Baseline survey of irrigation and rainfed agriculture in Blue Nile Basin

K. Tsehayu

Conference Papers from International Water Management Institute

Abstract: This paper discusses issues and challenges of agricultural developments in the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia. The crop land in the basin can not sustain the population unless agricultural productivity increases. Due to climatic factors and low yield rainfed agriculture can not support the high population in the basin. Up to date the land under irrigation is very small. Like most Nile Basin countries though agriculture dominates the economy of Ethiopia much was not done in the irrigation agricultural resources development. Irrigated agriculture is the largest draw on the waters of the Nile in Egypt and Sudan. But the others 8 Nile countries agriculture is mainly rainfed and they are not using even 2% of Nile water. Ethiopia is contributing more than 85% of the Nile water annual discharge and yet is not using even 1 % of it. In near future the water scarcity in agricultural development of the Nile Basin can be affected by ever increasing population, unpredictable climate, soil infertility, uncertainty of surface water allocations, unexplored groundwater resources, low water availability, infrastructure etc. Agriculture is by far the main user of water in the Nile basin and therefore requires due attention in future investments. Ethiopia does not achieve food security until it utilizes Nile water for irrigation.

Keywords: River; basins; Irrigated; farming; Rainfed; farming; Irrigation; schemes; Agricultural; trade; Surveys; Maps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iwt:conppr:h044066

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