Irrigation and Water Management for Agriculture

Course summary:

The course develops participants’ skills and knowledge in the following ways:

• • Designing and managing small scale irrigation and water harvesting projects integration watershed management and planning
  • Political and organisational challenges to developing and managing water resource management understanding current soil and water conservation and conservation agriculture best practice approaches such as:
    • enhancing soil water retention and availability as well as soil fertility
    • Small scale mechanisation and tillage equipment: zero tillage
    • Micro-dosing
    • Residue retention
    • Weed control
  • Design principles of water harvesting systems
  • Selecting water harvesting techniques suitable for small holder Irrigation
  • Irrigation scheduling to match crop water requirements and soils
  • Implementing irrigation systems best suited to small scale farmer needs
  • Practical water spreading and contour furrowing training
  • Reducing evaporation losses and optimising the use of soil moisture.
  • Broader leadership and organisational management competencies to include project management, implementing change and public speaking
  • Addressing cross-cutting development issues (gender equity, inclusive development, ethics, transparency)

  Inputs from industry to highlight/demonstrate contemporary industry environments/ processes and share knowledge are a valuable element of this short course.