Irrigation Agronomy Training

Manual 7: Crop calendar, intensity

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and crop rotation for Proposed crops
 Slide Title

Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar proposal

preparation
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar
• Table of Contents
1 Cropping intensity, rotation and Crop calendar
1.1 crop calendar
1.1.1 Indicative cropping calendar for different agro-ecologies
1.2 cropping intensity
1.3 crop rotation
 
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar
1. CROP CALENDAR
 It should indicate the seasonal schedule for major
agricultural activities including land preparation,
planting, weeding/ crop pest management and
harvesting.
 Should be presented in dates and/or month-range
 Activity schedule is necessary as input for computing
crop water requirement and cropping calendar
mapping such as planting and harvesting date should
be precisely indicated in date and month
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar
1.1 Considerations for determining the cropping
calendar:
 The on-set and cessation dates of the rainfall: can be
referred from chapter II “assessment of existing
conditions” adjustment is required on the usual
schedule which extending 2-3 months to one month
 Rainfall intensity can be used as indicator in
reference with Chapter II Rainfall intensity analysis
to identify the month where land preparation and
planting could be scheduled
 Indicative cropping calendar for different agro-ecologies

For Midhighland Agro-ecology

Crop Land preparation Planting Weeding harvesting
Koji Kaka SSIP Oromiya (Altitude 2874 masl; Average rainfall 1040mm)
Full irrigation October Early Nov Nov - Dec Jan-Feb
Supplementary Feb -
End of Feb Feb-March May-June
irrigation March
Hararu SSIP SNNPR (Altitude 2800 masl; Average rainfall 1400mm)

Supplementary
April Mid Apr -Mid Mar April-May Mid Jul – Big Aug
irrigation
Beresa SIIP ARNS (Altitude 2797 masl; Average rainfall 980mm)
Full irrigation November End Nov-Beg Dec Dec - Feb March
Supplementary
May to Early June Early Jun-Mid July Aug - Sept End Sept - End Oct
irrigation
 Indicative cropping calendar for different agro-ecologies

For Highland Agro-ecology

Crop Land preparation Planting Weeding harvesting
Burabura SSIP ANRS: (Altitude 2085 masl; Average rainfall 1587mm) Wet Weynadega agro ecology
Full irrigation Dec-Jan Jan-Early Feb Feb-March May-April
Supplementary irrigation Mid April-May & June Mid May to Mid July May-June mid Sept -Nov
Kebira Ilu SSIP ONRS: (Altitude 2330 masl; Average rainfall 780mm) Dry Weynadega agro ecology
Full irrigation December Early November Nov-Oct Feb-March
Supplementary irrigation March Early-mid April April-May Sept-Oct
Megecha SSIP SNNPR: (Altitude 1813 masl; Average rainfall 1227mm) Moist Weynadega agro ecology
Full irrigation November Nov-Dec Jan-Feb March
Supplementary irrigation May Jun-July June-Aug Oct-Nov
Aleltu SSIP ONRS: (Altitude 2300 masl; Average rainfall 1329mm) Moist Weynadega agro ecology
Full irrigation Mid Oct Early November Nov-Dec March-April
Supplementary irrigation Early May and June May-June Jul-Aug October
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar
•   2. CROPPING INTENSITY
 Cropping intensity for anticipated irrigated agriculture
project required to compute based on the proposed
cropping patterns.
 If the selected crops have shorter length of growing
pattern and properly design of the cropping
calendar by optimizing crop characteristics, farmers’
efficiency and climate factors, then the crop
intensity can be higher more than 200%.
Cropping intensity (CI) =
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar
CA1: Cultivated Area in first cropping season
CA2: Cultivated Area in second cropping season
CA3: Cultivated Area in third cropping season
(rarely farmers practicing for third round cultivation)

 
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar
 The principal methods to build effective patterns are
cultivating alternatively crops with different families, crops
with different root morphology or effective root depth, and
intercept the cropping patterns with leguminous group
 As recommended in many references the crop rotation with
2-3 years are desirable to attain the optimum yield
 FAO publication suggested that about one-third of the
command area should be covered with leguminous plants in
order to enhance soil fertility and reduce crop pest infestation
at the same time.
 Recommendations
 Rotate deep and shallow rooted crops in cropping systems;
 Include leguminous and non-leguminous crops;
 Avoid crops from same crop families in order to avoid buildup of crop pests
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar

Crop rotation presentation

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Option in
different Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet Dry
rotation cycle season Season season Season season Season season Season season Seas

Crop rotation
C1WS C1DS C1WS C1DS C2WS C2DS C2WS C2DS C1WS C1DS
option 1
Crop rotation
C2WS C2DS C3WS C3DS C1WS C4DS C4WS C1DS C2WS C2DS
option 2
Note: CWS = crop for wet season; CDS = crop for dry season
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar

Table 1‑6: Proposed crop rotation for Burabure SSIP, Amhara NRS (Two-Year Cycle)
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Crop Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet Dry Wet season Dry
season Season season Season season Season season Season Season
CS 1 Maize Tomato Maize Tomato Soybean Onion Soybean Onion Maize Cabbage
Haricot
CS 2 Pepper Onion Pepper Onion Teff Cabbage Teff Cabbage Tomato
bean
Haricot Haricot
CS3 Tomato Tomato Pepper Maize Pepper Maize Soybean Onion
bean bean
CS 4 Teff Tomato Teff Tomato Maize Cabbage Maize Cabbage Pepper Maize
CS 5 Note: CWS
Soybean = crop for
Maize wet season;
soybean CDS = crop
Maize for dryTomato
Haricot season Haricot Cabbage Teff Maize
 Crop Intensity; Crop Rotation and Calendar

Exercise for crop rotation

Wet Season Dry season Dry season Weseason
         
Crop Area, ha Area,% Crop Area, ha Area,%
Area Area Area, Area
Crop , % ha   Crop % ha Tomato 199.5 35.00 Wheat 171.0 30.0

Barley 10 42.8  Carrot 18 77.04 Onion 171.0 30.00 Teff 228.0 40.0

Wheat 75 321  Garlic 35 149.8 Cabbage

DS 142.5 25.00 Chickpea 114.0 20.0
Harico
Potato 8 34.24  t bean 10 42.8 Cucumb Cabbage
er 57.0 10.00 WS 57.0 10.0
Rhodes Cabbage
Grass 7 29.96  Potato 30 128.4       sup 57.0 10.00
    428      398.04    570 100   570 100
Thank You