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Irrigation farming in Africa
understand reasons for the importance of irrigation in China.
understand the main methods of irrigation used in China.
A understand the principles and use of hydroponics.
A recognise and describe irrigation farming in China from photographs.
A appreciate the importance of rice growing and irrigation in China.
appreciate the lessons Uganda can learn from rice growing and the Gezira
irrigation scheme.
Introduction
A large number of people in Africa are dependent on agriculture.
In the past years farmers used to wait for seasons to plant their crops and the dry seasons were mainly known for harvest. Currently, due to the improvements in technology, there are many new developments and innovations in the agricultural
sector and among the new technologies is irrigation farming.
With irrigation farming, various crops are grown either in dry or wet seasons. In this chapter you are going to learn why irrigation is becoming particularly important in African farming, and the methods of small scale and large-scale irrigation.
Irrigation Farming in Africa
In your community you might have seen people watering crops. Which crops were they watering? How were they doing it? Irrigation is largely carried out in the semi-desert or desert areas of Sub-Saharan Africa where little or no rainfall is received. It is divided into small-scale and large-scale. After doing tasks in activity 24.1, you will understand irrigation farming in Africa.
You have realised that when a region does not have sufficient natural rain water to meet the requirements of plants, water is provided artificially. This is called irrigation farming. Irrigation becomes necessary whenever rainfall does not come or is insufficient. Though most of the African countries are more fortunate in terms of rainfall amount and distribution, it also has a number of semi-arid lands. Therefore improving agriculture in semi-arid areas largely depends on irrigation.
Irrigation has a number of methods and these are classified according to water supplied to plants. There are many types of irrigation systems in which water is supplied to the entire field uniformly. Irrigation water can come from groundwater, through springs or wells, surface water, through rivers, lakes, or reservoirs, or even other sources, such as treated wastewater or desalinated water. As a result, it is critical that farmers protect their agricultural water source to minimize the potential for contamination. After doing tasks in activity 24.2, you will understand the methods of irrigation used in Africa.
1.Identify the methods of irrigation shown in each shown in figure 24.1.
2.Explain the methods identified in (1).
3.State areas in Africa where photographs in figure 24.1 could have been taken from.
4.Present your findings to the rest of the class through a discussion.
You have learnt that irrigation involves the application of water to the plants uniformly so that each plant has the amount of water it needs neither too much nor too little. you should have noted that irrigation makes the continuous supply of agricultural products both in the wet and dry seasons. The irrigation farming sector contributes to the socio-economic development Of African states in a number of ways. After doing tasks in activity 24.3, you will find out the importance of irrigation farming in Africa.
Understanding the importance of irrigation farming
Activity 24.3
In groups; carry out textbook or internet research and do the tasks that follow.
1 Discuss the Importance of irrigation farming in Africa.
2 How have people managed to control the physical landscape of Africa using
modern technology.
3 Present your work to the rest of the class through a discussion.
You have found out that irrigated crop yields are double or more than comparable
to rainfed yields, irrigation has become more important in Africa since it boosts
the continent’s agricultural productivity.
Gezira Irrigation Scheme
Gezira irrigation scheme is found in Sudan. Why do you think Sudan relies a lot on irrigation farming? Did you know that Gezira irrigation scheme is one of the schemes the country relies on for agriculture? It is one of the largest irrigation projects in the world. The Gezira Scheme was begun by the British while the area was governed as part of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Water from the Blue Nile is distributed through
canals and ditches to tenant farms lying between the Blue and White Nile rivers. It is particularly suited to irrigation because the land slopes away from the Blue Nile and water therefore naturally runs through the irrigation canals by gravity. After doing tasks in activity 24.4, you will discover the location of Gezira.
Activity 24.4
Discovering the location of the Gezira scheme
In groups, study map in fig 24.2 and do the tasks that follow
1.Copy the map in figure 24.2 in your note books.
2.Describe the location of Gezira irrigation scheme.
3.Why do you think the Gezira irrigation scheme was built where it is?
4.What are the methods of irrigation used at Gezira irrigation scheme?
5.Present your findings to the teacher for further guidance.
You have learnt that Sudan is one of the African countries which has benefited from irrigation farming. This means that with modern technology, everything can be possible in terms of food crop production. You should have further noted that irrigation is an expensive venture which requires a lot of capital and government support. For any irrigation scheme to be set up in an area, there must be something that favours its set up. After doing tasks in activity 24.5, you will find out the factors influencing the
development of Gezira irrigation scheme.
Activity 24.5
Understanding the factors influencing the development of
Gezira irrigation scheme
In pairs; carry out textbook or internet research and do the tasks that follow.
