Study on irrigation development potential which reflect divers water use in Africa

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22601
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0604:Agricultural economics and rural sociology, agricultural engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Oka Naoko 国立研究開発法人国際農林水産業研究センター, 農村開発領域, 主任研究員 (90879933)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ため池 / 水利用 / 灌漑 / 生活用水 / アフリカ / 農村

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study aimed to assess the irrigation development potential of multi-purpose reservoirs against the background of the problem of the lack of widespread irrigation use of reservoirs. The survey results of the reservoir storage and potential beneficiary areas of ten reservoirs in northern Ghana showed that most reservoirs do not have the water storage capacity to irrigate all the potential irrigation development sites. Based on the topography and land use status, it was determined that 20% to 40% of the land within the assumed irrigation development areas was not suitable for irrigation. The per capita water use was estimated from the analysis of observed data on household water use, which is the main component of existing water use from the reservoirs. From the findings obtained, it is possible to estimate the water available for irrigation if the reservoir's stored water is used for irrigation while ensuring domestic water use.

Free Research Field

農業環境工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ガーナ北部の近年設置されたため池について、灌漑適性が低いため池や受益地が含まれることを明らかにした。アフリカ農村部における生活用水の調査は、これまで聞き取りや観察による推計に頼っており長期的な実測例はなかったが、本研究ではガーナ北部の農村世帯を対象に２年９カ月にわたりセンサーを用いて家屋内で使用される水量の計測を用い、一人当たり家屋内での利用水量を定量化した。定量化した値は、現地の生活や生産活動の実態に即した基本的な水利用の主要要素であり、灌漑計画の前に確保すべき水需要量である。これらの知見から、灌漑に利用できるため池貯水量を算定するための数式を提案でき、持続的な灌漑計画立案に貢献できる。