1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Irrigation Projects in the Niger Inland Delta (IPRO-DI)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (GIZ) - Germany

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

01/07/2012

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Applying modern technologies in the design, monitoring and evaluation of village irrigation schemes (VISs) and floodplain depression ponds.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

This practice involves applying modern technologies in the design, monitoring and evaluation of village irrigation schemes (VISs) and floodplain depression ponds.
To summarise, it involves the following technologies and procedures: 1) The application of total stations for topographical studies, which enables: the creation of a digital model of the study area to facilitate the study of topographical characteristics, differences in levels, depressions, mounds, etc.; georeferencing, which makes it possible to integrate the site and the proposed design into a geographic information system (GIS). This means other information sources like satellite imagery and aerial photography become available for use in the analysis. 2) The use of a high-precision global positioning system (GPS) for installation works. Once the scheme’s study and design are approved, the use of high-precision GPS means that work to install the scheme will be particularly precise and will adhere to the irrigation and drainage network configuration as designed and approved in the scheme studies. 3) The use of georeferenced photography for monitoring and inspection. The programme has begun using georeferenced photographs to enable teams to inspect and supervise installations in situations where conditions for accessing sites are unfavourable. These photographs show the installations and display the data recorded for each shot, allowing dates and locations to be checked. 4) The use of satellite imagery (Landsat). A primary application of Landsat is to monitor and evaluate the farming activities of sites. Using the images, the value of the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) can be determined. With this indicator, it is possible to verify in which areas VISs are operational. Furthermore, the Landsat images improve analyses during the design stage, providing information on specific events such as heavy flooding or very low water levels.
A high-quality scheme is a prerequisite for making water management efficient and reducing production costs. Landsat: One important impact/effect was that the consultant on site was able to persuade donors of the feasibility of carrying out minimum-level monitoring despite the difficult security situation. This was crucial as the donors were faced with a difficult choice: on the one hand, the lack of security made it impossible to access the zone in order to carry out monitoring and supervision missions, which seriously threatened the continuity of the programme; on the other hand, donors were obviously very sensitive to the plight of the communities suffering occupation and armed conflict. Total stations and GPS: These two technologies allow users to ascertain the specific features of sites more accurately than is possible with ‘traditional’ approaches, which are more basic and less refined. The technologies enable the design of good-quality schemes by facilitating water management. It is important to highlight the fact that a good-quality irrigation scheme (which is well configured and laid out in terms of its irrigation network and facilities) reduces production costs (less pumping time needed).
Currently, only PMN/IPRODI are using this practice. The planning service providers were given introductory training on applying the technologies and set themselves up to provide sufficient data in their invoices and reports to allow coordinators to apply the modern technologies. The programme’s coordination team is ready to share these technologies with its partners and has already delivered presentations to parties expressing an interest

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

Applying modern technologies in the design, monitoring and evaluation of village irrigation schemes (VISs) and floodplain depression ponds; the technologies enable the design of good-quality schemes by facilitating water management; a good-quality irrigation scheme (which is well configured and laid out in terms of its irrigation network and facilities) reduces production costs (less pumping time needed); feasibility of carrying out minimum-level monitoring despite the difficult security situation
The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: low quality schemes; lack of minimum-level monitoring due to the difficult security situation; water management problems;

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	passive
planning	passive
implementation	interactive
monitoring/ evaluation	passive
Research	passive

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• SLM specialists alone

Explain:

Decisions on the method of implementing the SLM Technology were made by by SLM specialists alone (top-down)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Ja

Specify who was trained:

• field staff/ advisers

Form of training:

• courses

Subjects covered:

Currently, only PMN/IPRODI are using this practice. The planning service providers were given introductory training on applying the technologies and set themselves up to provide sufficient data in their invoices and reports to allow coordinators to apply the modern technologies.

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Ja

Describe/ comments:

Currently, only PMN/IPRODI are using this practice. The planning service providers were given introductory training on applying the technologies and set themselves up to provide sufficient data in their invoices and reports to allow coordinators to apply the modern technologies.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, a little

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Ja

Comments:

technical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through observations

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Ja

Specify topics:

• technology

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

Approach costs were met by the following donors: international: 100.0%

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

Ja

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

Nee

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• uncertain

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
the effects of successfully deploying these technologies contribute to creating good-quality schemes with few water management problems and moderate production and maintenance costs. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: there is the matter of how the technologies presented will continue to be applied within a team. To ensure sustainability, appropriate IT capacities and, more specifically, expertise in GIS software packages are necessary. It is important for these capacities to be embedded institutionally, rather than held by certain individuals.)
Landsat: One important impact/effect was that the consultant on site was able to persuade donors of the feasibility of carrying out minimum-level monitoring despite the difficult security situation. This was crucial as the donors were faced with a difficult choice: on the one hand, the lack of security made it impossible to access the zone in order to carry out monitoring and supervision missions, which seriously threatened the continuity of the programme; on the other hand, donors were obviously very sensitive to the plight of the communities suffering occupation and armed conflict.
Total stations and GPS: These two technologies allow users to ascertain the specific features of sites more accurately than is possible with ‘traditional’ approaches, which are more basic and less refined. The technologies enable the design of good-quality schemes by facilitating water management. It is important to highlight the fact that a good-quality irrigation scheme (which is well configured and laid out in terms of its irrigation network and facilities) reduces production costs (less pumping time needed).

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view

How can they be overcome?

Since 2003, Landsat images have displayed stripes or horizontal bands (running west to east) with no data. This, of course, complicates the analysis of VIS polygons as much of their area falls under these stripes. Indeed, most VIS polygons situated in data-loss stripe areas (such as Diré) fall partially within a data loss area and partially without. It is possible to verify the presence of vegetation for these VISs, but it is not possible to estimate the area of cultivated land. However, we hope that Landsat 8 will provide fault-free images, just as Landsat 7 did from 1999 to 2003.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Manual of Good Practices in Small Scale Irrigation in the Sahel. Experiences from Mali. Published by GIZ in 2014.

Available from where? Costs?

http://star-www.giz.de/starweb/giz/pub/servlet.starweb

Title, author, year, ISBN:

A range of internal technical guides (GIZ)