Rainfall Collection For Agriculture In Arid And Semiarid Regions

Water harvesting for dryland and floodwater farming on the Navajo Indian Reservvation; Evaluation of materials for inducing runoff and use of these materials in runoff farming; Establishment of NaCl-harvesting catchments; Surface storage for water-harvesting agrisystems; Deciduous tree and vine fruit production using water harvesting techniques; Production of annual crops on microcatchments; Research methodologies for in situ rain harvesting in rain-fed agriculture; Designing farm machinery for rainfed agriculture; Rainfall collection and utilization in the semiarid tropics; Rainfall cololection in Australia; A buried membrane cololector for harvesting rainfall in sandy areas; Rain harvesting for human and livestock consumption in the semidesert high plains ofMexico; Wather for animals, man, and agriculture by water harvesting; Water-catchment practices for range seeding in the arid and semiarid areas of northern Mexico; The soil and water conservation office's rain-harvesting program.

This book introduces state-of-the-art approaches, methods and research, focusing on smart management of rainwater. In addition, it provides an overview of projects from across the world, illustrating how rainwater-smart management has been implemented in drylands. Focusing on the scientific perspective it demonstrates how rural dryland agriculture can be improved. It also documents the wealth of rainwater-smart know-how available today, and replicates and transfers results to other countries and regions, to encourage cross-sector interactions among various stakeholders, such as practitioners from governmental and public organisations, policy- and decision-makers, and teaching staff from academic scientific institutions. The contributors showcase vital lessons learned from research, field projects and best-practice examples. They address the integrated use of rainwater harvesting management with landscape restoration practices and water-, and climate-smart agriculture for food security and poverty alleviation in arid and semi-arid areas. Original research, combined with the contributors’ synthetic approach, lays a foundation for new concepts and ideas. Through case studies and research reports, the book discusses all the relevant issues necessary for the comprehensive analysis and successful implementation of the technologies in rainwater management. Highlighting the working principles and technical recommendations with regard to cost-efficient rainwater-smart solutions, it is of interest to practitioners. It is also a valuable resource for academic specialists, professionals and students, since many development agencies are funding rainwater harvesting for irrigation purposes.

Dry areas suffer not only from limited rainfall but also ‘natural leakage’—90% of rainwater is lost directly or indirectly, and is unavailable for agriculture or domestic use. Water harvesting is a low-cost, easy-to-use, environmentally-friendly way to recover a large part of this lost water. How does water harvesting work? Which sites or areas are best suited and how can these areas be identified? How to design, build and maintain a water harvesting system tailored to local needs? How can water harvesting contribute to combating land degradation, enhancing food security and adapting to climate change? This book provides the answers. The book is based on many years of research, training and development by three of the world’s leading experts in water management and agriculture. It is authoritative, comprehensive, and easy to read, containing practical examples, many illustrations and little jargon. This volume will be of great interest to researchers, development workers, farmers, policymakers, students of the natural sciences—in fact, anyone interested in efficient, sustainable management of water resources and agriculture.

The problems of agriculture in the semi-arid regions; Assessing the possibilities for improving agriculture; Soil conservation; Water conservation; Water harvesting and use; Applications of water conservation.

Offering a cross-country examination and comparison of drought awareness and experience, this book shows how scientists, water managers, and policy makers approach drought and water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions of Spain, Mexico, Australia, South Africa and the United States.