Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
abstraction. In such cases the farmers cultivated around the upstream
sections of the reservoir. They employed various means of water abstraction
and transportation to irrigate their crops. The water abstraction and
transportation methods identified were by means of motorised pumps
connected with water hoses and by means of rope and bucket. Some also
developed shallow wells along the periphery of the small reservoirs as the
waters receded and used rope and buckets to abstract and carry the water to
their plots. Government officials confirmed that there were plans to develop
the downstream ends of the small reservoirs for irrigation.
The traditional furrow irrigation which relies on gravity to deliver water to
crops is the main irrigation technology applied except for the irrigators using
rope and bucket. With furrow irrigation, water is diverted from a canal, or
other water transport system, to flow by gravity down a furrow between rows
of crops (see
Figure 5.2b
). This method requires a substantial volume of
water over a short period of time. Farmers irrigate their crops by directing
the water through the furrows in between the crops. An irrigator closes the
inlets to all furrows with sand before releasing water to the plot. The inlets
to the furrow are opened for water to enter by gravity. When the full length
of a trench is filled with water the irrigator seals the opening of the furrow
with sand and then moves to the next furrow and repeats the same action.
This cycle is repeated until the farm is completely watered. After watering
the farm the irrigator either directs the water to the next farmer or closes
the spout on the lateral from where he/she directed the water.
Figure 5.2: a) pumps used in abstracting water from small reservoirs b)
furrows used in irrigating fields of small reservoir irrigation schemes.
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