Small scale irrigation is one of the important pillars of the food security strategy of Ethiopian government that designed to promote the food production of small holder farmers. This study was aimed in assessment of the current status and causes of underperformance of the selected small scale irrigation schemes. To meet the objectives, the primary and secondary data were collected. The primary data were collected through household interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, field observation and measurement. The secondary data were collected from office of water resource and irrigation, office of agricultural, and natural resource, and different published materials.
Discharge measurement was done in the canal network to determine the water delivery performance indicators such as conveyance efficiency, relative water supply, and relative irrigation supply of the schemes. The selected physical, financial and agricultural indicators were also used to assess the performance and identify the current status of the schemes.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study
1.2. Statement of the problem
1.3. Objectives of the study
1.3.1. Main Objective
1.3.2. Specific Objectives
1.4. Research Question
1.5. Significance of the Study
1.6. Scope of the Study
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Irrigation Development in Ethiopia
2.2. Irrigation Water Control and Management
2.2.1. Irrigation Water Management
2.2.2. Regulation of Flow Discharge and Water levels
2.3. Role of Irrigation in Feeding the World
2.4. Irrigation Management Experience in Ethiopia
2.5. Challenges of Small Scale Irrigation Management
2.5.1. Insufficient technical skill
2.5.2. Poor Scheme Management
2.5.3. Socio-institutional constraints
2.6. Performance Evaluation of Irrigation Practice
2.7. Water User Management
2.8. Improvement Options of Small Scale Irrigation
2.9. Organizational Setup of small Scale Irrigation
2.10. Crop Water Requirement
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1. Description of the Study Area
3.1.1. Location
3.1.2. Climate and hydrology
3.1.3. Crops grown in the Woreda
3.1.4. Agricultural practice of the study area
3.1.5. Description of irrigation schemes.
3.1.6. Soil characteristics and crops grown in the projects area
3.2. Data collection methods
3.2.1. Quantitative Data
3.2.1.3. Agricultural output indicators
3.2.2. Qualitative Data
3.3. Cropping Pattern of the Irrigation Schemes
3.4. Crop Water Requirements of Major Irrigated Crops
3.5. Discharge measurement
3.5.1. Canals discharge measurement
3.6. Data Analysis
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1. Demographic Characteristics of Irrigators
4.2. The Current Status of Irrigation Schemes
4.2.1. Ella small scale irrigation scheme
4.2.2. Bossa small scale irrigation scheme
4.2.3. Determination of crop irrigation requirements
4.2.4. Water delivery performance indicators
4.2.4.1. Conveyance efficiency
4.2.4.2. Relative water supply (RWS)
4.2.4.3. Relative irrigation supplies (RIS)
4.2.5. Physical performance indicators
4.2.5.1. Irrigation ratio and beneficiaries of targeted performance
4.2.5.2. Sustainability of irrigated area in ha/ha
4.2.6. Agricultural output indicators
4.2.6.1. Output per unit irrigated cropped (harvested) area (OPUIA) (Birr/ha)
4.2.6.2. Output per unit command area (OPUCA) (Birr/ha)
4.2.6.3. Output per unit irrigation water supply (OPUIS) (Birr/m3)
4.2.6.4. Output per unit water consumed (OPUWC) (Birr/m3)
4.3. Underperformance of the irrigation schemes
4.3.1. Problems of Bossa small-scale irrigation scheme
4.3.2. Problems of Ella small-scale irrigation scheme.
4.3.3. Sedimentation of headwork
4.3.4. Main canal siltation
4.3.5. Damage on farmlands and canals
4.3.5.1. Distorted canal bank
4.3.5.2. Poor water administration
4.3.5.3. Illegitimate off takes
4.3.5.4. Canal barrier
4.3.5.5. Steep canal slopes
4.3.6. Downstream Scouring
4.3.7. Upstream Flooding
4.3.8. Planning, institutional, social, and operational Problems
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. Conclusions
5.2. Recommendations
Research Objectives and Focus Areas
The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the current status and identify the causes of underperformance in two selected small-scale irrigation schemes, namely the Ella and Bossa schemes in the Humbo Woreda, Ethiopia. The research investigates technical, institutional, and socio-economic factors that limit the efficacy of these irrigation systems.
- Hydrological and physical performance assessment using conveyance efficiency and water delivery indicators.
