MAXIMIZING CONVEYANCE EFFICIENCY THROUGH LINING MARWAS AT ON-FARM LEVEL IN OLD LANDS OF EGYP.

Abo Soliman, M.S.M.; Shams EI-Din, H.A.; Saied, M.M.; EI- Barbary, S.M.; Ghazy, M.A.; EI-Shahawy, M.E.; Gazia, E.A.; Abo EI-Soud, M.A.

doi:10.21608/jssae.2005.238245

MAXIMIZING CONVEYANCE EFFICIENCY THROUGH LINING MARWAS AT ON-FARM LEVEL IN OLD LANDS OF EGYP.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

On-Farm Irrigation Tranining & Extension Center, SWERI, ARC, Egypt.

10.21608/jssae.2005.238245

Abstract

Demonstration fields were selected since 1998 to 2005 to improve the on- farm delivery system through lining marwas in eleven governorates namely; Kafr EI-Shiekh,
EI-Gharbia, EI-Behera, EI-Dakahlia, EI-Sharkia, and EI-Menofia Governorates which represented the lower Egypt, while EI-Fayum, EI-Menia, Assuit, Sohag and Qena governorates represented the Upper Egypt. These demonstration fields were authorized by the On-farm Water and Soil Management Project (OWSOM) in cooperation with Central Adminstration of Agriculture Extension. The main goal of this project is to provide Egypt with a replicable and adaptable system of on-farm water management practices that are economically sound, environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable. The technical team of the project proposed and designed nine alternative options of marwa lining. After introducing these options to the farmers, they accepted the mortared bricks 40 cm width, 40 cm depth, 12 cm thickness and concrete in base.
The obtained results could be summarized as follows:-
The conveyance losses in earth marwas located on selected mesqas in Kafr EI-Shiekh governorate were ranged from 14.47 to 21.36 %, while in EI-Behera governorate, these losses were ranged from 13.43 to 21.88 %.
Concerning the adopting of the marwa lining, the project lined 205.39 Km length of earth marwas with farmer's participation in eleven governorates since 1998 to 2005. The cost per one meter paid by project was reduced from 100 L.E in 1998/99 to 9.4 L.E in 200412005 as a result to great participation by the farmers which reached to 75.26 % in 2005. Also, data declared that the area saved by the lined marwas was about 0.6 % of total area.
With regard to feasibility analysis, data showed that the benefit cost ratio at 10 % discount rate is higher than one (1.4), indicating that the accrued discounted benefits is higher than the discounted cost over the useful life span of major investment. Net present value is also positive (L. E 507) at 10 % discount rate indicating that in zestment in the project activities is profitable. The internal rate of return for the marwa lining is higher than the opportunity cost of capital in the country (19 %). This means that, it is needed 19 % interest rate to get the same benefits from a bank instead of the investment in such project.