Download or read book The Practice of Smallholder Irrigation written by Emmanuel Manzungu and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Sustainable Water Management in Smallholder Farming written by Sara Finley and published by CABI. This book was released on 2016-07-27 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Water is critical to all human activities, but access to this crucial resource is increasingly limited by competition and the effects of climate change. In agriculture, water management is key to ensuring good and sustained crop yields, maintaining soil health, and safeguarding the long-term viability of the land. Water management is especially challenging on smallholder farms in resource-poor areas, which tend to be primarily rainfed and thus highly dependent on unreliable rainfall patterns. Sustainable practices can help farmers promote the development of soils, plants and field surfaces to allow maximum retention of water between rains, and encourage the efficient use of each drop of water applied as irrigation. Especially useful for farmers' groups, agricultural extension workers, NGOs, students and researchers working with farmers in dryland areas, this comprehensive yet concise book is a practical and accessible resource for anyone interested in sustainable water management.
Download or read book Fundamentals of Smallholder Irrigation written by B. Albinson and published by IWMI. This book was released on 2002 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Smallholder irrigation systems–where farm sizes generally range from a fraction of a hectare to 10 hectares–pose special management problems, especially where the water available for irrigation is frequently less than the demand. The intensity of system adjustments required to meet individual farmer demands, and the administrative complexity of measuring and accounting water deliveries have generally proven excessive when attempting to meet “on demand†schedules, resulting in chaos (often characterized by illegal tampering with infrastructure, and vast differences of water use intensity at different locations in the system). The alternative–provision of a simple service, based on proportional sharing of available supplies on the basis of landholdings–has been resilient for many years over vast areas. The approach is based on a clear delineation between the part of the irrigation system that is actively managed (at various flow rates and water levels) and the part of the system that operates either at full supply level (with proportional division of water down to the level at which farmers rotate among their individual farms), or is completely shut. This operational design is known as a “structured†system, and has well-defined hydraulic characteristics, simplifying operation and management, in turn allowing a clearer definition of water entitlements and the responsibilities of agency staff and farmers. The approach is particularly suited to areas where water is scarce and discipline is needed to ration water among users. An additional benefit, which has been demonstrated in modeling studies using a well–proven model relating to water and yield, is that the productivity of water (which is more important than the more traditional productivity of land when water is scarce) is substantially increased when deficit irrigation is practiced–a widely observed and predictable response to rationed water supplies. Structured systems are most suited where water is scarce, clear definition of water entitlements is needed, management capacity is limited, and investment resources are limited. The approach to determining critical aspects of a structured system design is described in this report.
Download or read book Irrigation Management written by Martin Burton and published by CABI. This book was released on 2010 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In many countries irrigated agriculture consumes a large proportion of the available water resources, often over 70% of the total. There is considerable pressure to release water for other uses and, as a sector, irrigated agriculture will have to increase the efficiency and productivity of its water use. This is particularly true for manually operated irrigation systems managed by government agencies, which provide water for a large number of users on small landholdings and represent 60% of the total irrigated area worldwide. Drawing on the author's 30 years of experience in some 28 countries, this book offers knowledge of the management of irrigation and drainage systems, including traditional technical areas of systems operation and maintenance, and expanding managerial, institutional and organizational aspects. Chapters provide guidelines to improve management, operation and maintenance processes, which move management thinking out of traditional public-sector mindsets to a more customer-focused, performance-oriented service delivery. As a practical guide to improve efficiency and productivity in irrigated agriculture, this book will be essential reading for irrigation managers and technicians as well as students and policy makers in water management, agriculture and sustainable development.
Download or read book Organic Agriculture Environment and Food Security written by Nadia Scialabba and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2002 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Organic agriculture is defined as an environmentally and socially sensitive food supply system. This publication considers the contribution of organic agriculture to ecological health, international markets and local food security. It contains a number of case studies of the practical experiences of small farmers throughout the world (including India, Iran, Thailand, Uganda and Brazil) who have adopted fully integrated food systems, and analyses the prospects for a wider adoption of organic agriculture. The book also discusses the weakness of institutional support for nurturing existing knowledge and exchange in organic agriculture.
Download or read book Rainwater Harvesting written by Stockholm Environment Institute and published by UNEP/Earthprint. This book was released on 2009 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change, demand for development and already deteriorating state of ecosystems produce an immediate need for innovative opportunities enabling development and human well-being without undermining ecosystem services. Rainwater harvesting creates synergies by upgrading rainfed agriculture and enhancing productive landscapes. The publication describes rainwater harvesting systems, their roles and impacts. It focuses to both negative and positive aspects of using technology and explains how we can decrease constraints and build upon benefits. It examines 29 cases of different economic activities including forestry, agriculture, watershed development and, rural and urban development.
