Earth Observation for improved agricultural water management

Awareness event: Earth Observation for Sustainable Agricultural Development

27th September 2018 | MC13-121 World Bank, Washington DC

EO4SD Project Consortium, presented by Annemarie Klaasse

The management of water is one of the biggest challenges in agriculture, especially with climate change

Satellite Earth observation

Optimize water in crop production:• expand irrigated area• improve crop productivity• increase water use efficiency

Manage water:• Droughts and floods impact

Agricultural water management

water productivity

33

8

56

3

Food %

Irrigation

Livestock

Rainfed

Fishery

The role of irrigation

33% of all food is produced by irrigated agriculture,

while it only occupies 7 % of the land

Mars 12-16, 20183

7%

60%

33%

Area %

Irrigation

Livestock

Rainfed

Agricultural production Water productivity (WP)=

the volume of output

=

the output in relation to resources

Agricultural productivity

labour

land

watercapital

Agricultural production

water

WP = Crop yield (kg)

Water consumption (m3)

Use resources more efficiently!

Agricultural production Water productivity (WP)=

the volume of output

=

the output in relation to resources

Agricultural productivity

labour

land

watercapital

Agricultural production

water

WP = Crop yield (kg)

Water consumption (m3)

Water ..Allocation? ..Use? ..Consumption?

...Depending who you talk to a different definition will be used...And they might all be right!

A B

C

...Water allocations in the primary, secondary, tertiary or field canals (A,B,C,D)?

...Water quota per field? ...Per person? ...Per season?

...Water consumed by the plants growth process?

...What about irrigation efficiencies?

COMMUNICATION!

D

Mars 12-16, 20187

EO PRODUCT KEY INDICATORS(biophysical)

APPLICATIONS KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED

Risk alerts

Flood frequency

Drought

Irrigated area

Irrigation suitability

Biomass production

Actual evapotranspiration

Agricultural risk (floods,droughts)

Suitability of land

Agricultural production

Irrigation performance

Water auditing

Water accounting

Respond in time• Extent and duration of flooding• Impact of drought

Strategy definition

Project identification & preparation

Implementation

Evaluation

Identify risks and opportunities:• Frequencies and location of floods and

droughts (communities affected)• Where to introduce irrigation

Know the intervention area:• Most suitable crops and irrigation types• Water accounting

Act:• Water auditing• Head-tail issues in irrigation schemes• Up-to-date farmer advice

Evaluate interventions:• Impact irrigation on crop growth and

water status

!

Drought monitoring and crop water requirements

Freely available web based portal implemented with focus on national and regional catchments (250 –5000m)

BUT could later be extended with high resolution data.

Added value for national stakeholders and decision makers

Flood frequency

Multi-sensor approach (optical and radar) → frequent, accurate and high resolution information on flooding

Where is it flooded and how often?▪ Central Dry Zone Myanmar

Irrigation suitability

(1) Environmental constraints | (2) Suitability for irrigation types | (3) Crop requirements

Mars 12-16, 2018

10

(1) Constraints Agricultural restrictions: ▪ steep slopes▪ riverine corridors▪ protected and urban areas▪ degraded land▪ unsuitable soils

(2) Irrigation typeFlood, sprinkler, drip

(3) Crop typeDetermine suitability for crop types

Crop class Tmin (°C) Tmax (°C) Tmean (°C)

potato 10 27 17.4

maize 15 35 25.4

potato= Irrigation suitability map

Bir el Hashim pump station

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Biomass production: indicator of irrigation system failure in Al Raqqah (Syria)

March 22, 20181. 11

Change in biomass production as compared to 2010 in kilograms per ha per year

Abrupt reduction in biomass production suggests pumping

station failure

Data sources: FAO WaPOR

Biomass production: from irrigation to rainfed crops in Al Hassakah

March 22, 20181. 12

Spring (March) Summer (August)

2016

2011

Spring agricultural activity increase→ stronger focus on agriculture because of reduced food availability through import?

Summer agricultural activity disappeares→ shift to rainfed agriculture?

Data sources: eLEAF

Water productivity (kg/m3) in Mit Yadiz command area (Egypt)

Mars 12-16, 20181. 13

not renovated

renovated

partly renovatedCotton Rice

Water productivity (kg/m3) in Mit Yadiz command area (Egypt)

Mars 12-16, 20181. 14

not renovated

renovated

partly renovated

Water productivity higher after renovation• Increased yield• Slightly increased water consumption

Water productivity lower after renovation• Same yield• Higher water consumption

Cotton Rice

Irrigation performance: up-to-date information at management level

Irrigation performance: up-to-date farmer advice (fruit, South Africa)

Mid summer:water shortage

Actual water use drops in same period

Decreasing production

yield loss

Water auditing: check water consumption against allowed water quota

actual crop evapotranspiration (due to irrigation) ↔ allowed water quota

➢ piloted in South Africa

➢ provides information per field or larger unit

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!!! - The Water Auditing Application should not be used as a tool for

direct fining, but serves as an indicator to start communication with

water consumers - !!!

Water auditing : check water consumption against allowed water quota

Water accounting +

Independent estimates of water flows, fluxes, stocks, consumption, and services using satellite Earth Observation inputs

• Resources: overview of all water flows at basin level, distinguishing evapotranspiration by rainfall and incremental ET

• Evapotranspiration: quantify water consumption for all land cover classes

• Agricultural services

• Utilized flow

• Surface water

• Ground water

• Ecosystem services: regulating role of environment

• Sustainability: quantify reliability, resilience and vulnerability

3-10-20181. Ecoyst19

Service fact sheet

Mars 12-16, 201820

EO productLand Cover / Deforestation

Cultivated area Irrigation suitability Soil moistureET, biomass production,

water productivity

Detail high medium/high medium/high low Field level & regional

Period Historic / NRT Historic / NRT na Historic / NRT Historic / NRT

Frequencymonthly/yearly/custom monthly/quarterly/yearly Na

Weekly/monthly/yearly/c

ustom

Daily/weekly/monthly/ye

arly/custom

Delivery type

Table/map/graph/report Table/map/graph/report map/report Table/map/graph/report Table/map/graph/report

Source Open/Commercial Open/Commercial Open/Commercial Open/Commercial Open/Commercial

Cost range (USD)

1-5 USD/km2, minimum

order size 34,000 USD0,5 - 2,5 $ / km2 / year Starting from10,000 USD

1-10 USD/ha | 0.5-1.0

USD/km2, minimum

order size 25,000 USD

1-10 USD/ha | 0.5-1.0

USD/km2, minimum

order size 25,000 USD

Thank you very much

http://eo4idi.eu/

http://eo4idi.eu/publications

Data presented ready for download at

https://eo4sd.lizard.net/

Go to www.menti.com and use the code 611546

•What is your experience with Earth observation?

•Regarding Earth Observation services, what do you consider most valuable and during which projecdt phase?

•For uptake of Earth Observation services in the Bank and Client States, what do you consider the requirements and major constraints?

•Any questions to us?

Mars 12-16, 201822