop Water

This paper analyses the effect of the spatial assessment scale on irrigation performance indicators in small and medium-scale agriculture. Three performance indicators—adequacy (i.e., sufficiency of water use to meet the crop water requirement), equity (i.e., fairness of irrigation distribution), and productivity (i.e., unit of physical crop production/yield per unit water consumption)—are evaluated in five irrigation schemes for three spatial resolutions—250 m, 100 m, and 30 m. Each scheme has varying plot sizes and distributions, with average plot sizes ranging from 0.2 ha to 13 ha. The datasets are derived from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) water productivity through open access of remotely sensed–derived data (the Water Productivity Open Access Portal—WaPOR) database. Irrigation indicators performed differently in different aspects; for adequacy, all three resolutions show similar spatial trends for relative evapotranspiration (ET) across levels for all years. However, the estimation of relative ET is often higher at higher resolution. In terms of equity, all resolutions show similar inter-annual trends in the coefficient of variation (CV); higher resolutions usually have a higher CV of the annual evapotranspiration and interception (ETIa) while capturing more spatial variability. For productivity, higher resolutions show lower crop water productivity (CWP) due to higher aboveground biomass productivity (AGBP) estimations in lower resolutions; they always have a higher CV of CWP. We find all resolutions of 250 m, 100 m, and 30 m suitable for inter-annual and inter-scheme assessments regardless of plot size. While each resolution shows consistent temporal trends, the magnitude of the trend in both space and time is smoothed by the 100 m and 250 m resolution datasets. This frequently results in substantial differences in the irrigation performance assessment criteria for inter-plot comparisons; therefore, 250 m and 100 m are not recommended for inter-plot comparison for all plot sizes, particularly small plots (<2 ha). Our findings highlight the importance of selecting the spatial resolution appropriate to scheme characteristics when undertaking irrigation performance assessment using remote sensing.

scholarly journals Global Satellite-Based ET Products for the Local Level Irrigation Management: An Application of Irrigation Performance Assessment in the Sugarbelt of Swaziland

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poolad Karimi ◽  
Bhembe Bongani ◽  
Megan Blatchford ◽  
Charlotte de Fraiture
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Performance Assessment ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Irrigation Performance ◽  
Crop Water ◽  
Management Regime ◽  
Crop Water Productivity

Remote sensing techniques have been shown, in several studies, to be an extremely effective tool for assessing the performance of irrigated areas at various scales and diverse climatic regions across the world. Open access, ready-made, global ET products were utilized in this first-ever-countrywide irrigation performance assessment study. The study aimed at identifying ‘bright spots’, the highest performing sugarcane growers, and ‘hot spots’, or low performing sugarcane growers. Four remote sensing-derived irrigation performance indicators were applied to over 302 sugarcane growers; equity, adequacy, reliability and crop water productivity. The growers were segmented according to: (i) land holding size or grower scale (ii) management regime, (iii) location of the irrigation schemes and (iv) irrigation method. Five growing seasons, from June 2005 to October 2009, were investigated. The results show while the equity of water distribution is high across all management regimes and locations, adequacy and reliability of water needs improvement in several locations. Given the fact that, in general, water supply was not constrained during the study period, the observed issues with adequacy and reliability of irrigation in some of the schemes were mostly due to poor scheme and farm level water management practices. Sugarcane crop water productivity showed the highest variation among all the indicators, with Estate managed schemes having the highest CWP at 1.57 kg/m3 and the individual growers recording the lowest CWP at 1.14 kg/m3, nearly 30% less. Similarly center pivot systems showed to have the highest CWP at 1.63 kg/m3, which was 30% higher than the CWP in furrow systems. This study showcases the applicability of publicly available global remote sensing products for assessing performance of the irrigated crops at the local level in several aspects.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Assessment of Irrigation Performance of the Kou Valley Irrigation Scheme in Burkina Faso Using Satellite Remote Sensing-Derived Indicators

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 484
Author(s):  
Alidou Sawadogo ◽  
Louis Kouadio ◽  
Farid Traoré ◽  
Sander J. Zwart ◽  
Tim Hessels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Sweet Potato ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Irrigation Performance ◽  
Irrigation Scheme ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Performance Patterns

