Arjo-Dedessa Irrigation Project Feasibility Study Summary
1. Project Overview
The Arjo-Dedessa Irrigation Project is a major agricultural development initiative in Ethiopia's Oromiya National Regional State, covering parts of Illubabor, East Welega, and Jima zones. The project aims to develop irrigated agriculture using the Dedessa River as a water source.
| Project Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Gross Command Area | 17,825 hectares |
| Left Bank Area | 7,450 hectares (55%) |
| Right Bank Area | 6,215 hectares (45%) |
| Reservoir Area | 8,500 hectares |
2. Agricultural Context
The project addresses Ethiopia's food security challenges by:
- Increasing agricultural productivity through irrigation
- Diversifying crop production
- Improving farmer livelihoods
- Aligning with national Agricultural Development Led Industrialization (ADLI) strategy
3. Key Findings
3.1 Soil Characteristics
Predominantly vertisols with:
- Texture ranging from sandy loam to clay
- Soil depth: 50cm to 500cm
- pH: 6.7 (neutral)
- Organic content: 0.29% to 11.11%
3.2 Climate Data
| Parameter | Range |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 20°C (Dec) to 25.4°C (Mar) |
| Relative Humidity | 56.63% (Mar) to 88.63% (Sep) |
| Annual Rainfall | 1,452.9 mm |
| Reference Evapotranspiration | 1,397 mm/year |
3.3 Current Agricultural Practices
Existing crops include:
- Cereals: maize, sorghum, teff, barley, wheat
- Pulses: horse beans, field peas
- Oilseeds: noug, sesame, linseed, rapeseed
- Vegetables: potato, onion, cabbage, pepper
4. Proposed Development
4.1 Cropping Systems
The study proposes:
- Introduction of new crops like rice, groundnut, and carrot
- Three-phase implementation with increasing cropping intensity
- Integrated farming systems combining crops, livestock, and fisheries
4.2 Water Requirements
Detailed crop water requirements calculated using FAO methodology, including:
- Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) calculations
- Crop coefficients (Kc) for different growth stages
- Effective rainfall considerations
- Irrigation scheduling plans
5. Implementation Strategy
The project recommends:
- Improved agricultural extension services
- Enhanced research-extension-farmer linkages
- Post-harvest technology improvements
- Value addition through agro-processing
- Capacity building for farmers
6. Expected Outcomes
Projected benefits include:
- Increased crop yields through irrigation
- Improved food and nutritional security
- Enhanced farmer incomes
- Sustainable land and water resource management
- Rural employment generation