The use of computer simulation to assess the suitability of RWH Technology interventions in Semi-arid Tanzania

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Date

1999

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Abstract

Experimental research into suil-water management, whether un a research statiun or on fanners' fields, is necessarily restricted to ,spec'ijic sites over limited time illtervals. Meaningful extrapolation is a problem. With this in mind,.·the SUA-Newcastle RWH project pursued a twin-track approach in which the experimental. effOlt .. was lillked.to the development of a simulatioll model, which was designed to assess the suitability of RWH technology intervelltions for allY Ilew site. The simulation model is briefly described (lIzd typical examples of its use as a toul for agrotechnology transfer are presented. The interface is user-friendly alld the n;.odel itself is designed to work with readily available site data. Long-term simulation at a new site C(llZ be easily achieved to permit evaluation of averagepeljOl:mance and/or variability and risk. The yield-gap ullder existing practice can be evaluated alungside predicted peljormance under improved practice. Examples of the application of the model are givell for a maize cropping system and for a rain-fed rice cropping system in two different regions of Tanz(llzia.

Description

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 1999, Vol. 2(2) : pp 227-238

Keywords

Simulation, RWH, Semi-arid, Tanzania

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