Water Delivery Systems for Horticulture Water Delivery Systems for Horticulture Production in West AfricaProduction in West Africa

Israel is a lucky country as far as water delivery Israel is a lucky country as far as water delivery goes goes

Mekorot, its national water company is obliged by Mekorot, its national water company is obliged by law to deliver water at a 4 atm. pressure to the law to deliver water at a 4 atm. pressure to the fields of its customers. fields of its customers.

All what the farmers needs to do it to connect its All what the farmers needs to do it to connect its irrigation systems (sprinklers or drip) to the main irrigation systems (sprinklers or drip) to the main valve and start irrigating. valve and start irrigating.

However in most of the world the farmer is the However in most of the world the farmer is the one who needs to carry out all operations (drilling, one who needs to carry out all operations (drilling, pumping, deliver of water to the field) to allow pumping, deliver of water to the field) to allow irrigation of his fieldirrigation of his field

Water supply is therefore a central issue on the Water supply is therefore a central issue on the development of irrigated horticulture in Africadevelopment of irrigated horticulture in Africa

The issue of The issue of sustainable sustainable water supply is more critical water supply is more critical with TIPA than it is for private sector irrigation because with TIPA than it is for private sector irrigation because in TIPA water supply is a communally managed in TIPA water supply is a communally managed undertaking and therefore there is less personal undertaking and therefore there is less personal responsibility for maintenance of pumps and water responsibility for maintenance of pumps and water delivery network. delivery network.

The sustainability of TIPA is strongly dependent on the The sustainability of TIPA is strongly dependent on the rigidity of pumps. For this reason electric pumps rigidity of pumps. For this reason electric pumps (powered either from the electricity line of from solar (powered either from the electricity line of from solar collectors) are preferred over other pumps. collectors) are preferred over other pumps.

Since the AMG can be operated at very low pressure it Since the AMG can be operated at very low pressure it can use low energy water sources can use low energy water sources • In Ghana and Benin TIPA projects are using the height In Ghana and Benin TIPA projects are using the height differences (3-4 meters) between artificial dams and the differences (3-4 meters) between artificial dams and the fields that lay downstream of the dam (hydraulic energy). fields that lay downstream of the dam (hydraulic energy). In this case the energy is free, no need for special In this case the energy is free, no need for special reservoirs and no pumps reservoirs and no pumps • In Niger TIPA is using the energy contained in a very In Niger TIPA is using the energy contained in a very vast artesian aquifer situated 100-150 meters below vast artesian aquifer situated 100-150 meters below ground level. The water in this aquifer is under pressure ground level. The water in this aquifer is under pressure and water raises on its own energy ( no need for pumps) and water raises on its own energy ( no need for pumps) reaching the surface with a pressure ranging from 2-10 reaching the surface with a pressure ranging from 2-10 meters at ground level. The artesian borehole can be meters at ground level. The artesian borehole can be combined with concrete water reservoirs to capture the combined with concrete water reservoirs to capture the water that flows at night when the fields are not being water that flows at night when the fields are not being irrigated. irrigated.

Golinga Dam. Three meters above Golinga Dam. Three meters above fields. Sufficient pressure for fields. Sufficient pressure for AMG operationAMG operation

Vegetables. Foundation seeds productionVegetables. Foundation seeds production

Golinga AMG clusters Golinga AMG clusters

Note pipe connection on bottom leftNote pipe connection on bottom left

Close view of Golinga TIPAClose view of Golinga TIPA

TIPA by the Bowku dam in GhanaTIPA by the Bowku dam in Ghana

Artesian borehole in Niger. Free water Artesian borehole in Niger. Free water flow 24 hours a day 365 days a yearflow 24 hours a day 365 days a year

Yelou- Gaya Region (Niger) 5 ha Cluster AMG, 500 m²/producer

Pressure provided by artesian borehole (4-5 m head, 60 m3/hr)