Traditional methods based on field campaigns are generally used to assess the performance of irrigation schemes in Burkina Faso, resulting in labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly processes. Despite their extensive application for such performance assessment, remote sensing (RS)-based approaches remain very much underutilized in Burkina Faso. Using multi-temporal Landsat images within the Python module for the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land model, we investigated the spatiotemporal performance patterns of the Kou Valley irrigation scheme (KVIS) during two consecutive cropping seasons. Four performance indicators (depleted fraction, relative evapotranspiration, uniformity of water consumption, and crop water productivity) for rice, maize, and sweet potato were calculated and compared against standard values. Overall, the performance of the KVIS varied depending on year, crop, and the crop’s geographical position in the irrigation scheme. A gradient of spatially varied relative evapotranspiration was observed across the scheme, with the uniformity of water consumption being fair to good. Although rice was the most cultivated, a shift to more sweet potato farming could be adopted to benefit more from irrigation, given the relatively good performance achieved by this crop. Our findings ascertain the potential of such RS-based cost-effective methodologies to serve as basis for improved irrigation water management in decision support tools.

Strategic planning in grassland farming: Principles andapplications

1997 ◽  
pp. 191-197
Author(s):  
W.J. Parker ◽  
N.M. Shadbolt ◽  
D.I. Gray
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Key Performance Indicators ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
Pastoral Farming ◽  
Financial Environment

Three levels of planning can be distinguished in grassland farming: strategic, tactical and operational. The purpose of strategic planning is to achieve a sustainable long-term fit of the farm business with its physical, social and financial environment. In pastoral farming, this essentially means developing plans that maximise and best match pasture growth with animal demand, while generating sufficient income to maintain or enhance farm resources and improvements, and attain personal and financial goals. Strategic plans relate to the whole farm business and are focused on the means to achieve future needs. They should be routinely (at least annually) reviewed and monitored for effectiveness through key performance indicators (e.g., Economic Farm Surplus) that enable progress toward goals to be measured in a timely and cost-effective manner. Failure to link strategy with control is likely to result in unfulfilled plans. Keywords: management, performance

Parallel Computing for Tire Simulations

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Surendranath ◽  
M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Turnaround Time ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Rolling Contact ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Parallel Solvers ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Highly Nonlinear

Abstract Over the last few decades, finite element analysis has become an integral part of the overall tire design process. Engineers need to perform a number of different simulations to evaluate new designs and study the effect of proposed design changes. However, tires pose formidable simulation challenges due to the presence of highly nonlinear rubber compounds, embedded reinforcements, complex tread geometries, rolling contact, and large deformations. Accurate simulation requires careful consideration of these factors, resulting in the extensive turnaround time, often times prolonging the design cycle. Therefore, it is extremely critical to explore means to reduce the turnaround time while producing reliable results. Compute clusters have recently become a cost effective means to perform high performance computing (HPC). Distributed memory parallel solvers designed to take advantage of compute clusters have become increasingly popular. In this paper, we examine the use of HPC for various tire simulations and demonstrate how it can significantly reduce simulation turnaround time. Abaqus/Standard is used for routine tire simulations like footprint and steady state rolling. Abaqus/Explicit is used for transient rolling and hydroplaning simulations. The run times and scaling data corresponding to models of various sizes and complexity are presented.

Exploring the Benefits of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and the Mechanism for Automated 5D BIM Quantification Process in Offsite Modular Construction

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tochukwu Moses ◽  
David Heesom ◽  
David Oloke ◽  
Martin Crouch
Keyword(s):  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Modular Construction ◽  
Automated Quantification ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Project Risks ◽  
Value Add ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Level 2

The UK Construction Industry through its Government Construction Strategy has recently been mandated to implement Level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM) on public sector projects. This move, along with other initiatives is key to driving a requirement for 25% cost reduction (establishing the most cost-effective means) on. Other key deliverables within the strategy include reduction in overall project time, early contractor involvement, improved sustainability and enhanced product quality. Collaboration and integrated project delivery is central to the level 2 implementation strategy yet the key protocols or standards relative to cost within BIM processes is not well defined. As offsite construction becomes more prolific within the UK construction sector, this construction approach coupled with BIM, particularly 5D automated quantification process, and early contractor involvement provides significant opportunities for the sector to meet government targets. Early contractor involvement is supported by both the industry and the successive Governments as a credible means to avoid and manage project risks, encourage innovation and value add, making cost and project time predictable, and improving outcomes. The contractor is seen as an expert in construction and could be counter intuitive to exclude such valuable expertise from the pre-construction phase especially with the BIM intent of äóÖbuild it twiceäó», once virtually and once physically. In particular when offsite construction is used, the contractoräó»s construction expertise should be leveraged for the virtual build in BIM-designed projects to ensure a fully streamlined process. Building in a layer of automated costing through 5D BIM will bring about a more robust method of quantification and can help to deliver the 25% reduction in overall cost of a project. Using a literature review and a case study, this paper will look into the benefits of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and the impact of 5D BIM on the offsite construction process.

