Prosopis Juliflora in Spate Irrigation Systems

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Prosopis

Juliflora

in Spate

Irrigation

Systems

Dear Members,

The Spate Irrigation Network (www.spate-irrigation.org) likes to keep you updated about our activities. This time: Prosopis Juliflora in Spate Irrigation Systems.

On May 1 and 2 The GIZ- Spate Irrigation Network Regional Conference “Managing Prosopis Juliflora for better (agro-)pastoral Livelihoods in the Horn of Africa” was held in Addis Ababa. Many different organizations were involved such as university of Bonn, university of Hohenheim, Addis Ababa university, Mekelle university, Research Institute Kenya Forestry, Forestry Institute Addis Ababa and Afar Pastoral and Agro- pastoral Research Institute. Even more organizations and people showed interest in the results of the conference. In the coming week the conference documents will be uploaded at the website:

Addis Ababa 2014

For more information about Prosopis Juliflora in spate irrigation see attachments and library for documents:

- Controlling and/or Using Prosopis Juliflora in Spate Irrigated Systems

- Mesquite Trees Infestation of the Gash Spate Irrigation system in Kassala state, Sudan

Wishing you all the best,

A, F, M, L

PN25_Prosopis_Juliflora_SF.pdf
MSc_Mesquite_Trees_GASH.pdf


Dear members,

Some background information of the 2 articles:

The shared practical note gives an overview of the management, control and usage of Prosopis Juliflora in Spate Irrigation Systems in Yemen, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Pakistan and Sudan. The MSc study "Mesquite Trees Infestation of the Gash Spate Irrigation System in Kassala State, Sudan" of Hamisi Said Nzumira evaluates the impact of mesquite trees infestation on the agricultural production in Gash spate irrigation systems in Kassala State, Sudan in the period 1979 – 2013. It also recommends the alternative technical and economical feasible control measures of mesquite tree infestation in this area.

Kind regards.

- M

Dear members,

In November and December 2013, I participated in an post-project evaluation of the IFAD-funded Gash Sustainable Livelihoods Regeneration Project that was implemented between 2004 and 2012, including a major component for the rehabilitation of the Gash spate irrigation system. Mesquite eradication was one of the planned activities and at the start of the project the concerned institution responsible for the management of the Gash scheme brought heavy machinery to remove most of the mesquite. However, this approach was very costly.

Permanent titles to a fixed plot of land did not exist in the scheme until a few year back and irrigated land was distributed annually among farmers. Furthermore, the Gash scheme had a 3-year rotation cycle whereby a plot of land would be irrigated only once every 3 years. Under the project the cycle was reduced to two years. As farmers did not have a permanent plot of land, they did not feel responsible to keep the farm clean of mesquite. Therefore, mesquite could grow back very quickly, especially along the canal and on farm land that was not irrigated/cultivated for one or more years.

A few years ago, however, the newly formed water users' organisation started to allocate fixed plots of land to farmers within each tertiary hydraulic unit. From that moment, farmers know which plot of land they will cultivate every year and they started to invest in their land, including levelling AND removing the mesquite by themselves at very low cost. In this way, mesquite is controlled and more farmland is mesquite free simply after the farmers received permanent titles to a fixed plot of land.

Best regards,

- O