Electricity is not available in most Sahelian villages. In Electricity is not available in most Sahelian villages. In these circumstances solar power is a substitute for these circumstances solar power is a substitute for electricity. electricity. The prices of solar panels are steadily decreasing. In The prices of solar panels are steadily decreasing. In 2010 the price of a solar panel is half the 2009 price. If 2010 the price of a solar panel is half the 2009 price. If this trend continues very soon it will be cheaper and this trend continues very soon it will be cheaper and safer to use solar rather then electric energy from safer to use solar rather then electric energy from electricity lines to power water pumps.electricity lines to power water pumps.The low pressure drip system is ideal for solar pumps as The low pressure drip system is ideal for solar pumps as compared with pressurized drip or sprinkler irrigation compared with pressurized drip or sprinkler irrigation because the latter require about 30 meters pressure to because the latter require about 30 meters pressure to operate, meaning using a large costly battery of solar operate, meaning using a large costly battery of solar panels.panels.The use of solar pumps must be accompanied by water The use of solar pumps must be accompanied by water reservoirs because clouds result in variable pumping reservoirs because clouds result in variable pumping rates and elevated (1.0m) reservoirs give a steady water rates and elevated (1.0m) reservoirs give a steady water delivery. A reservoir can be regarded as a substitute for delivery. A reservoir can be regarded as a substitute for the non sustainable and costly batteriesthe non sustainable and costly batteries

Tanka (Niger) 3 ha, 600 m²/woman Pumping at 7m hydraulic head- 90m3/day– 1.5 ha/day

9,000 US$ including three 20m³ reservoirs

Tanka village women welcome solar pumped water.Tanka village women welcome solar pumped water. Notice adjacent concrete reservoirNotice adjacent concrete reservoir

• In Senegal many TIPA sites receive water from In Senegal many TIPA sites receive water from elevated (15-20 meters) water towers used for village elevated (15-20 meters) water towers used for village water supply. The village authorities are responsible for water supply. The village authorities are responsible for maintenance of the water supply thus guaranteeing maintenance of the water supply thus guaranteeing sustainability of the water supply systems. Farmers pay sustainability of the water supply systems. Farmers pay for the water used directly to the village water authority for the water used directly to the village water authority

Some American NGOs are aggressively promoting hand Some American NGOs are aggressively promoting hand pumps and treadle pumps for water delivery. These pumps and treadle pumps for water delivery. These pumps are relatively cheap but they require a pumps are relatively cheap but they require a significantly amount of effort to operate and for this significantly amount of effort to operate and for this reason are disliked by farmers particularly by women. reason are disliked by farmers particularly by women. They are manufactured in local workshops and are of They are manufactured in local workshops and are of low quality. They break easily and are discarded by low quality. They break easily and are discarded by farmers farmers

Broken and discarded hand pumpThousands of those are littering the Sahelian landscape

Village water supply tower, the most Village water supply tower, the most

common water source for TIPA-Senegalcommon water source for TIPA-Senegal

All four options for water pumping are only All four options for water pumping are only good for lifting water from shallow aquifers good for lifting water from shallow aquifers (≈10meters deep) When water is situated at (≈10meters deep) When water is situated at greater depths one must resort to diesel greater depths one must resort to diesel powered or electricity powered pumps. powered or electricity powered pumps.

Cost of water supply for irrigation of 1 ha in Niger

qtyunit cost total amortz qty

unit cost total amortz qty

unit cost total amortz qty

unit cost total amortz

$ $ $/year $ $ $/year $ $ $/year $ $ $/yearEquipment 12 10 120 60 3 70 210 53 1 400 400 80 1 6,000 6,000 600

Well 12 30 360 90 3 100 300 30 1 200 200 20 1 200 200 20

Water distr. network 0 0 3 75 225 23 1 400 400 40 1 400 400 40

Maintenance 12 45 120 30

Fuel 0 0 1,920 0

Labor@2 $/manday 2,222 2 4,444 556 2 1,111 50 13

Labor@1 $/manday 2,222 1 2,222 556 1 556 25 6

Total 4,606 1,261 2,255 709@Labor 2$/dayTotal 2,384 706 2,205 696@Labor 1$/day

Treadle pumpHand lifting Motor pump Solar pump

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