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Assessment of irrigation potential in Africa - Arc-Info: a tool for the computation of the irrigation water requirements at continental level

Télédétection et ressources en eau/Remote sensing and water resources p. 115

Year of publication 1995

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 12p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Document

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) This article is based on the FAO study “Irrigation potential of Africa: a basin approach” and it is part of the proceedings of the international workshop on “Remote sensing and water resources” (http://www.fao.org/docrep/W7320B/w7320b00.htm) organized by FAO, in collaboration with the Comité interafricain d'études hydrauliques (CIEH), the Laboratoire commun de télédétection Cemagref-Engref (LCT) and Orstom (Institut français de recherche en coopération) and published in 1997. The study FAO undertook in 1995 investigated the potential use of remote sensing and geographic information systems in water resources assessment of small watersheds in semi-arid areas of West Africa. The use of the Arc-Info geographic information system allowed to define the geographical computation units, which are homogeneous regarding average rainfall, potential evapotranspiration, cropping pattern (calendar, intensity) and irrigation efficiency. Combining information on gross irrigation water requirements, area of soils suitable for irrigation and available water resources by basin eventually resulted in an estimation of the physical irrigation potential for Africa.

Language English

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    Agriculture, and especially irrigated agriculture, is the sector with by far the largest consumptive water use and water withdrawal. To estimate the pressure of irrigation on the available water resources AQUASTAT, FAO’s global information system on water and agriculture, has undertaken a major review of irrigation water requirement and water withdrawal for irrigation for 167 countries. Detailed irrigated crop calendars have been prepared by country. The improved methodology used has made it possible to show additional variables in the AQUASTAT database: water withdrawal for irrigation, irrigation water requirement, as well as harvested irrigated crop areas. Regional and country tables have been prepared on areas equipped for irrigation, actually irrigated areas, irrigated harvested crop areas, with special attention to irrigated cereals, and irrigated fodder and pasture, as well as water requirement ratios or irrigation efficiencies. The AQUASTAT database provides policy- and decisions-makers as well as the scientific community with a complete dataset containing reliable data, calculated in a uniform way, and comparable with each other at country level.
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    Book (series)
    Water resources of African countries: a review 1995
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    In order to provide a rational basis for the discussion on increasing water scarcity and the potential for irrigation expansion in Africa, AQUASTAT compiled existing information on the water resources of the African continent. Contrary to previous attempts, this survey is based essentially on country-based statistics and information contained in sector studies and master plans. Due account has been taken of the interaction of groundwater and surface water and the problem of transboundary flows.
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    Book (series)
    Irrigation potential in Africa: A basin approach 1997
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    Irrigation is viewed as a key factor in progress towards achieving food security in Africa. While nearly 40% of the world's agricultural production comes from irrigated land, the figure for sub-Saharan Africa is only 10%. For most countries of the region, including some poorly endowed with water, only a small part of the available water is withdrawn for use, owing to the state of underdevelopment of water management infrastructure.Assessment of irrigation potential is of prime importance for planning of sustainable food production in the continent. Considerable information on irrigation potential exists in the African countries, but because of the large numbers of international rivers the regional dimension of the African water resources requires an approach ensuring consistency both within the country and among countries within each river basin.The present study combines a review of existing information on irrigation potential by country with an approach using a geographic information system to assess land and water availability for irrigation on the basis of river basins. The ever-present environmental issues related to water management highlight some of the major challenges to irrigation development on the continent.The results of this study and the methodology developed in the report should be useful to researchers and planners at national and regional levels for work aiming at sustainable water resources development in Africa.
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