1.7
AFAR REGION’S IRRIGATION
PRACTICE
Shimelis Faye
Population and Climate
 The Region is Divided in to five administrative
zone & thirty one woredas and the population
is estimated to be about 3M
 Annual precipitation ranges from 150- 500mm
 Average daily temperature is 45oC when high
and 20 -25oC when low
Livelihoods
 Pastoral & Agro-Pastoralist
Agricultural Practice
 Rain fed Agriculture
 Irrigated Agriculture
Rain fed Agriculture
 Cannot fully support/ in adequate/ for crop
growth hence, irr. Is a must in the region
Irrigated Agriculture
 About 20 surface irr. schemes were
constructed on perennial rivers to cultivate
about 1700 ha of land and two schemes were
constructed to irrigate 290 ha of land by
diverting Ephemeral rivers
Irr.Ag. Cntd….
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Tali and Alena irrigation projects were built in
2007/2008 to utilize Ephemeral rivers Tali and
Gulina respectively.
Tali was to cultivate 90ha of land but couldn’t
achieve the goal last season b/c ( i.e. only farmers
near the headwork could cultivate their land)
gates at the headwork were not operational
Community participation is weak
Land preparation is not made favorable to trap the
flood( i.e. bunds were not made ready)
The headwork has got silted up by one day flood
Irr.Ag. Cntd….
 Tali irr. project headwork
Irr.Ag. Cntd….
 Alena irr. Project is where there is active
community participation and some of the
proposed land cultivated using the flood
 Since the headwork is masonry weir
 Gate operation during high flood was not
correct and scouring of the field and silting up
of the weir up to the rim.
Irr.Dev. Cntd….
 The undefined nature of the river banks
 The susceptibility of the soil to erosion are
other threat of the region in general
Opportunities for spate and other
irr. In the region
 There are many perennial &Ephemeral rivers
flowing from the neighboring high lands
 Ground water is also one of the water
resource which can be used
 Perennial rivers are: More than 30 perennial Rivers are flowing in
the region including Awash and Kesem Kebena
Opportunities Cntd……
 Ephemeral Rivers: Logia, Yalo Gulina, Tali and many other descending
from the mountains of Amhara and Tigray
Opportunities Cntd……
 Because of shortage of rain to fully grow
crops irrigation is a must in general and the
presence of many seasonal rivers flowing in
the region in particular makes flood utilization
ideal
 Need of the community to participate in
irrigated agriculture both for food and fodder
production since rain couldn’t support their
livelihood
Some of the schemes and the
problems in picture
Dalifage IP whose bank is widened beyond the weir crest length
Pictures Cntd……
Dalifage