Evaluation of Potential for Expansion of Irrigated Rice Production in the Extended Lake Victoria Basin

Amankwah-Minkah, A. (2020). Evaluation of Potential for Expansion of Irrigated Rice Production in the Extended Lake Victoria Basin. IIASA YSSP Report. Laxenburg, Austria: IIASA

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Abstract

The Lake Victoria Basin has the potential to meet rice demand in East and Central Africa. Current irrigation production and yield rates are low and attention is turning to expansion of irrigated rice production. Some studies have demonstrated sustainability of increased production of irrigated rice. This study analyzed the potential for increased production of irrigated rice in the extended Lake Victoria Basin. It assessed the existing scenario and evaluated expansion under individual and combined scenarios of increased irrigation and inputs in rice production areas using land use and other data from the Global Agro-Ecological Zones (GAEZ) system. The analysis was done in Python environment for all rain-fed, rice producing areas with sufficiently suitable land and for the optimal growing season. Yield differences for the different scenarios were superimposed on shape files of the basin. These were used to generate choropleth maps and bar charts to visualize the variation in increased yield for individual sub-basins as well as the overall increase for the basin. The results showed that there is potential for up-scaling rice production given the inclusion of irrigation and inputs. Irrigation will be of more benefit in a few of the sub-basins, particularly in the North East of the basin. It was recommended that a general improvement in agricultural management practices will significantly enhance the yields and close the yield gap.

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