Effect of field channel index on agricultural performance in Kamala Irrigation Project, Nepal | |
| Author | Sah, Deo Narayan |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.WM-99-20 |
| Subject(s) | Kamala Irrigation Project Irrigation farming--Nepal |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering. |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The effective use of resources in irrigation has been an important concern in Asia. It has attracted considerable attention from many researchers. Beyond the farm-turn-out: on farm development is one of the important activities affecting irrigation performance as well as equity, reliability and adequacy to the users. Water management related issues are a major threat to the sustainability of the rice-wheat cropping based production system in the Kamala Irrigation Project. On-farm water use is a complex function of physical, social and economic factors and therefore the accurate prediction of farm irrigation requirements for design purposes is extremely difficult. In reality, on-farm water use is highly variable. Low performances are commonly associated with this system. High labor consumption is required. Poor water distribution, uniformity and low application efficiency are usually achieved. Increasing labor costs and labor scarcity together with low performance and low yield has not given satisfactory results for field channel development. Farmers, in reality, do not benefit from field channel development but they do get labor opportunities and food. Due to lack of field channel development, water application at plot level is still going on plot to plot, which is highly inefficient and counterproductive. Kamala Irrigation Project has been constructed with limited investment in on-farm infrastructure. It is expected that local farmers should themselves make improvement on their farms. In general, insufficient attention is paid to water control, which has a negative impact on productivity. On-farm watel'. management, amongst other factors, involves the supply, distribution and control of water for different irrigated crops in a project. Field Channel Index can combine geometrical parameters, which is very important for productivity (Yield). Yield is increases with increasing field channel density and conveyance so that each farm is individually accessible to irrigation water. The aim of study is to develop field channel index, determine the relationship between the field channel index (FCI) and crop yield and determine the benefit due to field channel development. Analysis is based on simple methodology of field measurement and discussion associated with simple mathematical calculation. Ffom the analysis it has been noted that, FCI = 0.7* FCD (km/ha)+ 0.3* conveyance/ha and FCI = {FCD (m/ha)} 0 · 6* (Conveyance) 0 · 4 , gives better correlation with different factors. For each lOm/ha increase of field channel density, 0.22 ton/ha (rice) yield is increasing, Rs 1172.2/ha benefit is increasing at the same time Rs8.4/ha/y production loss occurred by the field channel development. For each single increase of FCI, benefit increased by Rs4452/ha. A number of trials should be done by changing different parameters of the FCI in different ways in different projects and to get the optimal results, which can be considered as a subject of further research. |
| Year | 2000 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Water Engineering and Management (WM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Loof, Rainer;Babel, Mukand Singh ; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Gupta, Ashim Das;Abernethy, Charles L. ; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | The Government of Japan;Asian Institute of Technology Alumni Association;(Travel Grant); |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2000 |