scholarly journals Best practices and technologies for small scale agricultural water management in Ethiopia. Proceedings of a MoARD / MoWR / USAID / IWMI Symposium and Exhibition held at Ghion Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 7-9 March, 2006

Author(s):  
Seleshi Bekele Awulachew ◽  
M. Menker ◽  
D. Abesha ◽  
T. Atnafe ◽  
Y. Wondimkun
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandeep Singh ◽  
Meetpal Singh Kukal ◽  
Suat Irmak ◽  
Amit J. Jhala

Weeds usually penalize crop yields by competing for resources, such as water, light, nutrients, and space. Most of the studies on the crop-weed competition domain are limited to assessing crop-yield losses due to weed pressure and other crop-weed interactions, overlooking the significant uptake of soil-water by weeds that exacerbates global water constraints and threatens the productivity and profitability. The objective of this review was to synthesize globally available quantitative data on weed water use (WU) sourced from 23 peer-reviewed publications (filtered from 233 publications via a multi-step protocol of inclusion criteria) with experimental investigations across space (3 continents), time (1927–2018), weed species (27 broadleaf and 7 grasses) and characteristics, cropping systems (5), soil types (ranging from coarse-textured sand to fine-textured clay soils), determination techniques, experimental factors (environment, management, resource availability, and competition), and aridity regimes (ranging from semi-arid to humid climate). Distributions of weed WU data reported via eight different metrics were assessed for variability and mean WU. A lack of the best experimental and reporting practices in weed WU research was identified that undermined the robustness, transferability, and application of the WU data. Mandatory protocols and the best practices typically followed in the agricultural water management research were described and recommended for weed scientists to avoid pitfalls in quantifying and presenting weed WU. A model of mixed plant community evapotranspiration (ET) was adapted to model weed-crop-soil system evaporation and transpiration in a crop canopy infested with multiple (n) weed species. Finally, potential cross-disciplinary questions across the domains of crop science, weed science, agricultural water management, irrigation science and engineering, and environmental changes were proposed to direct and prioritize future research efforts in the crop-weed-water arena.


Author(s):  
P. Glitse ◽  
B. V. Nyamadi ◽  
K. W. Darkwah ◽  
K. A. Mintah

The Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) is a public sector organization established to promote agricultural growth through the provision of irrigation infrastructure and other agricultural water management techniques. Irrigated agriculture in Ghana is categorized into formal, informal or smallholder and large-scale commercial irrigation. Over the years, irrigation development in the country has been faced with a number of challenges, which necessitated the development of the National Irrigation Policy, Strategies and Regulatory Measures and the Ghana Agricultural Water Management Pre-Investment Reform Action Framework. A number of factors affecting irrigation development in the country include lack of capital, commitment by successive governments, cost of energy, access to land and credit, lack of technical know-how and encroachment, among others. Analysis of budget provided by government for public irrigation development was carried out using simple linear regression. Results indicate a bright prospect of irrigation development, with reforms under implementation. A minimum of GHS 633.43 million is required for release into the sub-sector by government together with investments from private sector in the next ten years to shift the balance towards positive growth. To solve the problem of inadequate funding of the sub-sector activities, it is recommended that the GIDA collaborates with Development Partners to fund projects and activities in line with their objectives. GIDA should develop effective programmes for building capacity of contractors involved in development of infrastructure. GIDA should deepen its collaboration with private investors under PPPs and convert electric and diesel/petrol powered irrigation pumps to solar powered ones.


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