A new grant will extend work on flood-based farming systems in Yemen, Pakistan, Sudan and Ethiopia to improve rural growth.

The Dutch Water Sector website reports that the project, being carried out jointly by UNESCO -IHE Institute for Water Education, the World Agroforestry Centre and Meta Meta, will receive additional funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Over the next 2 years, efforts will focus on strengthening networks among farmers and developing policies and programs for flood-based farming based on research and experience.

Flood-based farming or spate irrigation is a type of water management unique to semi-arid environments. It is found in the Middle East, North Africa, West Asia, East Africa and parts of Latin America. Flood water from mountain catchments is diverted from river beds (wadi’s) and spread over large areas.

Spate systems are very risk-prone due to the unpredictable nature of floods and frequent changes to the river beds from which the water is diverted.

It is hoped this project will expand to other countries in Africa as well as Asia. There are also plans to develop an MSc program on spate irrigation with a university in one of the countries currently involved in the project.

Read the full story: Unesco-IHE, Meta Meta and ICRAF receive 1.2 million IFAD grant for flood-based farming projects