Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

The diversity of small-scale irrigation in the Ethiopian Blue Nile basin comprises small dams, wells, ponds and river diversion. The diversity of irrigation infrastructure is partly a consequence of the topographic heterogeneity of the Fogera plains. Despite similar social-political conditions and t...

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Main Authors: Eguavoen, I., Derib, S.D., Deneke, T.T., McCartney, Matthew P., Otto, B. A., Billa, S.S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34594
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author Eguavoen, I.
Derib, S.D.
Deneke, T.T.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Otto, B. A.
Billa, S.S.
author_browse Billa, S.S.
Deneke, T.T.
Derib, S.D.
Eguavoen, I.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Otto, B. A.
author_facet Eguavoen, I.
Derib, S.D.
Deneke, T.T.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Otto, B. A.
Billa, S.S.
author_sort Eguavoen, I.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The diversity of small-scale irrigation in the Ethiopian Blue Nile basin comprises small dams, wells, ponds and river diversion. The diversity of irrigation infrastructure is partly a consequence of the topographic heterogeneity of the Fogera plains. Despite similar social-political conditions and the same administrative framework, irrigation facilities are established, used and managed differently, ranging from informal arrangements of households and 'water fathers' to water user associations, as well as from open access to irrigation schedules. Fogera belongs to Ethiopian landscapes that will soon transform as a consequence of large dams and huge irrigation schemes. Property rights to land and water are negotiated among a variety of old and new actors. This study, based on ethnographic, hydrological and survey data, synthesises four case studies to analyse the current state of small-scale irrigation. It argues that all water storage options have not only certain comparative advantages but also social constraints, and supports a policy of extending water storage 'systems' that combine and build on complementarities of different storage types instead of fully replacing diversity by large dams.
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spelling CGSpace345942023-09-23T17:51:47Z Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia Eguavoen, I. Derib, S.D. Deneke, T.T. McCartney, Matthew P. Otto, B. A. Billa, S.S. irrigation systems irrigation sources topography water user associations irrigation schemes water storage water rights land rights farmer-led irrigation The diversity of small-scale irrigation in the Ethiopian Blue Nile basin comprises small dams, wells, ponds and river diversion. The diversity of irrigation infrastructure is partly a consequence of the topographic heterogeneity of the Fogera plains. Despite similar social-political conditions and the same administrative framework, irrigation facilities are established, used and managed differently, ranging from informal arrangements of households and 'water fathers' to water user associations, as well as from open access to irrigation schedules. Fogera belongs to Ethiopian landscapes that will soon transform as a consequence of large dams and huge irrigation schemes. Property rights to land and water are negotiated among a variety of old and new actors. This study, based on ethnographic, hydrological and survey data, synthesises four case studies to analyse the current state of small-scale irrigation. It argues that all water storage options have not only certain comparative advantages but also social constraints, and supports a policy of extending water storage 'systems' that combine and build on complementarities of different storage types instead of fully replacing diversity by large dams. 2012 2013-11-21T05:04:48Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z 2013-11-21T05:04:48Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34594 en Open Access Eguavoen, I.; Derib, S. D.; Deneke, T. T.; McCartney, Matthew; Otto, B. A.; Billa, S. S. 2012. Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. Water Alternatives, 5(3):678-699.
spellingShingle irrigation systems
irrigation sources
topography
water user associations
irrigation schemes
water storage
water rights
land rights
farmer-led irrigation
Eguavoen, I.
Derib, S.D.
Deneke, T.T.
McCartney, Matthew P.
Otto, B. A.
Billa, S.S.
Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
title Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
title_full Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
title_fullStr Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
title_short Digging, damming or diverting?: small-scale irrigation in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
title_sort digging damming or diverting small scale irrigation in the blue nile basin ethiopia
topic irrigation systems
irrigation sources
topography
water user associations
irrigation schemes
water storage
water rights
land rights
farmer-led irrigation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34594
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