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1 Asres, S. B. 2016. Evaluating and enhancing irrigation water management in the upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia: the case of Koga large scale irrigation scheme. Agricultural Water Management, 170:26-35. (Special Issue: Water Management Strategies in Irrigated Areas). [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2015.10.025]
Irrigation water ; Water management ; Irrigation schemes ; Large scale systems ; Performance evaluation ; Crops ; Water requirements ; Water demand ; Water supply ; Models ; River basins ; Reservoirs / Ethiopia / Upper Blue Nile Basin / Koga Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047527)
(1.61 MB)
This paper deals with the objective of evaluating and enhancing irrigation water management of Koga large scale irrigation scheme located in the Blue Nile basin of Ethiopia. Disturbed and undisturbed Soil samples were collected from selected irrigation blocks within the irrigation system. Soil moisture, texture, field capacity, permanent wilting point and bulk density data were obtained from laboratory analysis of the samples. Results of demand versus supply analysis of the scheme showed that there was excess supply at the beginning of reservoir release and upto 7.13 MCM of excess flow water was estimated in year 2015. Results also showed that crop water requirement value varied for each block and for different crops in the same block, assuming the climatic conditions of the site constant. The crop water requirement variations were caused by differences in soil water holding capacity of each block. Based on crop water demand analysis result with appropriate crop water provision of 50% efficiency, the maximum irrigable area which could be accommodated by the reservoir storage was 5635.8 ha as compared to the design command of 7000 ha. The paper also investigated the status of reservoir water availability as compared to the demand and annual release. The findings of this research will have greater implications in creating awareness to the water user associations, farmers and gate operators of Koga irrigation scheme on how to measure the amount of water they are using during the whole crop growth so that optimum irrigation water shall be delivered to a crop for maintaining water management.
2 Getnet, Kindie; Haileslasseie, Amare; Dessalegne, Y.; Hagos, Fitsum; Gebregziabher, Gebrehaweria. 2016. On the profitability of irrigated fodder production: comparative evidence from smallholders in Koga irrigation scheme, Ethiopia. Animal Production Science, 57(9):1962-1974. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15651]
Irrigation schemes ; Irrigated farming ; Farm income ; Profitability ; Investment ; Smallholders ; Stochastic processes ; Livestock ; Risk management ; Grasslands ; Chloris gayana ; Crop production ; Feed crops ; Onions ; Tomatoes ; Wheat ; Barley / Ethiopia / Koga Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047709)
Irrigated fodder production can be vitalised as a useful strategy to sustainably intensify subsistence livestock production owned and managed by smallholders and to diversify farm income through linkages to commercial livestock systems. However, uncertainty about the production and market environment of such a non-traditional commodity can be a major hindrance against commercialisation and scaling out of irrigated fodder production. This makes ex-ante analysis of profit portfolio and its determinants necessary in order to improve farmers’ investment and risk management decisions. Using a stochastic approach to farm profit analysis to account for business uncertainty, this paper simulated and compared the level and distribution of profit that smallholders in Koga irrigation scheme (Ethiopia) can generate from irrigated Rhodes grass seed and from traditional irrigated crops. The finding shows the absolute and comparative profitability of irrigated Rhodes grass seed. Though 0.19 times less profitable than irrigated onion, irrigated Rhodes grass seed is 4 times, 1.27 times, and 1.25 times more profitable than irrigated barley, irrigated wheat, and irrigated tomato, respectively. Profit from the commodity is robust to adverse business conditions such as yield reduction, cost increase, and price reduction, assuring optimism about positive financial returns from investments to expand production. Long-term business viability can be improved and farm income further stabilised through interventions targeted at fodder agronomy to enhance crop yield and at value chain development to improve market linkages and output price.
