DESCRIPTION OF IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE WHITE VOLTA SUB-BASIN - Sustainable Irrigation Development in the White Volta Sub-Basin - page 116

Bio-physical features
According to a study of 28 small reservoirs conducted by
MOFA/LACOSREP in 2003, an average of 170 persons practised gardening
on land irrigated by one small reservoir. The average size of land irrigated by
a small dam was 8.5 ha, which results in an average cultivated area per
gardener of only 0.05ha, for producing vegetables, mainly onions, tomatoes,
pepper and leafy vegetables (Birner et al., 2005). Where motorized pumps
are used for water abstraction, plot sizes are much larger, ranging from 0.1ha
to 1ha.

Due to the absence of fresh vegetation during the dry season, livestock
owners release their animals to search for food. This is a major source of
worry for dry season irrigation farmers because the livestock are attracted to
their crops. Most farmers have suffered heavily from the destruction of crops
by livestock. Farmers have employed various means of protecting their crops
from livestock. Small reservoir farmers come together to fence their farms
with local material. Some small reservoirs had their irrigable areas fenced by
NGO's while others had the construction of the fence incorporated in the
total development of the small reservoir.

Management
A small reservoir irrigation scheme belongs to a community and thus is
managed by that community. The management system of small reservoir
irrigation schemes employed within the sub-basin is communal with the
farmers being the managers of the system. A Water User Association (WUA)
is usually formed during the development of the small reservoir irrigation
scheme by the development agency and is trained to carry out the
management activities of the irrigation scheme. The water user association
elects executives to carry out management decisions. The management
practices being carried out by executives of a WUA on small reservoir
irrigation schemes typically include:
•

Organise, register and share plots for farmers who express interest in
using the small reservoir;

• Decide on water levies and collect water levies for the maintenance of

canals and other infrastructure;

• Manage the use of water by controlling the release of water to the

farm plots;

• Organise farmers for communal activities within the irrigation

system;