Participatory action research on drip irrigation

Conducting participatory action research with farmers and line agencies for demonstrating, disseminating and scaling up drip irrigation

Most farming in the uplands of Nepal’s midhills is rainfed with many fields remaining fallow during the dry season due to lack of irrigation water. The People and Resource Dynamics Project (PARDYP) water demand and supply survey identified scarcity of irrigation water as a major issue in Nepal’s midhills. To assess the potential of drip irrigation to address this problem, the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2000/2001, in collaboration with PARDYP, tested a low cost irrigation drip set and a more costly set in the Jhikhu Khola watershed; and PARDYP and Tribhuvan University’s Institute of Engineering (Nepal) tested the low cost set with farmers at another site at Kubinde village, Kavre.

Problem

Lack of systematic on-farm research on drip irrigation
Weak institutional collaboration for developing, disseminating and scaling up drip technology
Inadequate water available for agriculture alongside strong seasonality and poor irrigation facilities
Objectives
- To test, demonstrate, and evaluate drip irrigation systems under local conditions with multiple stakeholders
- To share results and experiences with communities to scale up the technology
  WOCAT database reference: QA NEP6
  Location: Jhikhu Khola watershed, Kabhrepalanchok district, Nepal
  Approach area: 111 km2
  Land use: Annual cropping
  Climate: Humid subtropical
  Related technology: Low cost drip irrigation, QT NEP6
  Target Users: Land users, Extension workers
  Compiled by: Madhav Dhakal, ICIMOD
  Date: August 2006, updated September 2006