Traditional Irrigation Management in Betmera-Hiwane, Ethiopia: The Main Peculiarities for the Persistence of Irrigation Practices

Traditional irrigation, as part of the ancient agricultural practices in northern Ethiopia （Tigray）, has persisted for long time since 500 B.C., while many newly introduced irrigation projects have usually failed there. The main objective of this study is thus to investigate the peculiarities pertinent to irrigation management and those having contributed for the persistence of traditional irrigation practices for a long period of time. The experience gained from such areas can definitely help make irrigation management system of new irrigation schemes sustainable. Betmera-Hiwane, one of the ancient traditional irrigation areas in Tigray region, was selected for the field study. Direct observations through field visits accompanied by interviews to farmers, local officials, local knowledgeable individuals and higher officials were made. After analyzing the collected primary and secondary information, the main peculiarities that contributed to the persistence of traditional irrigation areas were identified, and they are： constructed local rules, the presence of communally locally designed hydraulic control structures, ownership feeling of the irrigators and accountability of water distributors to the irrigation management, the culture for mobilizing communal resources and the culture of self-initiating local water management strategies.

The water-saving potential of using micro-sprinkling irrigation for winter wheat production on the North China Plain

The shortage of groundwater resources is a considerable challenge for winter wheat production on the North China Plain.Water-saving technologies and procedures are thus urgently required.To determine the water-saving potential of using micro-sprinkling irrigation(MSI)for winter wheat production,field experiments were conducted from 2012 to 2015.Compared to traditional flooding irrigation(TFI),micro-sprinkling thrice with 90 mm water(MSI1)and micro-sprinkling four times with 120 mm water(MSI2)increased the water use efficiency by 22.5 and 16.2%,respectively,while reducing evapotranspiration by 17.6 and 10.8%.Regardless of the rainfall pattern,MSI(i.e.,MSI1 or MSI2)either stabilized or significantly increased the grain yield,while reducing irrigation water volumes by 20–40%,compared to TFI.Applying the same volumes of irrigation water,MSI(i.e.,MSI3,micro-sprinkling five times with 150 mm water)increased the grain yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat by 4.6 and 11.7%,respectively,compared to TFI.Because MSI could supply irrigation water more frequently in smaller amounts each time,it reduced soil layer compaction,and may have also resulted in a soil water deficit that promoted the spread of roots into the deep soil layer,which is beneficial to photosynthetic production in the critical period.In conclusion,MSI1 or MSI2 either stabilized or significantly increased grain yield while reducing irrigation water volumes by 20–40%compared to TFI,and should provide water-saving technological support in winter wheat production for smallholders on the North China Plain.