Sustainability at Tibila Irrigation Based Integrated Development Project
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Date
2012-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study analyzed the sustainahility of Tibila irrigation based integrated development project
loea/ed in Arsi Zone of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Results are based on primOly and seconc/Cl1y dala
collected f rom a sample survey of 110 households, focus groups discussion and key informant
interviews as Hlell as secondwJ' documenl analysis. Analysis in descriptive s/o/is/ieal methods using
SPSS, IBM is used and analysis of qualitative information supplemented the result. The project was
analyzed against socio-economic, technical and environmental sus!cdnability 's. The scheme is a new
large scale irrigation based development project under implementation and development. lJ was
planned to cover about 7000ha of land when totally completed and will support a population more
than 16000. Currently about 2000/emuers are using 1200ha of land to produce with. The results Ii/
the sludy revealed Ihal 'within the fhree year lim e, the farmers were producing 3-6 rounds and il is
fo und fhal farm households have started 10 grow crops which were not previously grown in the areas
such as passion fruits. It was also found (hat il has a positive hnpact on their ;'1come, on employment
improvement as well as on the living standard oftheirfamilies. In addition, through time beneficiclIY
farm households depend more on the production ji-om their irrigated/ields, which enabled them to
harvest more than once a year. Therefore, as beneficiOlY farmers shift to high value but perishable
commodities, emphasis should be given to market ;'1g extension, espedal/y infadhtaling markels and
markel linkages to farmers. Furthermore, Through time Ihe demand for irrigation waler increases
among benejiciclIY farmers. As a result, scarcity of water especially during the peak period is
experienced Some conflicts on waler use (mel distribution are also experienced among the
benefiCiaries due 10 certain technical faulls, management challenges and some inefficiency's. Even
though Environmental challenges such as sahnity, logging and erosion are al their inilial stage,
emphasis should be given to water shed managemenl and improvedfarming land and in-;gation waler
management practices. Waler User Association or organization and farmers have /0 be strengthened
and empowered in depth in technical, i.e. water managemenl, fanning lechnologies, institutional and
scheme adminiSlraiions and in environmental issues 10 use Ihe scheme on suslainable basis \l llile
keeping the socia-economic and ecological balances in the basin.
(Key words: - Sustainability, Water management, socio-economic and ecological balancel
Description
Keywords
Sustainability,, Water management,, socio-economic and ecological balancel