Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
local market, all played major roles in achieving growth rates of 5.7%/a of
private-led irrigation systems achieved in the basin during the past two
decades. Currently private-led irrigation represents about 74% of total
irrigation in the study area. Government-led irrigation systems (small and
large reservoirs), in contrast, experienced a general decline in irrigated area
over the past three decade. This is mainly due to infrastructural and
institutional challenges. So far, the full potential of developed government-led
irrigation systems has not been realised. The basin experienced an overall
annual irrigation growth rate of 5.6%/a from 2005 to 2010.
This chapter found that over 80% of the potential irrigable area of the basin
remains undeveloped. This provides opportunities for future investments in
irrigation by both the private sector and government. A combination of the
factors identified may further upscale irrigation development beyond the
growth rates experienced in the recent past. This expected growth is however
subject to effective management of the existing irrigation infrastructure.
The factors that have influenced the past trend are likely to sustain the
current state of irrigation in the basin. However additional factors are likely
to increase irrigation development beyond the current growth rate in the
near future. The additional factors include, expanding markets for irrigated
products, introduction of new irrigation technologies, government policies
and interventions and emerging trends of irrigation management. Advantage
must be taken of these opportunities to upscale irrigation development in the
basin knowing that more than 80% of the irrigation potential in the basin
remains untapped, and that there seem to be sufficient water resources
available to fully support this potential.
The implications of the future trend should however not be overlooked. This
is because the upscaling of irrigation in the basin has direct impact on the
competing water uses, downstream water uses and the environment. Also the
possible implications of climate change on water availability should not be
forgotten. There is therefore the need to investigate the possible impact of
the upscaling of irrigation development. This will be addressed in the next
chapter.
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