The history of water harvesting in Ethiopia, 4. Build your networks, make partners, and stay informed of CTCN activities and services. Figure 4. "Renewable Technology: Rainwater Harvesting". According to Conway and Schipper (2011), the dependency of farming system on rain-fed agriculture has made the Ethiopias agricultural economy extremely exposed to weather and climate effects. Milkias et al. With the help of manually operated down-pipe flap, it is possible to direct the first flush of water flow via the down-pipe, while the latter rainfall is diverted to the storage tank. 20 July 2022. Devices can be made cheaply with locally available materials such as bamboo and steel and coated with a sand and cement mix (WaterAid, no date). Such cleaning should take place annually before the start of the major rainfall season with regular inspections. For poorer households some form of financing mechanism, preferable accompanied by a subsidy, will be the only way of acquiring a rainwater harvesting system. Mortar jars are large jar-shaped vessels made from wire reinforced mortar. filter rainwater harvesting water rain vf1 commercial function system tank components vortex 110mm 450m2 stage vf However, the intervention was limited because of the low level of community participation and the declining attention by the government. These techniques, however, account for only around 40% of total precipitation. %PDF-1.6 % Rainwater harvesting systems are easy to install and operate. Storage Tanks - Storage tanks used for collecting rainwater may be either above or below the ground. The principal components of rainwater harvesting include the following: Rooftop Catchments In this technology, rainwater is collected in vessels placed at the roof edge or through gutters that drain water to the collection vessel via down-pipes, or diverting water from gutters to containers for settling particulate matters before being drained into the storage tank. We use cookies to enhance your experience. Despite its long history, only a few decades ago water harvest has received renewed attention from policymakers. Walker, Kris. Joshi, P.K., A. K. Jha, S.P. According to Ayalew et al. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Rainwater harvesting represents an adaptation strategy for people living with high rainfall variability, both for domestic supply and to enhance crop, livestock and other forms of agriculture (UNEP and SEI, 2009). Rainwater harvesting is a particularly suitable technology for areas where there is no surface water, or where groundwater is deep or inaccessible due to hard ground conditions, or where it is too salty or acidic. Catalysing low cost green technologies for sustainable water service delivery in northern Kenya. Agriculture in Ethiopia is the fundamental of the countrys economy,in which half of the gross domestic product (GDP)and 84% of export with 80% of total 110 million populationsare engaged in this sector. Using rainwater harvesting technology therefore offers a real opportunity to increase productivity in regions with low and irregular rainfall. As with ground catchments, water is generally of lower quality than direct rainfall collection. Kris has a BA(hons) in Media & Performance from the University of Salford. 5:145-158. Water collected is of acceptable quality for agricultural purposes. Tajamares are constructed in areas with clay soils at least 3 m deep. 32, ENSIC, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok.

3099067 https://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=360. A small investment providing between 50 and 200 mm of extra water per hectare per season for supplemental irrigation, in combination with improved agronomic management, can more than double water productivity and yields in small-scale rain-fed agriculture (UNEP and SEI, 2009). Therefore, from the point of view of water conservation, both internal and external catchment-based RWH had the eminent potential of mitigating rainfall-related crop production risks. The objective of this manuscript is to review the status of rainwater harvesting(RWH) technology and practices in sustaining agricultural production in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is strongly influenced by climatic and hydrological variabilities that are reflected as dry spells, droughts, and floods. endstream endobj 1269 0 obj <>/Metadata 40 0 R/Pages 1264 0 R/StructTreeRoot 64 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 1270 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 595.32 841.92]/Parent 1265 0 R/Resources<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 1271 0 obj <>stream Harare. harvesting rainwater logically Rainwater can be captured by retaining the flows of small streams and creeks in small storage containers. Running costs are reasonably low. Essentially, it includes all conventional approaches to soil and water conservation designed to enhance rainwater infiltration. Bedrock surfaces found within rocky top slopes or exposed rock outcrops in lowlands often have natural hollows or valleys which can be turned into water reservoirs by building a dam (Figure 3). Low and variable productivity in rainfed agricultural areas is the major cause of poverty of 70 per cent of the worlds poor (UNEP and SEI, 2009). Climate change is disrupting global rainfall patterns meaning some parts of the world are suffering from a drastic drop in precipitation leading to a fall in water levels in many reservoirs and rivers. The collection and storage areas need to be fenced to avoid contamination by animals. Pure rainwater can be collected from the roofs made of slates, tiles, aluminum or asbestos cement sheets and galvanized corrugated iron.