- Economic evaluation based on agricultural land and water productivity metrics.
- Identification of socio-institutional barriers, including water management practices and lack of community participation.
- Documentation of physical infrastructure challenges such as canal siltation, erosion, and sedimentation.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2. Statement of the problem
Small-scale irrigation is extremely dominant in Ethiopia due to its small investment cost, easiness of building, effortlessness of operation & maintenance have been a tactical goal of the country for attaining sustainable food security and independence. Several of such schemes have been planned and built in the former years in diverse parts of the country. These schemes play an energetic role in improving the incomes of the smallholder agronomists. Nevertheless, existing Small-scale irrigation schemes, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, lack sound institutional and operational setups that could realize increased productivity, consistent irrigation service, and long-term sustainability and it face various problems related to operation and maintenance, water management and sustainability. These problems have greatly reduced their profits and braved their overall sustainability.
The foremost difficult associated through irrigation development is similarly their adverse effect on the environment and human health. Irrigation projects have the potential to damage the land, the soil and waste the valued resource water if they are mishandled. In appreciation of both the benefit and hazards assessment and evaluation of irrigation schemes performance has now become a principal importance not only to point out where the difficult lies but also helps to find options that may be both effective and practicable in improving system performance.
Moreover the underperformance of irrigation projects in the country, evaluation of irrigation projects is not common: lack of awareness and implements used to assess the performance of projects adds to the problem. But currently, different signs have established used to measure hydrological, agronomic and sustainability performance of irrigation system. Which are supportive to govern the situations of the system and appropriate operational of its elements. And it was attempted to apply this set of qualified indicators in to the two small scale irrigation schemes of Ella and Bossa irrigation.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the role of irrigation for food security in Ethiopia and outlines the specific research objectives and questions for the study area.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW: Examines existing academic perspectives on irrigation development, management challenges, performance evaluation indicators, and the importance of institutional setups in sub-Saharan Africa.
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Describes the study area's geographic/climatic features and details the data collection (interviews, discharge measurement) and analysis methodologies used to evaluate the schemes.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Presents findings on the demographic characteristics of irrigators, the functional status of the schemes, and a detailed performance evaluation using standard hydro-technical and agricultural indicators.
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Synthesizes the evaluation results, concludes on the primary operational and socio-economic causes of underperformance, and provides specific policy suggestions for scheme improvement.
Keywords
Small scale irrigation, performance indicator, water delivery efficiency, Bossa scheme, Ella scheme, Humbo Woreda, crop water requirement, irrigation management, socio-institutional constraints, land productivity, water productivity, irrigation sustainability, agricultural output, irrigation infrastructure, irrigation schemes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental purpose of this research?
The research is designed to evaluate the operational status and identify the underlying causes of underperformance in two specific small-scale irrigation schemes (Ella and Bossa) located in the Humbo Woreda, Ethiopia.
What are the central research themes?
The study centers on water management practices, infrastructure maintenance, socio-economic factors influencing irrigation usage, and the overall performance evaluation of the schemes.
What is the primary goal of the study?
The primary goal is to investigate why these irrigation schemes are underperforming compared to their potential and to suggest practical solutions to enhance their effectiveness for food security.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The researcher uses both quantitative and qualitative methods, including household interviews, field discharge measurements, and software-based modeling (such as CROPWAT and SPSS) to analyze the performance.
What does the main content cover?
The main body of the work covers the theoretical background of irrigation in Ethiopia, site-specific physical descriptions, comparative performance analysis using hydraulic and financial indicators, and an identification of physical and institutional problems.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as small scale irrigation, performance indicator, water delivery efficiency, agricultural output, and socio-institutional constraints.
Are there specific operational problems identified for the Bossa scheme?
Yes, the study highlights critical issues for Bossa, including damage on farmlands, main canal siltation, upstream flooding, downstream scouring, and a general lack of effective operation and maintenance.
What impact does the study have on current management recommendations?
The study suggests that future irrigation projects must focus on institutional strengthening (WUA development), regular performance assessment, capacity building for irrigators, and integrated watershed management.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Tinsae Dalga (Autor:in), 2021, Problems of Small Scale Irrigation Schemes in the Case of Ella and Bossa Schemes in Humbo Woreda, Snnprs, Ethiopia, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1280389
