Abstract:
his study attempted to investigate the performance of Meka SSI scheme, which
is representative of "modern" community managed SSI Schemes in Dry Dega
Agro-Climatic Areas of North Shoa Zone, Amhara National Regional state. Field
data measurements, household surveys and key informant discussions were
employed to investigate the extent to which upgrading of traditional irrigation
schemes improves its performance based .... on · lhe:_eondition of before and after
. · '.,. ;,.
"modernization" . The results indicated . that - irrigation iJater delivery systems were
characterized by rigid, inequitable.andunreliable water delivery schedules. The
weighted average application efficiency, st�rage' efficiency and distribution
� ,• . . . .
uniformity at scheme level wereffoun_ d to be · 66.10%, . .. 95.13% and 67.25%
. �
. .
respectively. Low distribution uniformity .... and-application -sfficiency coupled with
;-..._. ;; .. .,... . :,.
high storage efficiency indicated high water losses . .... in · general, as per the results of
the survey, irrigation modernization/ upgrading provided dramatic achievements
such as increment in command area, increment in water supply, introduction of
water fee collection, greater confidence in the use of inputs ; and enhanced
awareness of farmers towards irrigation practice. However, the realizations of the
benefits of modernization were constrained by ri gid delivery schedules, and rigid
irrigation practices. Thus, the adoption of improved hardware is not by itself
enough to attain high levels of performance. Therefore, there is a need for
im provement in the design of water applic ation practices, irri gation scheduling
techni ques and system operational policies (water delivery schedul es) of the
irri gation scheme