3 Taye, B. M.; Schmitter, Petra; Tilahun, S. A. 2017. Evaluating crop yield and water productivity of onion and potato through the use of wetting front detectors by water user associations in Koga irrigation Scheme, Ethiopia. Paper presented at the International Symposium on Sustainable Water Resource Development, Arba Minch, Ethiopia, 23-24 June 2017. 12p.
Water productivity ; Water allocation ; Water availability ; Irrigation water ; Crop yield ; Onions ; Potatoes ; Water user associations ; Irrigation schemes ; Wetting front ; Farmers ; Cultivated land / Africa / Ethiopia / Koga Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048335)
Whilst irrigation schemes and technologies are extensively promoted in Africa, proper water management guidance for farmers is often lacking. Improper on-farm irrigation management practices lead to poor water distribution, non-uniform crop growth, and disputes in irrigation schemes due to unequal water allocation. Hence, the objective of the study was evaluating crop yield and water productivity of onion and potato through the use of wetting front detectors by water user association. In Koga irrigation scheme, there are 11 night storage, which irrigate 12 blocks (7000 ha). From those three blocks (Tagel, Adibera and Chihona blocks) were selected. From each block two water users association (WUA) have been selected and training on how to use the Wetting front detector (WFD) was given: one WUA grew onion while another one cultivated potato. For onion 2.04 ha of land were managed by 9 WFD and 0.82ha were managed by farmer’s own irrigation system. For potato 1.68 ha of land were managed by 10 WFD and 0. 42 ha of land were managed by farmers own irrigation system. In this study a total of 43 farmers irrigated using WFD while 13 farmers were irrigating based on their traditional knowledge. During installation the furrow length for onion was 5m and for potato 20m. The WFD was placed at ¾ of the furrow length from the entrance of the furrow. The shallow detector installed at 1/3 of the root zone (20 cm in this case) and the deep detector installed at 2/3 of the root zone (40 cm). Potato fields that were irrigated based on WFD response received on average 43% less water compared to control fields (i.e. 431mm instead of 753mm) (p<0.05). This resulted in a significant yield increase of 6 % (p<0.05) in the WFD plots. Similarly, for onion a reduction in irrigation depth of 25% was obtained when farmers were guided by WFD (i.e. 504 mm instead of 676mm (p<0.05). While yield increased in the WFD fields by 4%, this was not significant. At scheme level, if all fields were onion guided by WFD, 1509 ha additional could be irrigated. Similarly if all fields were potato guided by WFD, additional land to be irrigated could be 2966 ha. This study has shown that available water in dams can irrigate more land by using on farm water management technologies.
4 Taye, B. M.; Schmitter, Petra; Tilahun, S. A. 2017. Evaluating crop yield and water productivity of onion and potato through the use of wetting front detectors by water user associations in Koga irrigation Scheme, Ethiopia. Paper presented at the Ethoipian Institute of Water Resource Annual Research Symposium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27 June 2017. 12p.
