Browsing by Author "Namara, Regassa"

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Adoption and Impacts of Microirrigation Technologies Empirical Results from Selected Localities of Maharashtra and Gujarat States of India
(2005) Namara, Regassa; Upadhyay, Bhawana; Nagar, Rashmi K.
"Microirrigation technologies are aggressively promoted in India by the central government, state governments and many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), both local and international, by providing different kinds of financial, institutional and technical support systems. These technologies are promoted primarily for one or more of the following reasons: (1) as a means to save water in irrigated agriculture, (2) as a strategy to increase income and reduce poverty, and (3) to enhance the food and nutritional security of rural households. Despite the reported significant economic advantages and the concerted support of the government and NGOs, the current microirrigation area in India remains an insignificant proportion of its potential. Based on the data from recent field studies in Maharashtra and Gujarat, this report analyzes: (1) the economics of alternative microirrigation technologies ranging from low-cost drip and sprinkler systems to the capital-intensive systems, (2) the determinants of adoption of microirrigation technology, (3) the poverty outreach of the different microirrigation systems, and (4) the sustainability implications of microirrigation adoption. In line with the findings of numerous other studies, this study indicates that microirrigation technologies result in a significant productivity improvement and, hence, economic gain over the traditional method of surface irrigation. It also shows that the productivity gain of conventional drip systems is significantly higher than that of low-cost drip systems. Thus, low-cost microirrigation systems cannot be regarded as ends in themselves but as stepping stones for adopting the conventional systems, which are technically robust and economically more rewarding. The most important determinants of microirrigation adoption include access to groundwater, the prevailing cropping pattern, level of education, financial resources, the social stratum of the household, and the wealth or poverty status of the farmer. Contrary to expectations, the majority of the current users of low-cost microirrigation systems belong to the richer section of the farming population. The study also indicates that the impact of microirrigation systems on the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources depends on the magnitude of the overall productivity gain following the shift from surface irrigation to microirrigation, the behavior of the adopters following the shift or the pattern of use of the saved water, and the type and potential number of adopters."
Assessing the Outcomes of IWMI's Research and Interventions on Irrigation Management Transfer
(2006) Giordano, Meredith A; Samad, Madar; Namara, Regassa
"Irrigation management transfer (IMT) served as the cornerstone of the research agenda of the International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI) and later, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) for nearly a decade. The research theme arose for IWMI in response to the growing evidence of under-performance by publicly owned irrigation schemes and widespread belief that the transfer of management responsibilities to farmer organizations could improve the management of irrigation systems and make irrigated agriculture more productive and sustainable. IIMI/IWMI contributions to the topic included literature reviews and analyses of experiences and impacts of past IMT processes, advice to policymakers in planning and implementing IMT, and the development of generic IMT guidelines and technical support for governments implementing IMT programs. The purpose of this paper is to summarize IIMI/IWMI'spast research and interventions related to irrigation management transfer and to document, to the extent possible, the academic, policy, and technical outcomes of these efforts. The application of a range of direct and indirect measurement techniques suggests an overall positive contribution from IWMI to IMT theory and application. Bibliometric and webmetric analyses suggest a large and continuing demand for IWMI research products on IMT. Direct and indirect data sources also indicate that IWMI policy and operational level interventions have in general contributed positively to IMT decision-making and action, both nationally through action research projects as well as regionally and globally, through the development of generic IMT guidelines. Finally, the continued demand for IWMI involvement in IMT action research serves as an important indicator of IWMI's past contributions."
A Comparative Analysis of the Technical Efficiency of Rain-fed and Smallholder Irrigation in Ethiopia
(2011) Makombe, Godswill; Namara, Regassa; Hagos, Fitsum; Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Ayana, Mekonnen; Bossio, Deborah
"Agriculture is the most significant contributor to Ethiopia's economy. Most of the agricultural production is under rainfed conditions and thus extremely sensitive to rainfall variability. Irrigation development, including smallholder irrigation, is used by the Ethiopian Government to attempt to mitigate the effects of rainfall variability. In this study, we look at smallholder irrigation - modern and traditional irrigation systems."
An Overview of the Development Challenges and Constraints of the Niger Basin and Possible Intervention Strategies
(2011) Namara, Regassa; Barry, Boubacar; Owusu, Eric S.; Ogilvie, Andrew
"The Niger River Basin covers 7.5% of the African continent and is shared between nine riparian countries. The human population of the basin is growing at an average annual rate of about 3%, which makes the Niger River Basin one of the areas with the highest fertility rates in the world. The desert margin is expanding; climate change is negatively impacting rainfall; and urbanization, industrialization, and the human and livestock population are threatening the quantity and quality of available water resources. The basin population already suffers from chronic poverty. Based on a literature review, this paper suggests some key water-related and other interventions that are capable of easing the basin's development challenges."
Promoting Micro-Irrigation Technologies that Reduce Poverty
(2006) Varma, Samyuktha; Verma, Shilp; Namara, Regassa
"Micro-irrigation technologies are increasingly seen as a means of addressing the growing competition for scarce water resources. Appropriate low-cost drip systems have shown to have positive effects on yield, incomes, and food security. With the right institutional support, these systems can help poor farmers improve water productivity and incomes."
