Evaluating Irrigation and Farming Systems with Solar MajiPump in Ethiopia
Evaluating Irrigation and Farming Systems with Solar MajiPump in Ethiopia
复制标题
DOI：
10.3390/agronomy11010017
复制
发表时间：
2021-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Prasad, P. V. Vara
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Assefa, Tewodros T.;Adametie, Temesgen F.;Prasad, P. V. Vara
埃塞俄比亚的小规模灌溉是改善和维持粮食生产系统的一项关键战略。除了使用地表水进行灌溉外，释放地下水潜力也至关重要。同样重要的是，利用土壤管理和节水系统来克服该地区土壤肥力下降和暂时缺水的问题。在这项研究中，引入了太阳能 MajiPump，使埃塞俄比亚能够利用浅层地下水源进行旱季作物生产。使用三种类型的太阳能电池板（150 W 和 200 W 刚性，以及 200 W 柔性）测试 MajiPumps（MP400 和 MP200）的排出压头和排出量。此外，与农民的实践（高架灌溉和耕作耕作系统）相比，对滴灌和保护性农业（CA）耕作系统的水生产率和作物产量进行了评估。结果表明，当使用MP400（200 W刚性）、MP400（200 W柔性）和MP200（150 W刚性太阳能电池板）时，MajiPumps的最大排出水头能力分别为18 m、14 m、10 m。相应的 MajiPump 流量范围分别为 7.8 L/min 至 24.6 L/min、3 L/min 至 25 L/min 和 3.6 L/min 至 22.2 L/min。与农民的实践相比，CA耕作和滴灌系统对灌溉蔬菜（大蒜、洋葱、卷心菜、马铃薯）和雨养玉米生产的水生产率都有显着提高。即使在高架灌溉下，与常规耕作（CT）相比，CA 下的大蒜、卷心菜、马铃薯和玉米的水分生产率也分别提高了 256%、43%、53% 和 9%。因此，无论用水系统如何，农民都可以从CA中获得显着的节水效益。然而，将 MajiPump 与 CA 和滴灌结合使用可以进一步提高水和作物生产力（即马铃薯和洋葱的水生产力分别提高了 38% 和 33%，作物生产力分别提高了 43% 和 36%）。同样，与CT相比，使用CA在MajiPump提水系统下使大蒜、卷心菜、马铃薯和玉米产量分别显着增加了170%、42%、43%和15%。总体而言，太阳能滴灌和 CA 农业系统可以有效扩大埃塞俄比亚小规模灌溉并提高小农的生产力和生计。
Small-scale irrigation in Ethiopia is a key strategy to improve and sustain the food production system. Besides the use of surface water for irrigation, it is essential to unlock the groundwater potential. It is equally important to use soil management and water-saving systems to overcome the declining soil fertility and the temporal water scarcity in the region. In this study, the solar MajiPump was introduced to enable dry season crop production in Ethiopia using shallow groundwater sources. The capacity of the MajiPumps (MP400 and MP200) was tested for the discharge head and discharge using three types of solar panels (150 W and 200 W rigid, and 200 W flexible). Besides, drip irrigation and conservation agriculture (CA) farming systems were evaluated in terms of water productivity and crop yield in comparison to the farmers' practice (overhead irrigation and tilled farming system). Results indicated that the maximum discharge head capacity of the MajiPumps was 18 m, 14 m, 10 m when using MP400 with 200 W rigid, MP400 with 200 W flexible, and MP200 with 150 W rigid solar panels, respectively. The corresponding MajiPump flow rates ranged from 7.8 L/min to 24.6 L/min, 3 L/min to 25 L/min, and 3.6 L/min to 22.2 L/min, respectively. Compared to farmer's practice, water productivity was significantly improved under the CA farming and the drip irrigation systems for both irrigated vegetables (garlic, onion, cabbage, potato) and rainfed maize production. The water productivity of garlic, cabbage, potato, and maize was increased by 256%, 43%, 53%, and 9%, respectively, under CA as compared to conventional tillage (CT) even under overhead irrigation. Thus, farmers can obtain a significant water-saving benefit from CA regardless of water application systems. However, water and crop productivity could be further improved in the combined use of MajiPump with CA and drip irrigation (i.e., 38% and 33% water productivity and 43% and 36% crop productivity improvements were observed for potato and onion, respectively). Similarly, compared to CT, the use of CA significantly increased garlic, cabbage, potato, and maize yield by 170%, 42%, 43%, and 15%, respectively under the MajiPump water-lifting system. Overall, the solar-powered drip irrigation and CA farming system were found to be efficient to expand small-scale irrigation and improve productivity and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia.