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FEATURE STORYAugust 2, 2023

Ecuador: Technified irrigation brings new opportunities and optimism

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When it rains, new stalks are born in the fields and the natural order dictates that they become plants, then fruits, and finally an abundant harvest, although in recent decades the countryside has been losing that natural order, which is essential for agricultural production.

Climate change, deforestation, and human pressure on soils have changed the rules of the game in the countryside, decreasing the abundance of water sources available and making rainy seasons more unpredictable.

There is also another determining factor, especially among small farmers.  Where the resource is adequate, water is used inefficiently and small farmers end up losing their small yield.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock [Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería] has therefore deemed it essential to implement the Technified Irrigation Project [Proyecto de Irrigación Tecnificada  PIT], whose main objective has been to provide technified irrigation systems across the length and breadth of Ecuador, with financial support and technical assistance from the World Bank and the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development [Agencia Espa?ola de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo AECID], thus allowing more than 6,000 families and 6,300 hectares to benefit from this technology.

Johannes (Hans) Jansen, senior agricultural economist at the World Bank, says that technified irrigation has changed people's lives.

He says that a man who had dairy cows told him: "Look, before, when I didn't have sprinkler irrigation, my pastures allowed for an average of maybe 6 or 7 liters of milk per cow per day.   Now that I know I can have water at certain times and in certain quantities, I can change my pastures and incorporate better pastures and a much more nutritious legume and now my cows give 15 liters a day, so I double my income.’’

"On the coast, it's the same with cocoa," adds Jansen, "they used to get 500 kilos a year to export to Italy, now they have doubled their harvest. So irrigation makes a fundamental difference, it changes these people’s lives.

A 10 km concrete canal was installed in the parish of Palo Marcado, in the Pasaje canton, province of El Oro. It carries 211 liters per second, benefiting 241 users who are mainly engaged in cocoa and banana production.

"The farm has improved with irrigation. Previously, we did not have that production, now I have seen that there is a change," says Luis Pineda, beneficiary representing the Solano Branch.

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The farm has improved with irrigation. Previously, we did not have that production, now I have seen that there is a change.
Luis Pineda
Beneficiary representating the Solano Branch.

ROSES, MILK AND WATER FOR PROGRESS

Another area that has benefited is the commune of La Libertad, located in the parish of Cangahua, in the Cayambe canton.  An investment of approximately US$480,000 was made there, and it serves to irrigate more than 107 hectares of pastureland, thereby significantly improving the local economy.

The lives of hundreds of people have changed because of the positive impact generated by access to water. Some testimonials from community members indicate that even the phenomenon of migration, which is very common in rural areas, has decreased because of the increased income generated by the improved production of roses for export.

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    In 2021, more than sixty-five families in the Pifo parish in Pichincha received their sprinkler irrigation system.

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    Community members are involved in livestock and dairy farming. Because of this project, community members have been able to acquire more cattle.

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    PHOTO 3

    Due to the lack of water, the community members did not have enough pasture for their cows. Daily production was between 5 and 10 liters of milk.

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    PHOTO 4

    As a result of technified irrigation, community members are now producing between 70 and 80 liters of milk per day.

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    In the Sierra Morena and Nueva Esperanza de Pifo associations, all the owners of land and water share the responsibilities and the fruits of their labor.

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    In this zone, 110 community members live together. The collection of water allows these communities to have a scarce and difficult-to-access resource.

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    Water has made it possible for community members to improve their pastures and to use land that was previously very difficult to cultivate.

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    PHOTO 8

    The risk has allowed them to diversify their crops, for example, by growing potatoes, beans, and white onions.

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