1 Explain the factors that influence the development of Gezira irrigation scheme.
2 Present your work to the rest of the class through a discussion.
3 Present your work to the teacher for further guidance.
You have learnt that, a number of factors such as favourable relief have largely influenced the development of Gezira irrigation scheme. The scheme is managed by Gezira irrigation board. It provides farmers with seeds, fertilizers, machinery and technical advice. The government provides land and it is responsible for the extension of the irrigation water to the scheme. After doing tasks in activity 24.6, you will explore the organization of Gezira irrigation scheme.
Activity 24.6
Exploring the organisation of Gezira irrigation scheme
Carry out a text book or internet search and do the tasks that follow.
1 How does the Gezira irrigation scheme work?
2 Which technique can Uganda copy from Gezira irrigation scheme and why?
3 Present your findings to the teacher for further guidance.
You have learnt that the management of Gezira scheme used to be undertaken by three institutions: the Sudan Gezira Board (SGB), the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resource (MOIWR), the Water Users Associations (WUAs).
The SGB was responsible for agriculture management, the MOIWR was responsible for controlling the irrigation system, and the farmers were responsible for managing and irrigating their farms. Currently, the Gezira scheme is operated by over 5,000 staff from the Ministry of Irrigation (MOI) and the Sudan Gezira Board (SGB).
Have you realised that the largest area of Sudan lies in the desert climatic zone? Areas in such climatic zones are hot and dry throughout the year.
Sudan has a short rain season from July to September. The annual average rainfall is only 161 mm. Temperatures are highest during the day. They range between 400C to 500C. After doing tasks in activity 24.7, you will understand the climate of Gezira irrigation scheme.
Understanding the climate of Gezira irrigation scheme
In groups; study the information in table 24.1 and do the tasks that follow.
Table 24.1: Climate data of Gezira irrigation scheme
1.Identify months with;
(b) Highest and lowest rainfall
(a) Highest and lowest temperatures
2.Draw a bar graph to represent the climate of Gezira irrigation scheme
3.In which months of the year do you think irrigation is mostly needed at Gezira
irrigation scheme? Give reasons to support your answer.
4..Explain ways in which climate change can affect irrigation farming.
5.Exchange your work with your neighbour and make comments.
Present it to the rest of the class for further discussions.
Benefits of the Gezira Irrigation Scheme to Sudan
Irrigation has been a priority in Sudan due to its water scarcity, contributing around 30 percent of agricultural production. After doing tasks in activity 24.8, you will understand find out the benefits of Gezira irrigation scheme.
Finding out the benefits of Gezira irrigation scheme
Activity 24.8
In groups, study photographs A-D in figure 24.3 and do the tasks that follow.
1 Observe and identify what you see in each ofthe photographs in figure 24.3.
2 Explain how the Gezira irrigation scheme has contributed to what you observed.
3 Present your work to the rest of the class through a discussion.
Difficulties Faced by Gezira Irrigation Scheme
Although irrigation farming in Sudan is developed with a number of schemes, there
are a number of difficulties faced. After doing tasks in activity 24.9, you will be able
to identify the difficulties faced by Gezira irrigation scheme.
Activity 24.9
Identifying difficulties faced by Gezira irrigation scheme In groups,
You have learnt that the major problems facing the Gezira irrigation scheme tenants include poor operation and maintenance. e Government Cooperation with Small Scale Farmers Governments are the primary actors in the physical, social, and economic aspects of a nation’s food security, so any attempts to improve agriculture and food security outcomes must also consider the role of governance. It is a two-way relationship. Stable agriculture and food security systems can help to establish stable and transparent governments, which contribute to more inclusive and effective agriculture and food security systems.
This is why the government of Sudan is laying heavy emphasis on the importance of developing cooperation with small scale farmers. After doing tasks in activity 24.10, you will understand the cooperation between government and local farmers.
Understanding cooperation between government and local farmers
In pairs; carry out library research or search the intemet to on the Gezira scheme and:
You have learnt that the Gezira faces major government interventions that include mandating cropping patterns, provision of irrigation water, land management practices, fertilizer application, and the setting of input and output prices for wheat and cotton. The government is heavily involved in production and marketing decisions. The government preference for controls prevents the private sector from competing with or complementing the inefficient state monopolies.
Position of China
In Senior One, you learnt about locating places on a map.
Using that knowledge locate China on the world map. You can use the atlas to identify water bodies and boundaries surrounding China.
Have you ever heard that China is the world’s third largest country after Russia and Canada? After doing tasks in activity 24.11, you will be able to learn more about the location of china,
Understanding the location of china
Study figure 24.4 and do the tasks that follow.
You
1.Find out the continent in which China is found.
2.Identify the countries that share boundaries with china.
3.Find out the water bodies found on the Eastern part of China.
34.Exchange work with your neighbour and comment on each other’s work
have noted that China is located in Southeast Asia along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean. It has an area Of 9.6 million square kilometres making it the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada. But with approximately 1,357,380,000 people, China is the world’s most populous country.