Water productivity ; Water allocation ; Water availability ; Irrigation water ; Crop yield ; Onions ; Potatoes ; Water user associations ; Irrigation schemes ; Wetting front ; Farmers ; Cultivated land / Africa / Ethiopia / Koga Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048339)
Whilst irrigation schemes and technologies are extensively promoted in Africa, proper water management guidance for farmers is often lacking. Improper on-farm irrigation management practices lead to poor water distribution, non-uniform crop growth, and disputes in irrigation schemes due to unequal water allocation. Hence, the objective of the study was evaluating crop yield and water productivity of onion and potato through the use of wetting front detectors by water user association. In Koga irrigation scheme, there are 11 night storage, which irrigate 12 blocks (7000 ha). From those three blocks (Tagel, Adibera and Chihona blocks) were selected. From each block two water users association (WUA) have been selected and training on how to use the Wetting front detector (WFD) was given: one WUA grew onion while another one cultivated potato. For onion 2.04 ha of land were managed by 9 WFD and 0.82ha were managed by farmer’s own irrigation system. For potato 1.68 ha of land were managed by 10 WFD and 0. 42 ha of land were managed by farmers own irrigation system. In this study a total of 43 farmers irrigated using WFD while 13 farmers were irrigating based on their traditional knowledge. During installation the furrow length for onion was 5m and for potato 20m. The WFD was placed at ¾ of the furrow length from the entrance of the furrow. The shallow detector installed at 1/3 of the root zone (20 cm in this case) and the deep detector installed at 2/3 of the root zone (40 cm). Potato fields that were irrigated based on WFD response received on average 43% less water compared to control fields (i.e. 431mm instead of 753mm) (p<0.05). This resulted in a significant yield increase of 6 % (p<0.05) in the WFD plots. Similarly, for onion a reduction in irrigation depth of 25% was obtained when farmers were guided by WFD (i.e. 504 mm instead of 676mm (p<0.05). While yield increased in the WFD fields by 4%, this was not significant. At scheme level, if all fields were onion guided by WFD, 1509 ha additional could be irrigated. Similarly if all fields were potato guided by WFD, additional land to be irrigated could be 2966 ha. This study has shown that available water in dams can irrigate more land by using on farm water management technologies.
5 Endrie, B.; Schmitter, Petra; Haileslassie, Amare; Desalegn, Y.; Chali, A.; Tilahun, S.; Barron, Jennie. 2019. Feeding hungry and thirsty soils increases yield and protects the environment: some results of a Wetting Front Detectors (WFD) experiment in LIVES [Livestock and Irrigation Value Chains for Ethiopian Smallholders]. In Mekonnen, K.; Yasabu, S.; Gebremedhin, B.; Woldemeskel, E.; Tegegne, A.; Thorne, P. (Eds.). Proceedings of a Workshop and Exhibition on Promoting Productivity and Market Access Technologies and Approaches to Improve Farm Income and Livelihoods in Ethiopia: Lessons from Action Research Projects, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 8-9 December 2016. Nairobi, Kenya: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). pp.13-17.
Irrigation schemes ; Water management ; Wetting front ; Experimentation ; Reservoirs ; Fertilizer application ; Crop yield ; Soils ; Farmers ; Agricultural practices / Ethiopia / Koga Irrigation scheme / Meki Irrigation scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049335)
https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/102356/AR_proceedings_2019.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049335.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049335.pdf
(0.16 MB) (6.23 MB)
6 Tewabe, D.; Dessie, M.; Asmamaw, D. K.; Tamiru, E.; Adgo, E.; Nyssen, J.; Walraevens, K.; Cornelis, W. M. 2021. Comparative analysis of groundwater conditions on rain-fed and irrigated agriculture in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 37:100916. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2021.100916]
Groundwater table ; Groundwater recharge ; Rainfed farming ; Irrigated farming ; Water quality ; Water levels ; Irrigation water ; Irrigation schemes ; Irrigation systems ; Wells ; Monitoring ; Comparative analysis / Ethiopia / Upper Blue Nile Basin / Koga Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050748)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581821001452/pdfft?md5=67941871048330669172ebac2f15b4c0&pid=1-s2.0-S2214581821001452-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050748.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050748.pdf
(4.82 MB) (4.82 MB)
Study region: Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia.
Study focus: This study was conducted at the Koga Irrigation Scheme in the upper Blue Nile basin (Ethiopia) to investigate the influence of irrigation activity on the groundwater system. Representative samples of six shallow wells in the irrigated fields and four shallow wells in the adjacent non-irrigated (rain-fed agricultural lands) were selected. Dipmeter and hand GPS (GARMIN 60) were used for the monitoring of water table depth and fixing the location of the wells respectively. Arc GIS 10.5 has been applied for interpolation of water table depth (WTD). Water samples were collected and analyzed in the laboratory following international standards.