Rainfall pattern - the type of rainfall pattern, as well as the total rainfall, which prevails will often determine the feasibility of a rainwater harvesting technology. Rainwater harvesting and its application to achieving higher crop yields can encourage farmers to diversify their enterprises, such as increasing production, upgrading their choice of crop, purchasing larger livestock animals or investing in crop improvement inputs such as irrigation infrastructure, fertilisers and pest management (UNEP and SEI, 2009). Droughts or long periods of no rain conditions can affect the water supply. The characteristics that affect the rate of runoff include rainfall duration and intensity as well as the grounds slope, soil type and ground cover. To increase agricultural production and living standard in dry lands of Ethiopia, greater priority must be given to enhancing efficiency of water collection and utilization. In Eastern Ethiopia, the small farmers depend on rainy season where rainfall is from March to May and June to September, and much of the valuable water is soon lost as surface runoff. there has been an inflow of the rain up to this point, and after this, there is a gradual withdrawal of catchment storage (Raghunath, 2006). In the ground surface method water flowing along the ground during the rains is usually diverted toward a tank below the surface (Figure 2). Health hazards can arise from roofs with asbestos sheeting, metallic paint or other coverings that can contaminate the water (Gould, 1992). The water is delivered from the in situ rainfall collection area to the storage tank by means of a pump, usually driven by a windmill. Nowadays, rainwater was harvested and stored in ponds for agriculture and domestic use (Seyoum, 2003). In situations where there is a strong reliance on stored rainwater, there is a need to control or manage the amount of water being used so that it does not dry up before expected.. Since quantity and availability of rainwater ina given time in a given area is the prime factor that largely determines the performance of rain-fed agriculture, its improved efficiency can substantially augment the country's food security achieving endeavors (Awulachew et al., 2005). The rainwater collection system has low operation and maintenance costs. Recharge contribution to the wells of shallow depth was prominent than the deep wells. Thatch or palm leafed roofs can provide a low-cost alternative but can be difficult to clean and can taint the runoff. Gebre and Giorgis (1980) and Bayu and Alemu (1998) furtherconcluded that in-situ RWH practices are also more economically feasible to resource-poor farmers than ex-situ RWH methods. The provision of the storage tank is the most costly element, and usually represents about 90 per cent of the total cost (WaterAid, no date). Decrease of crop production in dry areas is linked to the water (runoff, evaporation and overindulgence use). The primary objective has been to control soil erosion and, hence, manage the negative side effects of runoff soil and water conservation measures, in order to ensure minimal runoff.

RWHis the deliberate collection of rainwater from a surface known as catchment and its storage in physical structures or within the soil profile (Mati et al., 2006).

Alternative sources of drinking water are generally sought when groundwater cannot be accessed due to hard ground conditions, or is unfit for drinking or when there is no surface water. With the system designed to have larger drain-pipe than the rainwater tank feed-pipe, excess water can be allowed to bypass the storage tank. This system works better where the soil water-holding capacity is large enough and the rainfall is equal or more than the crop water requirement, but moisture amount in the soil is restricted by the amount of infiltration and/or deep percolation (Hatibu & Mahoo, 1999). Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine. The collected rainwater can be directly used without treatment providing a clean collecting procedure has been followed. It can provide good quality water in a cost-effective manner. In Kobo Ethiopia, the outputs from flood diversion (spate irrigation) are giving confidence to the farming community. Rainfall Water Containers - Battery tanks that are interconnected and made of polyethylene, ferrocement or pottery can be used as an alternative to storage tanks. Rainfall can provide some of the cleanest naturally occurring water that is available. In Sub-Saharan Africa where two-thirds of the region is desert and dryland, the need for improving water management in the agriculture sector is particularly critical. The failure of rain and the occurrence of drought or consecutive dry periods during the growing season lead to crop with dramatic economic consequences. 1289 0 obj <>stream

Impermeable membranes can also be used to facilitate run-off. 2019. UNFCCC (2008) Nacional Adaptation Programmes of Action, Summary of Projects on Water Resources identified in submitted NAPAs as of September 2008, United Nations. Open containers are not preferred for collecting rainwater for drinking purpose. More info. The report concluded that the status of the constructed ponds was not good owing to various problems like the unavailability of plastic sheet to reduce seepage losses, lack of coordination and facilitation during implementation, while community and land holding size were not taken into account during the design and implementation. Water stored in tajamares is normally used for livestock watering and may be used for domestic consumption after filtration and/or chlorination. Clean water can be collected only after some time and there are several choices for collecting pure water. Walker, Kris. The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), UN City, Marmorvej 51, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Cracks in the storage tanks can create major problems and should be repaired immediately to avoid water loss. Key information for rainwater harvesting planning relates to the supply and demand of water (Box 2). Several types of conveyance systems exist for transporting water from the catchment to the storage device, including gutters, pipes, glides, and surface drains or channels. butt water hose overflow elbow connector fitting thread barb rainwater butts freeflush pipe adaptor pvc seal male outlet tap flexible Economic analysis of rainwater harvesting techniques. Common vessels used for small-scale water storage are plastic bowls, buckets, jerry cans, clay or ceramic jars, cement jars, and old oil drums. Owned and operated by AZoNetwork, 2000-2022, What is Rainwater Harvesting and the Importance of Harvesting Rainwater. Milkias et al. In the semi-arid areas of Ethiopia, tied ridging as in-situ water harvesting has been found to be very efficient in storing rainwater particularly in drier seasons and leads to substantial increase of yields in some of the major dry land crops including maize, sorghum wheat and mung bean regardless the different planting patterns used, i.e. Increasingly popular are ferro-cement tanks in which mortar is applied to a cylindrical wire frame which helps to control cracking. Lightweight, recycled thermoset-plastic fillers produced and supplied by Composition Materials are made from 100% recycled materials. Practical Action, Rainwater Harvesting Technical Brief, no date. These facilities can vary in size from one cubic metre to up to hundreds of cubic metres for large projects. Zimbabwe. The water is generally of lower quality than that collected directly from rainfall. In-situ rainwater conservation technologies are distinct from runoff farming systems in that they do not include a runoff generation area, instead it aims at conserving the rain where it falls in the cropped area or pasture (Alem, 1999). Alternative water sources where alternative water sources are available, this can make a significant difference to the usage pattern. However, roofs constructed with metallic paint may change the taste and color of the collected water. It is essential to ensure that storage tanks provide cover for preventing breeding of mosquitoes or algal growth, and an enclosure to reduce contamination from human or animal or other environmental contaminants. High initial investment costs for constructing rainwater collection system. Many of research found study about contribution of theeffective use of water harvest in the coming climate change,which is the only solution to adopt serious change of climate. Gould, J. E. (1992) Rainwater Catchment Systems for Household Water Supply in Environmental Sanitation Reviews, No.