Due to its massive size, China is bordered by fourteen countries. China has more different political units as immediate neighbors than any other country except Russia. On land, China shares borders with fourteen states. The most important of these are Russia, North Korea, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and four states of Central Asia.
At sea, Chinese territorial claims about or overlap with those of some of the same states plus six others, including South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia. China has maritime boundaries with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia. Some of the water bodies include yellow sea, Lake Balkhash and Yangtze river.
The climate of China
The climate of China is characterised by the large size of the country. In the north, the climate is temperate with summer temperatures and very cold winters. In the south, it is subtropical with very hot summers and mild winters. After doing tasks in activity 24.17, you will understand more about the climate of china.
Understanding the climate of China
In groups; study maps in figure 24.5 and figure 24.6 and do the tasks that follow.
Copy map in figure 24.5 in your note books.
Identify the; Wet areas. (b) Drier areas.(c) Very dry areas.
Copy map in figure 24.6 in your exercise book.
You have learnt that precipitation in China generally follows the same pattern as temperatures that is to say decreasing from the South East to Northwest. China’s southern cities experience monsoon råinfall during summer. In some areas especially in the dry northwest changes in precipitation every year are greater in the coastal area.
Activity 24.13 Weather forecasting
Study the weather forecast in figure 24.7 and do the tasks that follow.
(b) What season do you think this could be?
(c) What is the low temperature for Tuesday?
(d) Which two days have the same high temperature?
2 Observe the atmosphere around your school and make a weather forecast for 7 days.
3 Describe how weather forecasts are made.
4 Do you think weather forecasts are useful to us? Give a reason for your answer
5 Present the work to the teacher for further guidance.
You might have learnt that the weather forecast predicts what the temperatures and air conditions will be in the near future. Weather forecasting is therefore the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Weather forecasts are issued for example to save lives. There are a variety of forecasting techniques but the easiest one is called persistence, tomorrow’s weather
is same as today’s weather.
Irrigation Farming in China
Although China’s agricultural output is the largest in the world, only 10% of its total land area can be cultivated. China’s arable land, which represents 10% of the total arable land in the world, supports over 20% of the world’s population. While the production efficiency of farmland has grown over time in China, efforts to expand to the west and the north have met with limited success, as such land is generally colder and drier than traditional farmlands to the east.
China’s limited space for farming has been a problem throughout its history, leading to chronic food shortage and famine. This is the main reason as to why they resorted to irrigation farming . At present the country has a total irrigated area of 46 million hectares accounting for 46% of the total cultivated land. Having covered irrigation farming in Africa, the knowledge acquired will help you discover the methods of
irrigation used in China after doing tasks in activity 24.13.
Methods of irrigation in China
Discovering methods of irrigation in China
In groups; study photographs A-E in figure 24.9 and do the tasks that follow.
Figure 24.9: Methods of irrigation in china
1 Identify the methods of irrigation shown in each photograph in figure 24.9
2 State areas in China where irrigation is commonly practiced.
3 Exchange your work with your neighbour and make comments.
4 Present your work to the teacher for further guidance.
You have learnt that there are different types of irrigation practised in China for improving crop yield. These types of irrigation are practised based on the different types of soil, climates, crops and resources. They include; Surface Irrigation,Sprinkler Irrigation, Drip Irrigation, Centre Pivot Irrigation and pipe line irrigation. In surface irrigation system, no irrigation pump is involved. Here, water is distributed across the land by gravity.
In sprinkler irrigation system, water is distributed from a central location by overhead high-pressure sprinklers or from sprinklers from the moving platform. In centre pivot irrigation system, the water is distributed by a sprinkler system moving in a circular pattern. The various sources of water for irrigation are wells, ponds, lakes, canals, tube- wells and even dams. Irrigation offers moisture required for growth and development,germination and other related functions.
The rate, amount and time of irrigation are different for different crops and also vary according to the types of soil and seasons. For example, summer crops require a higher amount of water as compared to winter crops.
Importance of irrigation farming in china
You learnt about irrigation farming in Africa. You noted that Sudan has benefitted a lot from Gezira irrigation scheme. Similarly, other countries that practice irrigation farming like China have benefited from it. The productivity of irrigated land is more than the un-irrigated land. Crop yields everywhere in the developing world are consistently higher in irrigated areas than in rain fed area. Irrigation contributes to the economic growth and poverty reduction.
As income and employment are closely related to output and irrigation increases production, substantial increase in income is achieved in the countryside. After doing tasks in activity 24.14, you will understand the importance of irrigation farming in china.
