Irrigation & Drainage Systems Engineering

Understanding the advantage of crop water use in mixed crops over sole cropping is vital in developing optimum water management crop production in the tropical wet-and-dry climate. This study investigated water supply potential for the cultivation of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) – maize (Zea mays L.) intercrop in of South-western Nigeria. The phenological stages of each of the crops formed the basis for the investigation. The experiment comprises of two varieties of kenaf (Tainung 1 and Ifeken400), one variety of maize (DMR-LSR-Y) and two planting season (early and late). Selected moisture indices were measured daily and processed into ten-day (dekad) average for the 2007 and 2008 cropping seasons following FAO. Descriptive statistics was employed for the analysis. Relating the effective water availability to the indices of moisture adequacy for the growth of the crop in sole and intercrop, it was found that the agro-climatic moisture indices were optimum during the moisture sensitive stages particularly for early season planting irrespective of cropping pattern. A comparison of maize and kenaf production in sole or intercrop in the study area showed that early planting promotes the growth, development and yield irrespective of planting season. Mono-cropping maize and kenaf performed better than intercropping. However, water supply in rain-fed agriculture was confirmed to be efficient for maize/ kenaf intercrop in South-western Nigeria.

Bassara Dam and Irrigation Project will be of major social and economic importance for development of the region. It will create possibilities to obtain a large volume of agricultural products, extremely necessary to supply the population with food and processing industry with raw materials. The strategic goals for agriculture in Iraq should be efficient and stable growth, increased food security and high rural employment, all to be achieved in an economically efficient, socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable manner . In the short term, the priorities should be on immediate reconstruction of damaged facilities and re-establishing key agricultural services and improving their efficiency. With the establishment of a democratic government, liberalization of the economy and opening of markets, it is very likely to contribute significantly to the country's income, food security and poverty reduction.

Water resources are the most important part of the ecosystems in the Republic of Macedonia and are sensitive to climate change with regard to both, quantity and quality. Also, they are the most spatially diverse and are closest to the area of human activities. Due to the geographical location a major portion (84%) of surface water is domestic. This paper presents the vulnerability assessment of the water resources on climate change for Strumica river basin in south eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia conducted within the Third National Communication. Statistical trend analyses have been obtained on basic parameters such as air temperature, precipitation, and runoff with special attention to the southeast part of the country that was assessed within the First and Second National Communication as the most vulnerable region in the country. It was concluded that maximum runoff has no significant changes in either short-term or long-term trends. Statistical trends of the recorded precipitation and surface runoff indicate that the last decade can be recognized as a hydrological wet period. An approximate water balance model was conducted presenting the current condition (2000/2010) and projected condition (2025). In summary, as in other countries, the water resources in the Republic of Macedonia are vulnerable to potential changes in climate because of increasing demands, the sensitivity of simple water management systems to fluctuations in precipitation and runoff, and the considerable time and expenses required to implement adaptation measures.

Drainage engineering known to provide mere relief from excess surface water, water logging, rise in ground wa - ter table, and removal of accumulated toxic salts from the fields. However, since 1994 its scope was broadened and poised to cater functions of bringing social goods by enhancing food security and protection of environment. The conti - nent Africa has the minimum area under irrigation so drainage has not been promoted in general, beyond the small ar - eas under irrigation. The useful transformations of stages of nitrogen cycle occur under aerobic conditions. This study presents how good drainage will help bring aerobic condition. The study presents innovative technologies to enhance productivity of agriculture, grasslands and forest and reduce contribution of nitrous oxide. Provision of drainage on entire land uses has great potential in both irrigated and rainfed agriculture, natural or manmade forest and grasslands that will promote reduction of insect, pest and diseases in Africa. An innovative technology of auto drainage devised by author is to go long way in bringing drainage condition both under irrigated as well as the rainfed agriculture. This study while elaborating support of drainage in bringing management of nitrogen cycle depicts lack of appreciation by the professionals that limit application and cope in utilisation of potential of drainage. The study presented sufficient Justification for the change of names of existing departments of water engineering to production of professionals for execution and that for using the water related facilities for both engineering and agriculture disciplines of research and academic developments. Good scientific knowledge in the course curriculum should be broad based to bring food security and reduce global environmental problems of Greenhouse gases. Convergence of services for nitrogen and water use efficiency amply supports the need for the broadened curriculum of drainage for professional developments.

Higher temperatures and a larger variability in precipitation will cause, in general, higher irrigation water requirements. The most important non-irrigated crops for the economy of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, are corn and soybeans and the mesoregion which most contributes to the annual harvests of these crops is the Northwest region. This article aims to assess whether the impacts of climate change on agriculture in this region will be positive or negative and in what intensity they may occur. Hence, data from future climate projections generated by different climate models, as well as soil sampling for characterizing physical and hydraulic soil properties were considered. The one-dimensional SWAP model was used to estimate the irrigation water requirements. The results of the hypothesis tests performed for all simulations supports the premise that the irrigation water requirements in the near future (2025s) are not statistically different from the baseline period (1960-1990). On the other hand, water irrigation requirements in 2055s and 2085s reject this hypothesis.