Agricultural Benefits for Senegal River Basin

A multipurpose water resource development project is proposed for construction and development in West Africa. The plans include the irrigation of an area of 274,805 ha by the year 2030 in three countries: Senegal, Mauritania, and Mali. Agricultural benefits are estimated and analyzed by means of a computer program. The factors influencing crop yields are analyzed and summarized including crop selection, water, fertility, and management. Some of the considerations that will produce higher crop yields in future years are presented. It is proposed that the irrigation project management should be responsible for calculating crop water requirements and insuring acceptable irrigation efficiencies. A method is presented for estimating crop water requirements from maximum and minimum air temperatures. The desirability of using irrigation supplemental to rainfall for maximizing benefits from limited water is presented. The maximum contribution of a unit of irrigation water to yield is possible during the rainy season. Projected revenues and costs and years required for each crop to become economically profitable arre presented in tables.