scholarly journals mRNA-Based Vaccines

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 390
Author(s):  
Frank Kowalzik ◽  
Daniel Schreiner ◽  
Christian Jensen ◽  
Daniel Teschner ◽  
Stephan Gehring ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Cell Mediated Immunity ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Emerging Pathogens ◽  
Cell Genome

Increases in the world’s population and population density promote the spread of emerging pathogens. Vaccines are the most cost-effective means of preventing this spread. Traditional methods used to identify and produce new vaccines are not adequate, in most instances, to ensure global protection. New technologies are urgently needed to expedite large scale vaccine development. mRNA-based vaccines promise to meet this need. mRNA-based vaccines exhibit a number of potential advantages relative to conventional vaccines, namely they (1) involve neither infectious elements nor a risk of stable integration into the host cell genome; (2) generate humoral and cell-mediated immunity; (3) are well-tolerated by healthy individuals; and (4) are less expensive and produced more rapidly by processes that are readily standardized and scaled-up, improving responsiveness to large emerging outbreaks. Multiple mRNA vaccine platforms have demonstrated efficacy in preventing infectious diseases and treating several types of cancers in humans as well as animal models. This review describes the factors that contribute to maximizing the production of effective mRNA vaccine transcripts and delivery systems, and the clinical applications are discussed in detail.

A method for correcting acoustic finite-difference amplitudes for elastic effects

Geophysics ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. T243-T255 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. D. Hobro ◽  
Chris H. Chapman ◽  
Johan O. A. Robertsson
Keyword(s):  
Wave Equation ◽  
Finite Difference ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
P Wave ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Acoustic Simulation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Elastic Simulation

We present a new method for correcting the amplitudes of arrivals in an acoustic finite-difference simulation for elastic effects. In this method, we selectively compute an estimate of the error incurred when the acoustic wave equation is used to approximate the behavior of the elastic wave equation. This error estimate is used to generate an effective source field in a second acoustic simulation. The result of this second simulation is then applied as a correction to the original acoustic simulation. The overall cost is approximately twice that of an acoustic simulation but substantially less than the cost of an elastic simulation. Because both simulations are acoustic, no S-waves are generated, so dispersed converted waves are avoided. We tested the characteristics of the method on a simple synthetic model designed to simulate propagation through a strong acoustic impedance contrast representative of sedimentary geology. It corrected amplitudes to high accuracy for reflected arrivals over a wide range of incidence angles. We also evaluated results from simulations on more complex models that demonstrated that the method was applicable in realistic sedimentary models containing a wide range of seismic contrasts. However, its accuracy was reduced for wide-angle reflections from very high impedance contrasts such as a shallow top-salt interface. We examined the influence of modeling at coarse grid resolutions, in which converted S-waves in the equivalent elastic simulation are dispersed. These results provide some validation for the accuracy of the method when applied using finite-difference grids designed for acoustic modeling. The method appears to offer a cost-effective means of modeling elastic amplitudes for P-wave arrivals in a useful range of velocity models. It has several potential applications in imaging and inversion.

CRITERIA AND PRINCIPLES OF THE TECHNICAL-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS APPLICABLE IN ECOLOGY

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Stefan Trandafir ◽  
Adrian Ioana ◽  
Roxana Marina Solea ◽  
Daniela Tufeanu ◽  
Diana Cristina Labes (Craciun)
Keyword(s):  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Environment Protection ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
New Religion ◽  
Environmental Performance Indicators ◽  
Comparable Time

Environment protection, like a new religion consists of: environmental programmes, objectives and targets, training, incentive schemes, audit frequency, site inspections, administration and community relations. This paper presents the main environmental performance indicators. They should therefore be cost-effective and appropriate to the size and type of organization and its needs and priorities. Organizations should make the optimum use of the environmental information they collect. To this end the indicators should fulfill the dual purpose of assisting the management of the organization and providing information to stakeholders. In article we present a set of Environmental Performance Indicators (EPI). These indicators should therefore be cost-effective and appropriate to the size and type of organization and its needs and priorities. We present many categories of environmental performance indicators: comparability (indicators should enable a comparison and show changes in the environmental performance); balance between problematic (bad) and prospective (good) areas, continuity (indicators should be based on the same criteria and should be taken over comparable time sections or units); timeliness (indicators should be updated frequently enough to allow action to be taken); clarity (indicators should be clear and understandable).

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