Water Harvesting in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Synopsis
Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa is constrained by highly variable rainfall, frequent drought and low water productivity. There is an urgent need, heightened by climate change, for appropriate technologies to address this problem through managing and increasing the quantity of water on farmers’ fields – water harvesting. This book defines water harvesting as a set of approaches which occupy an intermediate position along the water-management spectrum extending from in situ moisture conservation to irrigated agriculture. They generally comprise small-scale systems that induce, collect, store and make use of local surface runoff for agriculture. The authors review development experience and set out the state of the art of water harvesting for crop production and other benefits in Sub-Saharan Africa. This includes an assessment of water harvesting schemes that were initiated two or three decades ago when interest was stimulated by the droughts of the 1970s and 1980s. These provide lessons to promote sustainable development of dryland agriculture in the face of changing environmental conditions. Case studies from eight countries across Sub-Saharan Africa provide the evidence base. Each follows a similar format and is based on assessments conducted in collaboration with in-country partners, with a focus on attempts to promote adoption of water harvesting, both horizontally (spread) and vertically (institutionalization). Introductory cross-cutting chapters as well as an analytical conclusion are also included.
Copyright:
2013

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
224 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781136273056
Related ISBNs:
9780415537735, 9780415537865, 9780203109984
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
William Critchley, John Gowing
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
Nonfiction, Technology, Earth Sciences
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.
Edited by:
William Critchley
Edited by:
John Gowing

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