Irrigation management practices of cabbage farmers in Botswana using saline groundwater.

Abstract

All horticultural production in Botswana is irrigated, as average rainfall is less than average reference evapotranspiration in all parts of the country for all of the year, and most of the irrigation in the country is used for horticultural crops. In the main, the water used for irrigation comes from groundwater, and much of this can be classified as moderately saline. A survey was carried out of 60 cabbage farmers in five regions of the country to identify the level of salinity of irrigation water and the irrigation practices used. It was concluded that there was no relationship between the irrigation rate (average irrigation depth divided by average irrigation interval) and the salinity of the water used or the salinity of the soil, such that some farmers were over-irrigating and others under-irrigating. This means that water is being wasted and yields are likely to be reduced. In addition, there is a risk of long-term build-up of salinity and soil degradation.