production systems and water productivity in the nile basin
TRANSCRIPT
FU Berlin
For more information contact: e‐mail addressY.Mohamed@unesco‐ihe.org
Improved Agricultural Water Management In the Nile Basin
Production systems and water productivity in the Nile BasinPoolad Karimi1, An Notenbaert2, Paolo van Breugel2, David Molden1
1 International Water Management Institute, 2 International Livestock Research Institute
1. Production systems
Production systems within the Nile basin can be grouped into irrigated agriculture, rainfed agriculture,
livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and multiple use systems. Rain fed agriculture is the largest agricultural
practice in the Nile basin. More than 87% of the land (37 million ha) is under rain fed agriculture, most
of which occurs in the Ethiopian highlands and Equatorial Nile area. Irrigated agriculture is dominated
by large scale developments in Egypt and Sudan, while only relatively small areas of irrigation have so
far been developed under small scale schemes in the Upper Nile countries. Livestock production in the
basin varies from subsistence crop‐livestock production (mixed) to commercial production (FAO, 2000).
Significant numbers of livestock are concentrated in the arid and semi‐arid areas of the Nile Basin part
of Ethiopia, Kenya, the Sudan and Tanzania. Fisheries are an important contributor to the local
populations’ food security and a means of income generating and employment.
2. Livestock water productivity
3. Crop water productivity
5.Scope for improvements
Livestock water productivity in agricultural systems is the ratio of the sum of animal products and services produced to the amount of water depleted in producing them. Livestock water productivity assessments can use quantitative indicators of animal outputs (e.g., kg of meat, milk and manure or hectares of land that oxen plough) or indicators of economic and social benefits that people derive from animal keeping.
4.Aquaculture & Fisheries production
In 2007 aquaculture production in Nile basin countries reached 700,000 tons which is worth just over 1 million US$ (FAO). Egypt is the main producer of farmed fish within the basin countries with 91% of total production. Uganda aquaculture production is ranked the second producing 7% of total aquaculture production. Production in the other countries together represents less than 2% of the farmed fish. There is high potential for fisheries development in many locations in the basin, such as the Sudd.
Table 1. Nile basin countries aquaculture production quantity and value in 2007
Figure 2. Livestock water productivity in the Nile Basin
Figure 3. Land and water productivity in the Nile Basin
Figure 1. Production systems map of the Nile Basin
• In upstream countries there is a high scope for improvement of crop, livestock, and fish production
• Land productivity gains result in water productivity gains
• Providing more water access (supplemental or full irrigation) will achieve more land and water crop productivity
• Vegetation rehabilitation is a key to improved livestock water productivity
Quantity Value Country
ton % of total (USD 000) % of total
Egypt 635,516 91% 1,192,614 89%
Uganda 51,110 7% 115,662 9%
Other countries 13,808 2% 25,615 2%
Total 700,434 1,333,891
Water productivity in the Nile Basin has a large variation. In terms of SGVP/Eta, water productivity is ranging from 0.01 $/m3 in Sudan to 0.2 $/m3 in Egypt. Results show, in general higher land and water productivities in irrigated areas in Egypt and Sudan. Rainfed crops water productivity is generally low, except in patches Ethiopia and equatorial countries where they are slightly higher. In almost more than two third of areas received rainfall is not enough to meet crop’s water demand.