The construction cost of a tajamar in Paraguay has been reported at $4,500. caroma h_k0`t,JI6XM#H`;;.>~1Y`(*2VyQaRu,C*HE|hW*I/!VyEQ|S1T)pxq; CLb6XBrHE:_byU}Y. AZoCleantech speaks to Dr. Claire Rossouw, Technical Support Manager at OMEX Environmental. Aside from overseeing the editorial and video teams, Kris can be found in far flung corners of the world capturing the story behind the science on behalf of our clients. hb```$9B eaX . The tajamares are served by distribution canals that convey water from the storage area to the areas of use.

AZoCleantech. Roof-top collection is suitable for household level application and can provide freshwater for domestic purposes and small-scale farming. During this period, rainwater was harvested and stored in ponds for agricultural and domestic water supply purposes. In Agriculture Water Management. Water harvesting technology serves as a base for the formulation of irrigation projects. In addition, incomes have been generated through sale of water. Classification of rainwater harvesting techniques, 6. But it may take long time to contribute to the deeper wells. (2019, June 04). Renewable Technology: Rainwater Harvesting. Rainwater harvesting is defined as a method for inducing, collecting, storing and conserving local surface runoff (rain or surface water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity) for agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions (Boers and Ben-Asher, 1982). The implementation of thousands of indicated above structures has been also confined with a range of problems and challenges. The Ministry of Agricultural development and respective regional Bureaus planned and implemented aggressive and ambitious water harvesting programs along with the countrys food security programs (Desta, 2006). planting in the furrow or on top of the ridge compared to the flat seedbed. There is now increasing interest in the low-cost alternativegenerally referred to as RainWater Harvesting (RWH). Surface irrigation, including river diversions development and pond system, is widely used in Tigray to irrigate plots. Review: Rainwater harvesting technology . 2. Water harvesting technologies have been quite helpful in rehabilitating degraded hillsides in Harar where the advantage of this rather is twofold: the first advantage is conserving water for seedling establishment in the upstream area, while the other is protecting the down streams from flood damage. Register a free Taylor & Francis Online account today to boost your research and gain these benefits: Review: Rainwater harvesting technology practices and implication of climate change characteristics in Eastern Ethiopia, 1 School of Natural Resource Management and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, 2 Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, Rainwater harvesting in Ethiopia: An overview, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Variability of rainfall and its current trend in Amhara region, Soil management and crop technologies for improved crop production in marginal rainfall areas of Wello, Adaptation to climate change in Africa: Challenges and opportunities identified from Ethiopia, Paper presented on a National Water Forum, Sustaining crop production in the areas of Ethiopia, Chapter 1Introduction: Grounding climate change, vulnerability, and adaptation in Africa, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indigenous knowledge as decision support tool in rainwater harvesting, Evaluating the effects of in-situ rainwater harvesting techniques on soil moisture conservation and grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.) in Fedis district, Eastern Hararghe, Ethiopia, Paper Presented for the workshop on current issues on land tenure in Ethiopia, Soil and water conservation in Ethiopia: Experiences and lessons, Sustaining the soil to indigenous soil and water conservation in Africa, Water resources management in smallholder farms in Eastern and Southern Africa: An overview, Overview of Ethiopia Rainwater Harvesting Association (ERHA), National Seminar on Rainwater Harvesting and Water Management 1112, Understanding farmers: Explaining soil & water conservation in Konso, Wolayta and Wollo, Ethiopia, Wageningen University and Research Centre.