Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.4
:
Farmer using rope and bucket to irrigate from a permanent
shallow well.
Information gathered from an interview with the Ministry of Agriculture in
the Upper East Region on the use of Treadle Pumps revealed that, it has
been promoted before in Nankolong, a community in the Kassena-Nankana
District, but the technology was later rejected by the irrigators. Reasons
given by the irrigators were that the Treadle Pump was time and energy
wasting compared to their rope and bucket method. Similar comments were
passed by farmers in Burkina Faso who claimed they were introduced to
Treadle Pumps but later rejected them because it weakened them more than
the rope and bucket.
Almost all permanent shallow well irrigation farms identified in the study
area are fenced with either dry stalks, wire mesh or clay walls. Fences
constructed with dry stalks and clay walls are unable to stand permanently
and thus are rebuilt every year.
Bio-physical features
Permanent shallow well irrigation farms are located in areas with a relatively
high ground water table, most of them being close to streams and also close
to residential areas. The permanent shallow wells are close to residential
areas because of their dual purpose of serving domestic and irrigation needs.
The fence surrounding the farms makes them easily identifiable from other
structures.
Farmers who use the permanent shallow well technology for irrigation are
used to cultivating a wide variety of crops. In Burkina Faso, even though
tomato is the main crop, a lot of farmers also produce onions, cabbage,
lettuce, pepper and potatoes. Burkina Faso permanent shallow well irrigators
start irrigation very early and continue into the rainy season (October to
June) such that they are able to cultivate two or three crops in succession. A
Search WWH ::
Custom Search