Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali
IntroductionIn rainfed agricultural systems, sustainable and efficient water management practices are key to improved agricultural productivity and natural resource management. The agricultural system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) relies heavily on the availability of rainfall. With the erratic and un...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1085335/full |
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| author | Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu Karamoko Sanogo Souleymane Sidi Traore Souleymane Sidi Traore Minh Thai Fred Kizito |
| author_facet | Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu Karamoko Sanogo Souleymane Sidi Traore Souleymane Sidi Traore Minh Thai Fred Kizito |
| author_sort | Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionIn rainfed agricultural systems, sustainable and efficient water management practices are key to improved agricultural productivity and natural resource management. The agricultural system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) relies heavily on the availability of rainfall. With the erratic and unreliable rainfall pattern associated with poor and fragile soils, agricultural productivity has remained very low over the years. Much of the SSA agricultural land has been degraded with low fertility as a result of ongoing cultivation and wind and water erosion. This has resulted in an increased food shortage due to the ever-increasing population and land degradation. Better agricultural and nutritional security are further hampered by the lack of reliable access to the available water resources in the subsurface hydrological system.MethodsThis study used socio-economic data from 112 farm households and Boolean and Fuzzy methods to understand farmers' perceptions and identify suitable areas to implement Solar Based Irrigation Systems (SBISs) in the agro-ecologies of Bougouni and Koutiala districts of southern Mali.Results and discussionResults revealed that the usage of SBISs has been recent (4.5 years), majorly (77%) constructed by donor-funded projects mainly for domestic water use and livestock (88%). With regards to irrigation, vegetable production was the dominant water use (60%) enabling rural farm households to gain over 40% of extra household income during the dry season. Results further showed that 4,274 km2 (22%) of the total land area for the Bougouni district, and 1,722 km2 (18%) of the Koutiala district are suitable for solar-based irrigation. The affordability of solar panels in many places makes SBISs to be an emerging climate-smart technology for most rural Malian populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:16:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-152096d3d4dc4ce0bfc79b77661c0ea4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-581X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:16:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-152096d3d4dc4ce0bfc79b77661c0ea42023-03-02T06:29:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2023-03-01710.3389/fsufs.2023.10853351085335Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from MaliBirhanu Zemadim Birhanu0Karamoko Sanogo1Souleymane Sidi Traore2Souleymane Sidi Traore3Minh Thai4Fred Kizito5International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Bamako, MaliDepartment of Geography, Faculty of History and the Geography, University of Social Sciences and Management of Bamako, Bamako, MaliGIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Institut d'Economie Rurale, Bamako, MaliInternational Water Management Institute, Accra, GhanaInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Accra, GhanaIntroductionIn rainfed agricultural systems, sustainable and efficient water management practices are key to improved agricultural productivity and natural resource management. The agricultural system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) relies heavily on the availability of rainfall. With the erratic and unreliable rainfall pattern associated with poor and fragile soils, agricultural productivity has remained very low over the years. Much of the SSA agricultural land has been degraded with low fertility as a result of ongoing cultivation and wind and water erosion. This has resulted in an increased food shortage due to the ever-increasing population and land degradation. Better agricultural and nutritional security are further hampered by the lack of reliable access to the available water resources in the subsurface hydrological system.MethodsThis study used socio-economic data from 112 farm households and Boolean and Fuzzy methods to understand farmers' perceptions and identify suitable areas to implement Solar Based Irrigation Systems (SBISs) in the agro-ecologies of Bougouni and Koutiala districts of southern Mali.Results and discussionResults revealed that the usage of SBISs has been recent (4.5 years), majorly (77%) constructed by donor-funded projects mainly for domestic water use and livestock (88%). With regards to irrigation, vegetable production was the dominant water use (60%) enabling rural farm households to gain over 40% of extra household income during the dry season. Results further showed that 4,274 km2 (22%) of the total land area for the Bougouni district, and 1,722 km2 (18%) of the Koutiala district are suitable for solar-based irrigation. The affordability of solar panels in many places makes SBISs to be an emerging climate-smart technology for most rural Malian populations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1085335/fullclimate-smart agriculturefarmers perceptionirrigationland suitabilitysolar energysouthern Mali |
| spellingShingle | Birhanu Zemadim Birhanu Karamoko Sanogo Souleymane Sidi Traore Souleymane Sidi Traore Minh Thai Fred Kizito Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems climate-smart agriculture farmers perception irrigation land suitability solar energy southern Mali |
| title | Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali |
| title_full | Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali |
| title_fullStr | Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali |
| title_full_unstemmed | Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali |
| title_short | Solar-based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub-Sahara Africa: A case study from Mali |
| title_sort | solar based irrigation systems as a game changer to improve agricultural practices in sub sahara africa a case study from mali |
| topic | climate-smart agriculture farmers perception irrigation land suitability solar energy southern Mali |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1085335/full |
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