Prospects for Adopting System of Rice Intensification in Sri Lanka: A Socioeconomic Assessment
(2003) Namara, Regassa; Weligamage, Parakrama; Barker, Randolph
"These days the demand for water resources is becoming intense as a result of population pressure, competitions among different uses and users, and the inefficiencies of the developed water infrastructures. As agriculture currently consumes the bulk of the available water resources, the efficiency and productivity of water use in this sector may contribute to the relaxation of the demand for water. The System of Rice Intensification SRI)first developed in Madagascar and now being tested in many countries, is an example of an on-farm water productivity enhancing approach. The system is based largely on organic farming principles and additional requirements for the timing of transplanting and spacing of seedlings, and irrigation scheduling. The SRI recently generated interest and discussions among researchers, development practitioners and policymakers in Sri Lanka. This has often resulted in polarized views. Some proponents claim that SRI will revolutionize the method of rice production, while others see it as a fad. Studies in Africa, Asia and Latin America provide mixed results. But most of these studies are anecdotal in nature or are limited to experimental and demonstration activities. Only one other study that we are aware of (conducted in Madagascar) applies an appropriate methodology that would assess the farmer experience. This study contributes to filling this research gap based on Sri Lankan farmers experience. The study specifically assesses the adoption pattern, economics and the poverty outreach of the SRI, and draws research, extension and policy implications."
Reducing Poverty through Investments in Agricultural Water Management
(2006) Van Koppen, Barbara; Namara, Regassa; Safilios-Rothschild, Constantina
"This document provides a preliminary understanding of the poverty reduction impacts of a range of agricultural water development interventions in sub Saharan Africa, including lower cost alternatives to conventional irrigation investment projects, identifies factors that constrain the poverty reduction impacts of projects and technologies, and derives conclusions and recommendations useful for further water resources development planning in the region."
Shallow Groundwater in the Atankwidi Catchment of the White Volta Basin: Current Status and Future Sustainability
(2010) Barry, Boubacar; Kortatsi, Benony; Forkuor, Gerald; Gumma, Murali Krishna; Namara, Regassa; Rebelo, Lisa-Marie; van den Berg, Joost; Laube, Wolfram
"The Atankwidi Catchment, which lies in the White Volta Basin in West Africa, is intensively cultivated by locals for economic gains. During dry seasons, farmers irrigate their crops, chiefly tomatoes, using shallow groundwater harvested from shallow ponds they dig using simple tools like an axe, hoe, bucket and bowls. Recent expansion in cultivated areas has brought to the fore the need to estimate the volume of shallow groundwater stored in the catchment’s underlying aquifer and to what extent it can sustain the incremental growth in irrigated areas."
Treadle Pump Irrigation and Poverty in Ghana
(2007) Adeoti, Adetola; Barry, Boubacar; Namara, Regassa; Kamara, Abdul; Titiati, Atsu
"Treadle pump (TP) technology has been promoted by Enterprise Works Worldwide (EWW) as an alternative to the traditional rope and bucket irrigation that is necessary to overcome the challenge of uncertain and inadequate rainfall for agricultural production. The aim is to improve output, increase incomes and reduce poverty among farm households. This study examines the strategies used for dissemination of the TP and the dynamics of its adoption and impacts, with a special focus on poverty reduction. The results of the study reveal that time and labor savings for irrigation, increased size of irrigated areas and lack of fuel requirements are the attractive features of the TP for those who adopt it. Adoption of TP increases land and labor productivities; and also net farm incomes. The study also demonstrates that adoption of the TP reduces poverty."
Typology of Irrigation Systems in Ghana
(2010) Namara, Regassa; Horowitz, Leah; Kolavalli, Shashidhara; Kranjac-Berisavljevic, Gordana; Dawuni, Busia Nambu; Barry, Boubacar; Giordano, Mark
"Interest in African irrigation investment is growing. However, irrigation is not a monolithic concept, and the opportunities and risks can vary substantially by approach. To help provide an understanding of the variation, this paper builds on previous work to provide a detailed typology of irrigation systems as currently used in Ghana."
Water Implications and Large-Scale Land Aquisitions in Ghana
(2012) Williams, Timothy O.; Gyampoh, Benjamin; Kizito, Fred; Namara, Regassa
"This paper examines the water dimensions of recent large-scale land acquisitions for biofuel production in the Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and Northern regions of Ghana. Using secondary sources of data complemented by individual and group interviews, the paper reveals an almost universal lack of consideration of the implications of large-scale land deals for crop water requirements, the ecological functions of freshwater ecosystems and water rights of local smallholder farmers and other users. It documents the factors responsible for this apparent oversight including the multiplicity of land and water governance systems, sharp sectoral boundaries between land and water policies, property rights and institutions, outdated statutes, poorly resourced and ineffective regulatory agencies, and unequal power relations in land acquisition deals.The paper shows that due to a lack of an approach that jointly considers land and water management policies and institutions in acceding to large-scale land deals, the benefits derived by local people were insufficient to cover the involuntary permanent loss of their water rights and livelihoods and the risks posed to ecosystem services.Options for establishing alternative institutional arrangements that will allow water availability, use and management as well as social and environmental standards to be factored, ex ante, into large-scale land deals are explored.The paper offers recommendations which can help the government to achieve its stated objective of developing a 'policy framework and guidelines for large-scale land acquisitions by both local and foreign investors for biofuels that will protect the interests of investors and the welfare of Ghanaian farmers and landowners'."