PhD defence

Strategies to cope with risks of uncertain water supply in spate irrigation systems

PhD candidate mr. EM (Eiman) Fadul Bashir
Promotor CMS (Charlotte) de Fraiture
External copromotor Dr. Ilyas Masih
Organisation Wageningen University, Water Resources Management
Date

Wed 8 January 2020

Venue IHE Delft Institute for Water Education

Summary

Spate irrigation is dependent on floods from seasonal rivers, and is mainly practised in arid to semi-arid climatic zones. The dependent communities need to manage the highly variable and unreliable water supply from unpredictable floods. This study analysed the water supply risks resulting from high, low, and untimely floods including their impacts on spate irrigation performance in the Gash Agriculture Scheme, Sudan. The analysis of risks and coping strategies was done at field, farm to irrigation system scales, and for different stakeholders (farmers, water managers and water user associations). The adoption and effectiveness of existing management practices was evaluated and alternative solutions were investigated that can enhance flexibility. The findings of this study contribute to scarce knowledge on spate irrigation system and provide scientifically sound and evidence-based insights to aid informed policy and decision making to improve productivity and sustainability of the spate irrigation systems.