Activity 24.15
Understanding the importance of irrigation farming in china
In groups; carry out a text bok or internet reseach on the importance of irrigation
farming in China and do the following tasks
1 Discuss the importance of irrigation farming in China.
2 Swap your work with your neighbour and make comments.
3 Present your work to the teacher for further guidance.
Rice growing in China
China is the world’s largest producer of rice and accounts for 30 percent of all world rice production. Rice growing conditions in China vary because of topography and weather but the crop is basically irrigated. After doing tasks in activity 24.15, you will understand the stages of growing rice in China.
Activity 24.16
Understanding the stages of rice production in china
Study photographs A-F in figure 24.11 and do the tasks that follow.
1.Describe the stages of rice production shown in photographs in figure 24.11.
2.Draw a flow diagram to represent the stages described in (1).
3.Suggest reasons why irrigation is important in rice growing.
4.What lessons can Uganda learn from rice growing in china?
5.Present your findings to the rest of the class through a discussion.
You have probably learnt that many steps are involved in the production of rice. All steps are vital and affect the overall quality of the yield hence knowledge in each step is crucial. The stages include; preparing land for planting, seed selection, sowing the rice seeds, transplanting, planting, weeding, harvesting and sun drying or winnowing.
Areas of rice growing in China
In China rice is grown in specific areas in various provinces. Basically, our interest in this section is to understand areas of rice growing in China. After doing tasks in activity 24.14, you will understand areas of rice growing in china.
Activity 24.17 understanding areas of rice growing in china
Carry out a textbook or internet search on the rice growing areas in China and do the following tasks:
1 Draw a sketch map of China and on it mark and label areas of rice growing in China.
2 Display your maps on the wall for your friends to see and make comments.
3 Compare your map with others displayed and make changes to your map if necessary.
4 Besides rice, which other crops are grown on irrigated farms in China?
5 Discuss the importance of growing rice in China.
6 Describe the problems associated with rice growing in China
7 Compile your answers for a class presentation through a discussion.
You might have realised that rice cultivation is highly labour intensive. Rice is grown as a wetland crop in fields flooded to supply water during the growing season. Rice is the most important food crop of the developing world and the staple food of more than half of the world’s population. Rich in nutrients and vitamins and minerals, it’s an excellent source of complex carbohydrates.
Nine out of every ten people in the world who eat rice are Asian. The major problems confronting rice production in China are narrow genetic background, overuse of fertilizers and pesticides, breakdown of irrigation infrastructure, oversimplified crop management, and a weak extension system.
Hydroponic farming
Hydroponics is an ideal concept for today’s agriculture sector which struggles to
find new fertile lands for crop productions and will enable crops to be grown in
greenhouses or in multilevel buildings.
You have seen some plants growing on water where there is no soil for example the water hyacinth. People have developed many methods of growing crops especially vegetables in water where plant nutrients have been dissolved. This method of growing crops in water rich in mineral nutrients is called hydroponics. Crops grown in hydroponic system will require less growing time since they get
all the nutrients they need. After doing tasks in activity 24.17, you will be able to understand the principles and use of hydroponics.
Activity 24.18
Principles and use of hydroponics
In groups, study photographs A-D in figure 24.13 and do the tasks that follow.
1.Explain how hydroponics farming systems work.
2.Describe the basic principles of hydroponics.
3.Discuss the benefits of hydroponic farming.
4.Present your work to the teacher for further guidance.
You have learnt that the word hydroponics comes from the roots “hydro” meaning water and “ponos” meaning labour. This method of gardening does not use soil. Hydroponics is a good method for growing plants, vegetables and herbs. Compared to the cultivation in soil, the plants also get everything they need to grow through the nutrient’s solution delivered directly to the roots.
The various types of hydroponic growing systems include; Aeroponic systems; these require only air and some nutrients. The crops are suspended on a tray which contains water and nutrients at the bottom, with the roots hanging in the air. Drip system is the most widely used type of hydroponic system. Nutrient-rich water is pumped via small tubes and drips on to the top of the plants, with a timer controlling the submersed pump. In a nutrient film technique system; plants are supported in small plastic baskets in a tray with their roots hanging into a nutrient solution.
End of Chapter Summary
In this chapter you have learnt that;
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil through various systems for example tubes, pumps, and sprays. Irrigation farming is usually used in areas where rainfall is irregular or where drought is expected. Because irrigated crop yields are double or more than comparable rainfed yields, irrigation is becoming increasingly important in Africa. There are three main types of irrigation systems in Africa namely surface, sprinkler and drip irrigation.
With irrigation farming the problems of the physical landscape can be overcome using the modern technology. In china rice is the main crop grown on irrigated fields. Some of the factors that have favoured irrigation farming include; favourable relief, availability of expansive land, availability of water provided by water bodies, availability of enough capital and political stability.
Assignment
ASSIGNMENT : Sample Activity of Integration on Irrigation farming in Africa MARKS : 10 DURATION : 1 week, 3 days