Spate The future of Spate Irrigation What is the Spate Irrigation Network ▪▪ Document good practices and initiate practical Spate irrigation is a type of water management The management of spate irrigation areas is research in spate irrigation; The Spate Irrigation Network aims to improve the that is unique to semi-arid environments. very different from other system such as rain- ▪▪ Disseminate experiences between countries. water from rivers and from mountain catchments fed farming or perennial irrigation systems. The livelihoods of those living in the spate irrigated areas. It exchanges experiences and good practices, is diverted from ephemeral river beds (wadi’s) challenge is to make use of the unpredictable Activities and spread over large areas – for agriculture, , store moisture and manage initiates and supports new programs and policies, forestry, rangeland, groundwater recharge and sedimentation processes. This requires local and mainstreams education and training. The ▪▪ Undertake pilot activities; drinking water. Spate systems are very risk-prone. organizations that can cope with unpredictability network consists of professionals, practitioners and ▪▪ Develop programs with implementing The uncertainty comes both from the unpredictable and overcome the special challenges. farmers - at present more than 400 members. organizations; nature of the floods and the frequent changes to Though spate irrigation is more difficult, there It is being run with a small part time international ▪▪ Preparation and dissemination of guidelines and the river beds from which the water is diverted. It is are also large opportunities to improve economic secretariat (at MetaMeta and UNESCO-IHE) practical notes; often the poorest segment of the rural population returns and livelihoods – by appropriate diversion - whereas in four countries national chapters are ▪▪ Mainstream spate irrigation in higher education; whose livelihood and food security depends on and water control structures, better agronomic being set up - in Yemen, Pakistan, Sudan and ▪▪ Organize trainings; the spate flows. Substantial local wisdom has practices, field water management, improved local Ethiopia, though activities are not confined to these ▪▪ Documentation and support student research; developed in organizing spate systems and breeds and seeds, by conjunctive use of spate and countries. ▪▪ Support implementation programs; managing both the flood water and the heavy groundwater, better flood protection and drinking The Spate Irrigation Network is currently supported ▪▪ Open access information and maintain website sediment loads that go along with it. water ponds. by IFAD, World Bank/EKN, UNW-DPC, UNESCO- Spate irrigation occurs in areas as varied as South IHE-DUPC and FAO. Asia, the , West Africa, North Africa, To join the Spate Irrigation Network, which is free of the Horn of Africa, Central Asia and . Objectives charge, subscribe at: www.spate-irrigation.org. Estimates for the area under spate irrigation ▪▪ Familiarize policy makers, implementing agencies are not easy to make, as the area under spate (NGOs, government departments, safety net irrigation changes from year to year – depending programs), research agencies and funding on the occurrence and patterns of floods, The agencies with development scope, experiences most reliable estimate put the area under spate and practical approaches to spate irrigation irrigation as close to 3 Million hectares - serving development; Spate Irrigation Network close to 11 Million people.

Working on Soil Bunds Spate Irrigation Network Irrigation Spate

International Spate irrigation Network c/o MetaMeta Paardskerkhofweg 14 5223 AJ ‘s-Hertogenbosch The Netherlands www.spate-irrigation.org [email protected]

The Spate Irrigation Network is supported by IFAD www.spate-irrigation.org