Download or read book The Principles of Irrigation Practice written by John Andreas Widtsoe and published by . This book was released on 1914 with total page 532 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Supplemental Irrigation a Highly Efficient Water Use Practice written by Theib Oweis and published by ICARDA. This book was released on 1997 with total page 19 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Minimizing the Negative Environmental and Health Impacts of Agricultural Water Resources Development in Sub Saharan Africa written by and published by Iwmi. This book was released on 2007 with total page 35 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Drip Irrigation for Agriculture written by Jean-Philippe Venot and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2017-07-06 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Initially associated with hi-tech irrigated agriculture, drip irrigation is now being used by a much wider range of farmers in emerging and developing countries. This book documents the enthusiasm, spread and use of drip irrigation systems by smallholders but also some disappointments and disillusion faced in the global South. It explores and explains under which conditions it works, for whom and with what effects. The book deals with drip irrigation 'behind the scenes', showcasing what largely remain 'untold stories'. Most research on drip irrigation use plot-level studies to demonstrate the technology’s ability to save water or improve efficiencies and use a narrow and rather prescriptive engineering or economic language. They tend to be grounded in a firm belief in the technology and focus on the identification of ways to improve or better realize its potential. The technology also figures prominently in poverty alleviation or agricultural modernization narratives, figuring as a tool to help smallholders become more innovative, entrepreneurial and business minded. Instead of focusing on its potential, this book looks at drip irrigation-in-use, making sense of what it does from the perspectives of the farmers who use it, and of the development workers and agencies, policymakers, private companies, local craftsmen, engineers, extension agents or researchers who engage with it for a diversity of reasons and to realize a multiplicity of objectives. While anchored in a sound engineering understanding of the design and operating principles of the technology, the book extends the analysis beyond engineering and hydraulics to understand drip irrigation as a sociotechnical phenomenon that not only changes the way water is supplied to crops but also transforms agricultural farming systems and even how society is organized. The book provides field evidence from a diversity of interdisciplinary case studies in sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean, Latin America, and South Asia, thus revealing some of the untold stories of drip irrigation.
Download or read book Deficit Irrigation Practices written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2002 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the context of improving water productivity, there is a growing interest in deficit irrigation, an irrigation practice whereby water supply is reduced below maximum levels and mild stress is allowed with minimal effects on yield. Under conditions of scarce water supply and drought, deficit irrigation can lead to greater economic gains than maximizing yields per unit of water for a given crop; farmers are more inclined to use water more efficiently, and more water-efficient cash crop selection helps optimize returns. However, this approach requires precise knowledge of crop response to water as drought tolerance varies considerably by species, cultivar and stage of growth. The studies present the latest research concepts and involve various practices for deficit irrigation. Both annual and perennial crops were exposed to different levels of water stress, either during a particular growth phase, throughout the whole growing season or in a combination of growth stages. The overall finding, based on the synthesis of the different contributions, is that deficit or regulated-deficit irrigation can be beneficial where appropriately applied. Substantial savings of water can be achieved with little impact on the quality and quantity of the harvested yield. However, to be successful, an intimate knowledge of crop behavior is required, as crop response to water stress varies considerably.
Download or read book Strategies of Smallholder Irrigation Management in Zimbabwe written by Emmanuel Manzungu and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Role of Smallholder Farms in Food and Nutrition Security written by Sergio Gomez y Paloma and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-01-01 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book discusses the current role of smallholders in connection with food security and poverty reduction in developing countries. It addresses the opportunities they enjoy, and the constraints they face, by analysing the availability, access to and utilization of production factors. Due to the relevance of smallholder farms, enhancing their production capacities and economic and social resilience could produce positive impacts on food security and nutrition at a number of levels. In addition to the role of small farmers as food suppliers, the book considers their role as consumers and their level of nutrition security. It investigates the link between agriculture and nutrition in order to better understand how agriculture affects human health and dietary patterns. Given the importance of smallholdings, strategies to increase their productivity are essential to improving food and nutrition security, as well as food diversity.
Download or read book Water Governance for Sustainable Development written by Stefano Farolfi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-06-17 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Good management of water resources - universally identified as a key aspect of poverty reduction, agriculture and food security - has proven, in practice, as difficult to achieve as it is eagerly sought. This book, edited and authored by leading authorities on water resource management, examines the recent changes in governance, institutions, economics and policies of water, covering developing, transitional and developed countries, with special emphasis on southern African case studies. The book examines how water policies, institutions and governance have shifted in recent years from supply-driven, quantitative, centrally controlled management to more demand-sensitive, decentralized, participatory approaches. Such a move often also implies cost recovery principles, resource allocation among competing sectors, and privatization. The case studies demonstrate that the new policies and legal frameworks have been difficult to implement and often fall short of initial expectations. Using an accessible multidisciplinary approach that integrates economics, sociology, geography and policy analysis, the book untangles the issues and presents best practices for policy- and decision-makers, governments and regulators, NGOs and user groups, service providers, and researchers. The overall aim is to show how good water governance structures can be developed and implemented for the benefit of all.
Download or read book Handbook of Irrigation Hydrology and Management written by Saeid Eslamian and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2023-05-31 with total page 600 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever-increasing population growth has caused a proportional increased demand for water, and existing water sources are depleting day by day. Moreover, with the impact of climate change, the rates of rainfall in many regions have experienced a higher degree of variability. In many cities, government utilities have been struggling to maintain sufficient water for the residents and other users. The Handbook of Irrigation Hydrology and Management: Irrigation Case Studies examines and analyzes irrigated ecosystems in which water storage, applications, or drainage volumes are artificially controlled in the landscape and the spatial domain of processes varies from micrometers to tens of kilometers, while the temporal domain spans from seconds to centuries. The continuum science of irrigation hydrology includes the surface, subsurface (unsaturated and groundwater systems), atmospheric, and plant subsystems. Further, the book includes practical case studies from around the world, including locations such as Africa, Australia, China, India, the Middle East, the United States, and more. Features: Offers water-saving strategies to increase the judicious use of scarce water resources Presents strategies to maximize agricultural yield per unit of water used for different regions Compares irrigation methods to offset changing weather patterns and impacts of climate change
Download or read book Reforms in Turbulent Times written by Conrade Zawe and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Water smart agriculture in East Africa written by Nicol, A. and published by IWMI. This book was released on 2015-03-01 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
