Doubling irrigation for southern Africa - do we have enough water and where is the hope?

dc.creatorXueliang Cai
dc.creatorChilonda, Pius
dc.creatorMatete, M.
dc.date2012
dc.date2014-06-13T11:41:22Z
dc.date2014-06-13T11:41:22Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T18:25:15Z
dc.descriptionSouthern Africa Development Communality (SADC) through its Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) has set up an ambitious goal to double irrigation by 2015, which it sees as important component to sustain regional development and ensure food security. While the target timeline is questionable with year 2015 fast approaching, the goal to increase irrigated areas to 7% is certainly valid and has significant implications for regional food security and livelihood of rural population. The objective of this paper is to examine water resources in conjunction with the status of irrigation development in SADC region, and assess water availability for irrigation development. The desktop analysis builds largely upon literature, existing projects and products to integrate baseline information. The results reveal that water is sufficiently available for doubling irrigation without hampering too much on environment even with the possible impacts imposed by climate change. The potential is however largely variable from country to country, and basin to basin. To make irrigation sustainable and cost-benefit effective, irrigation expansion needs to undertake smart water resources/storages development to avoid significant impact on ecosystem functions which are all supported by water.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/38324
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/155284
dc.languageen
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceCai, Xueliang; Chilonda, Pius; Matete, M. 2012. Doubling irrigation for southern Africa - do we have enough water and where is the hope? Paper presented at the Biennial Conference and Exhibition of Water Institute of Southern Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, 7-9 May 2012. 9p.
dc.subjectirrigation-development
dc.subjectirrigated sites
dc.subjectfood security
dc.subjectwater resources
dc.subjectwater management
dc.subjectclimate change
dc.subjectrain
dc.subjectriver basins
dc.subjectrunoff
dc.subjectwater availability
dc.subjectdams
dc.subjectwater-withdrawal
dc.subjectagricultural-land
dc.titleDoubling irrigation for southern Africa - do we have enough water and where is the hope?
dc.typeConference Paper

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