New hydrological insights for the region: The result shows that irrigation contributed to the water table rises of wells located in the irrigated fields which range from 0.77 m to 0.52 m and water table drops were observed in wells located in the non-irrigated fields. Investigations on the groundwater quality (GWQ) indicated that no significant effect was observed in the irrigated and non-irrigated fields. The study shows that good irrigation water management, continuous follow-up of the groundwater table and its physico-chemical properties are essential for the sustainability of the Koga Irrigation Scheme.
Study focus: This study was conducted at the Koga Irrigation Scheme in the upper Blue Nile basin (Ethiopia) to investigate the influence of irrigation activity on the groundwater system. Representative samples of six shallow wells in the irrigated fields and four shallow wells in the adjacent non-irrigated (rain-fed agricultural lands) were selected. Dipmeter and hand GPS (GARMIN 60) were used for the monitoring of water table depth and fixing the location of the wells respectively. Arc GIS 10.5 has been applied for interpolation of water table depth (WTD). Water samples were collected and analyzed in the laboratory following international standards.
New hydrological insights for the region: The result shows that irrigation contributed to the water table rises of wells located in the irrigated fields which range from 0.77 m to 0.52 m and water table drops were observed in wells located in the non-irrigated fields. Investigations on the groundwater quality (GWQ) indicated that no significant effect was observed in the irrigated and non-irrigated fields. The study shows that good irrigation water management, continuous follow-up of the groundwater table and its physico-chemical properties are essential for the sustainability of the Koga Irrigation Scheme.
7 Mekonnen, D. K.; Yimam, S.; Arega, T.; Matheswaran, Karthikeyan; Schmitter, P. M. V. 2022. Relatives, neighbors, or friends: information exchanges among irrigators on new on-farm water management tools. Agricultural Systems, 203:103492. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103492]
Water management ; On-farm research ; Information exchange ; Diffusion of information ; Irrigation schemes ; Field size ; Seeds ; Technology ; Water user groups ; Farmers ; Social aspects ; Households ; Indicators / Ethiopia / Koga Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051432)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X22001287/pdfft?md5=4bd55686ca5a0ec71449baae7e1dfd6a&pid=1-s2.0-S0308521X22001287-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051432.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051432.pdf
(1.72 MB) (1.72 MB)
CONTEXT: On-farm water application in Ethiopia, as in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, is dominated by furrow irrigation, which resulted in inefficient water uses and related economic and environmental problems. A recent project introduced two on-farm water management tools, called wetting front detectors and Chameleon sensors, to some farmers in Koga irrigation scheme and facilitated for other farmers in the quaternary canal, who did not receive the technology, to learn from farmers who installed the tools on their plots.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to investigate the role of different social ties on information exchanges among farmers when some farmers have the signal on how long to irrigate a field during an irrigation event from on-farm water management tools. The study explored the relative importance of being neighbors, friends, spatial proximity of farms, and project induced pairings.
METHODS: The study used a household survey data from all members of quaternary canals in the project that were in the technology, information, and control groups, as well as detailed network modules on how farmers with plots in the quaternary canal are associated with each other. A fixed effects econometric approach is used to control for time invariant household level and quaternary canal characteristics, while teasing out how the different social ties affect the information flow.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that being in purposeful friendships as indicated by knowing each other’s decision on the use of agricultural inputs and its outcome, as well as being spatially proximate as indicated by having farm plots next to each other or usually passing by each other’s plots play a significant role in determining whether information-recipient farmers received information from the technology-recipient farmers as expected. Being relatives or neighbors played a minor role to facilitate information exchanges on how long to irrigate. In addition, ad-hoc pairs of farmers between technology-recipient and information-recipient created through the project within the quaternary canal did not play a significant role above and beyond the existing social ties of friendships and spatial proximity.
