Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
9 Water Management for Disease Vector
Control
Flemming Konradsen, 1 * Wim van der Hoek 1,2 and Jeroen H.J. Ensink 3
1 University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2 National Institute for Public
Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands; 3 London School of
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
9.1 Introduction
with many that followed, was often accompanied
by large outbreaks of malaria and schistoso-
miasis (Bradley, 1977; Mather and That, 1984;
Service, 1989; Lacey and Lacey, 1990; Oomen et
al ., 1990; Hunter et al ., 1993; Jobin, 1999).
This chapter describes water management
options that have been used to mitigate and
control disease vectors in the man-made aquatic
environment. These include the alternate wet-
dry method of rice cultivation, improved
drainage in canal irrigation systems and various
other engineering and agriculture-based inter-
ventions. The main focus is on the major vector-
borne diseases that are associated with water
resources development: malaria, transmitted by
anopheline mosquitoes, and schistosomiasis,
transmitted by snail intermediate hosts. In
addition, other less prevalent vector-borne
diseases will be discussed such as Japanese
encephalitis, which is transmitted by culicine
mosquitoes and can also be controlled through
water management. The development of vectors
of lymphatic fi lariasis, transmitted by anopheline
and culicine mosquitoes, and onchocerciasis,
transmitted by Simulium blackfl ies, also depends
on an aquatic environment for survival of their
immature stages. However, their control is
The construction of dams and irrigation systems
is undertaken to meet needs for food and energy.
Especially in the arid and semi-arid tropics,
agriculture without irrigation is either im-
possible or often only possible at a subsistence
level. Irrigation allows farmers to plan their
agricultural practices as they know when they
will get their water, which results in investments
in better seeds, fertilizer and pesticides, in turn
leading to higher yields, farm income and
reduced rural poverty (Hussain and Hanjra,
2004). It is estimated that over 275 million km 2
of agricultural land are irrigated, constituting
only approximately 18% of the total global area
under cultivation, although the irrigated area is
responsible for 40% of global food production
(UNESCO, 2012). Irrigated agriculture is an
ancient practice dating back over 6000 years,
which started to be commonly used during the
late 1800s and early 1900s when large canal-
based irrigation systems like the Indus Basin
Irrigation System in current day India and
Pakistan and the Gezira irrigation system in
Sudan were developed. However, the con-
struction of these irrigation systems, together
* fl ko@sund.ku.dk
 
 
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