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Modeling the Impacts of Conservation Agriculture with a Drip Irrigation System on the Hydrology and Water Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Tewodros Assefa

    (Faculty of Civil and Water Resource Engineering, Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar 26, Ethiopia)

  • Manoj Jha

    (Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA)

  • Manuel Reyes

    (Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL), Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA)

  • Abeyou W. Worqlul

    (Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Temple, TX 76502, USA)

Abstract

The agricultural system in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is dominated by traditional farming practices with poor soil and water management, which contributes to soil degradation and low crop productivity. This study integrated field experiments and a field-scale biophysical model (Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender, APEX) to investigate the impacts of conservation agriculture (CA) with a drip irrigation system on the hydrology and water management as compared to the conventional tillage (CT) practice. Field data were collected from four study sites; Dangishita and Robit (Ethiopia), Yemu (Ghana), and Mkindo (Tanzania) to validate APEX for hydrology and crop yield simulation. Each study site consisted of 100 m 2 plots divided equally between CA and CT practices and both had a drip irrigation setup. Cropping pattern, management practices, and irrigation scheduling were monitored for each experimental plot. Significant water savings (α = 0.05) were observed under CA practice; evapotranspiration and runoff were reduced by up to 49% and 62%, respectively, whereas percolation increased up to three-fold. Consequently, irrigation water need was reduced in CA plots by about 14–35% for various crops. CA coupled with drip irrigation was found to be an efficient water saving technology and has substantial potential to sustain and intensify crop production in the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Tewodros Assefa & Manoj Jha & Manuel Reyes & Abeyou W. Worqlul, 2018. "Modeling the Impacts of Conservation Agriculture with a Drip Irrigation System on the Hydrology and Water Management in Sub-Saharan Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4763-:d:190371
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    2. Belay, S. A. & Schmitter, Petra & Worqlul, A. W. & Steenhuis, T. S. & Reyes, M. R. & Tilahun, S. A., 2019. "Conservation agriculture saves irrigation water in the dry monsoon phase in the Ethiopian highlands," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 11(10):1-16.
    3. Luca Tricarico & Andrea Galimberti & Ausilia Campanaro & Chiara Magoni & Massimo Labra, 2020. "Experimenting with RRI tools to Drive Sustainable Agri-Food Research: The SASS Case Study from Sub-Saharan Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Sisay A. Belay & Tewodros T. Assefa & P. V. Vara Prasad & Petra Schmitter & Abeyou W. Worqlul & Tammo S. Steenhuis & Manuel R. Reyes & Seifu A. Tilahun, 2020. "The Response of Water and Nutrient Dynamics and of Crop Yield to Conservation Agriculture in the Ethiopian Highlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Zhao, Jie & Zhang, Xuepeng & Yang, Yadong & Zang, Huadong & Yan, Peng & Meki, Manyowa N. & Doro, Luca & Sui, Peng & Jeong, Jaehak & Zeng, Zhaohai, 2021. "Alternative cropping systems for groundwater irrigation sustainability in the North China Plain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    6. Batanai Sammie & Elvis Mupfiga & Liboster Mwadzingeni & Tavengwa Chitata & Raymond Mugandani, 2021. "A gendered lens to self-evaluated and actual climate change knowledge," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(1), pages 65-75, March.
    7. Sameh Kotb Abd-Elmabod & Noura Bakr & Miriam Muñoz-Rojas & Paulo Pereira & Zhenhua Zhang & Artemi Cerdà & Antonio Jordán & Hani Mansour & Diego De la Rosa & Laurence Jones, 2019. "Assessment of Soil Suitability for Improvement of Soil Factors and Agricultural Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-21, March.
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