SIGNIFICANCE: The findings have implications for effective ways of targeting in future scale up of such technologies as it informs that the roll out of such type of technologies and the extension services around it can better help technology diffusion and learning if they use friends and spatial proximates as anchors of information. That is, at times of over-subscription to such on-farm water management tools, information about the technology and the recommended duration of one irrigation turn can diffuse faster if the limited number of tools are distributed in such a way that friends and spatial proximates have access to a tool, rather than distributing the tools based on being neighbors or relatives.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to investigate the role of different social ties on information exchanges among farmers when some farmers have the signal on how long to irrigate a field during an irrigation event from on-farm water management tools. The study explored the relative importance of being neighbors, friends, spatial proximity of farms, and project induced pairings.
METHODS: The study used a household survey data from all members of quaternary canals in the project that were in the technology, information, and control groups, as well as detailed network modules on how farmers with plots in the quaternary canal are associated with each other. A fixed effects econometric approach is used to control for time invariant household level and quaternary canal characteristics, while teasing out how the different social ties affect the information flow.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that being in purposeful friendships as indicated by knowing each other’s decision on the use of agricultural inputs and its outcome, as well as being spatially proximate as indicated by having farm plots next to each other or usually passing by each other’s plots play a significant role in determining whether information-recipient farmers received information from the technology-recipient farmers as expected. Being relatives or neighbors played a minor role to facilitate information exchanges on how long to irrigate. In addition, ad-hoc pairs of farmers between technology-recipient and information-recipient created through the project within the quaternary canal did not play a significant role above and beyond the existing social ties of friendships and spatial proximity.
SIGNIFICANCE: The findings have implications for effective ways of targeting in future scale up of such technologies as it informs that the roll out of such type of technologies and the extension services around it can better help technology diffusion and learning if they use friends and spatial proximates as anchors of information. That is, at times of over-subscription to such on-farm water management tools, information about the technology and the recommended duration of one irrigation turn can diffuse faster if the limited number of tools are distributed in such a way that friends and spatial proximates have access to a tool, rather than distributing the tools based on being neighbors or relatives.
8 Tiruye, A. E.; Belay, S. A.; Schmitter, Petra; Tegegne, Desalegn; Zimale, F. A.; Tilahun, S. A. 2022. Yield, water productivity and nutrient balances under different water management technologies of irrigated wheat in Ethiopia. PLOS Water, 1(12):e0000060. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pwat.0000060]
Crop yield ; Irrigation water ; Water productivity ; Nutrient balance ; Water management ; Technology ; Wheat ; Irrigated farming ; Irrigation schemes / Ethiopia / Koga Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051887)
https://journals.plos.org/water/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pwat.0000060&type=printable
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051887.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051887.pdf
(1.01 MB) (1.01 MB)
Development of irrigation technologies and agricultural water management systems holds significant potential to improve productivity and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Our study dealt with the behavior of irrigation water productivity, partial nutrient balance and grain yield of wheat under the application of different irrigation water management technologies in the Koga irrigation scheme in Ethiopia. For our analysis, we considered three nutrient fluxes entering and leaving farmers’ fields. Our experimental design had three irrigation blocks with three different irrigation water management practices (wetting front detector, Chameleon soil moisture sensor and farmers’ practice as control) on three farm plots replicated in each block. To calculate irrigation water productivity and grain yield of wheat, the amount of irrigation water applied and the agronomic attributes of wheat yield were recorded during the irrigation period. Further, three input and output variables were considered to determine the partial nutrient balances of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The results showed that the amount of irrigation water used was 33% and 22% less with a wetting front detector and Chameleon sensors, respectively, compared to the farmers’ practice. The wetting front detector (WFD) and Chameleon sensor (CHS) treatments gave a 20% and 15.8% grain yield increment, respectively, compared to the farmers’ practice plot. The partial nutrient balances of N and K were negative for the wetting front detector and chameleon sensor practices while it was positive for P in the control (farmers’ practice) treatment. We conclude that irrigation water management with appropriate technologies can improve yield, water productivity and the nutrient utilization. However, further research needs to be conducted on the suitability of irrigation management technologies to achieve full nutrient balance.
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