3.1. Farmers’ practices
The practices of the rice farmers in the three areas are summarized in Table 3. We concentrate on those practices that relate to the five main problem categories identified in the focus group discussions: (1) water access and distribution, (2) maintenance of the irrigation infrastructure, (3) rice production cycles, (4) selling, and (5) agricultural financing.
3.1.1. Water access and distribution
In the first production season (September–December) all rice farmers in Koussin-Lele can take as much irrigation water from the Koussingo-Lele go streams they need. However, in the dry season from January to March the water discharge decreases and water becomes scarce, irrigating only 63% of all the plots (about 97 ha) sufficiently. In addition, the irrigation canals are sometimes choked with plants, decreasing the discharge capacity of the canals and the velocity of water flow. In order to cope with the dry season shortage, the farmers have established a calendar that defines at which time and for how long each group can get water to their plots, by opening and closing gates in the secondary canals. However, some farmers bypass this regulation by fraudulently opening the gates that control the water flow (mainly at night).
Some also make holes in the primary canal banks and attribute the damage to crabs (which indeed frequently break canal banks as well). Generally, the transgressors manage to bypass the regulation for water distribution without being punished.
In Bame, 19 farmers produce rice all the year in the inland valleyon 4.5 ha under gravity irrigation and on 10 ha in the upland
area using pump irrigation. For gravity irrigation the farmers use and share the water from the Ahoho and Agluiglui streams that
run through the valley. Each of the 10 farmers that produce on the uplands uses his own (mobile) motorpump for irrigation. They do not have to share water and are independent in their practices. The focus group discussions revealed that during
the dry season 12 of the rice growers concentrate their activities in the valley because pumping water for the upland plots means additional production cost of fuel. The farmers have not established rules for water sharing during the dry season although the water level decreases and becomes insufficient for irrigation. Many farmers manage by delaying their rice cultivation and, because of this delay, not all farmers need water for irrigation at exactly the same time.
In Zonmon, 21 rice farmers use an area of 5 ha under gravityirrigation. The production site is irrigated by the Somete stream
and the water that flows from Bame (via the Agluiglui and Ahoho streams). There is free water distribution among farmers;
at any time a farmer who wants to irrigate his plots just opens the gate. However, from January to February the water level in the Somete stream is often lower than the level at the intake from the canal. In this critical period the farmers use a small rented motorpump to
3.1. Farmers’ practicesThe practices of the rice farmers in the three areas are summarized in Table 3. We concentrate on those practices that relate to the five main problem categories identified in the focus group discussions: (1) water access and distribution, (2) maintenance of the irrigation infrastructure, (3) rice production cycles, (4) selling, and (5) agricultural financing.3.1.1. Water access and distribution In the first production season (September–December) all rice farmers in Koussin-Lele can take as much irrigation water from the Koussingo-Lele go streams they need. However, in the dry season from January to March the water discharge decreases and water becomes scarce, irrigating only 63% of all the plots (about 97 ha) sufficiently. In addition, the irrigation canals are sometimes choked with plants, decreasing the discharge capacity of the canals and the velocity of water flow. In order to cope with the dry season shortage, the farmers have established a calendar that defines at which time and for how long each group can get water to their plots, by opening and closing gates in the secondary canals. However, some farmers bypass this regulation by fraudulently opening the gates that control the water flow (mainly at night).Some also make holes in the primary canal banks and attribute the damage to crabs (which indeed frequently break canal banks as well). Generally, the transgressors manage to bypass the regulation for water distribution without being punished.In Bame, 19 farmers produce rice all the year in the inland valleyon 4.5 ha under gravity irrigation and on 10 ha in the upland
area using pump irrigation. For gravity irrigation the farmers use and share the water from the Ahoho and Agluiglui streams that
run through the valley. Each of the 10 farmers that produce on the uplands uses his own (mobile) motorpump for irrigation. They do not have to share water and are independent in their practices. The focus group discussions revealed that during
the dry season 12 of the rice growers concentrate their activities in the valley because pumping water for the upland plots means additional production cost of fuel. The farmers have not established rules for water sharing during the dry season although the water level decreases and becomes insufficient for irrigation. Many farmers manage by delaying their rice cultivation and, because of this delay, not all farmers need water for irrigation at exactly the same time.
In Zonmon, 21 rice farmers use an area of 5 ha under gravityirrigation. The production site is irrigated by the Somete stream
and the water that flows from Bame (via the Agluiglui and Ahoho streams). There is free water distribution among farmers;
at any time a farmer who wants to irrigate his plots just opens the gate. However, from January to February the water level in the Somete stream is often lower than the level at the intake from the canal. In this critical period the farmers use a small rented motorpump to
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