Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya

Nickson Kenyoru Marita; Emmanuel Chessum Kipkorir; Joel Kibiiy

doi:doi:10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12

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Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya

Nickson Kenyoru Marita^*

, Emmanuel Chessum Kipkorir, Joel Kibiiy

Published in World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology (Volume 3, Issue 4)

Received: 9 November 2025 Accepted: 20 November 2025 Published: 17 December 2025

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Abstract

The growing scarcity of freshwater resources presents a major challenge to rice production particularly in irrigation systems that rely on limited freshwater supplies. Enhancing the water use efficiency has therefore become essential for sustainable rice cultivation. This study evaluated the rice crop water productivity under continuous flooding irrigation regime using the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya as a case study. The rice crop water productivity was determined as the ratio of the total mass of rice production to the total volume of water supplied for irrigation. The rice crop water productivity for the scheme was measured and found to be 0.3406 kgm^-3. The measured value was lower than what is commonly achieved under improved irrigation regimes such as intermittent irrigation. The low water productivity was mainly attributed to conveyance losses along the earthen canals and application losses due to inefficient irrigation practices. Improving the water productivity requires several interventions; lining and maintenances of canals to reduce conveyance losses, adopting intermittent irrigation to use less irrigation water resource, training farmers on proper land preparation techniques to enhance leveling in the irrigation basins thereby reducing excessive irrigation water application in unleveled basins, and strengthening the capacity of Irrigation Water Users Associations to monitor and enforce proper irrigation water usage.

Published in	World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology (Volume 3, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12
Page(s)	112-121
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Rice Crop Water Productivity, Crop Water Productivity, Water Productivity, Water Use Efficiency, Continuous Flooding Irrigation, Application Losses, Conveyance Losses

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Marita, N. K., Kipkorir, E. C., Kibiiy, J. (2025). Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya. World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 3(4), 112-121. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12

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Marita, N. K.; Kipkorir, E. C.; Kibiiy, J. Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya. World J. Agric. Sci. Technol. 2025, 3(4), 112-121. doi: 10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12

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Marita NK, Kipkorir EC, Kibiiy J. Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya. World J Agric Sci Technol. 2025;3(4):112-121. doi: 10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12

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@article{10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12,
  author = {Nickson Kenyoru Marita and Emmanuel Chessum Kipkorir and Joel Kibiiy},
  title = {Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya},
  journal = {World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {112-121},
  doi = {10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjast.20250304.12},
  abstract = {The growing scarcity of freshwater resources presents a major challenge to rice production particularly in irrigation systems that rely on limited freshwater supplies. Enhancing the water use efficiency has therefore become essential for sustainable rice cultivation. This study evaluated the rice crop water productivity under continuous flooding irrigation regime using the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya as a case study. The rice crop water productivity was determined as the ratio of the total mass of rice production to the total volume of water supplied for irrigation. The rice crop water productivity for the scheme was measured and found to be 0.3406 kgm-3. The measured value was lower than what is commonly achieved under improved irrigation regimes such as intermittent irrigation. The low water productivity was mainly attributed to conveyance losses along the earthen canals and application losses due to inefficient irrigation practices. Improving the water productivity requires several interventions; lining and maintenances of canals to reduce conveyance losses, adopting intermittent irrigation to use less irrigation water resource, training farmers on proper land preparation techniques to enhance leveling in the irrigation basins thereby reducing excessive irrigation water application in unleveled basins, and strengthening the capacity of Irrigation Water Users Associations to monitor and enforce proper irrigation water usage.},
 year = {2025}
}

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T1  - Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya
AU  - Nickson Kenyoru Marita
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PY  - 2025
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DO  - 10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12
T2  - World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
JF  - World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
JO  - World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
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PB  - Science Publishing Group
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UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12
AB  - The growing scarcity of freshwater resources presents a major challenge to rice production particularly in irrigation systems that rely on limited freshwater supplies. Enhancing the water use efficiency has therefore become essential for sustainable rice cultivation. This study evaluated the rice crop water productivity under continuous flooding irrigation regime using the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya as a case study. The rice crop water productivity was determined as the ratio of the total mass of rice production to the total volume of water supplied for irrigation. The rice crop water productivity for the scheme was measured and found to be 0.3406 kgm-3. The measured value was lower than what is commonly achieved under improved irrigation regimes such as intermittent irrigation. The low water productivity was mainly attributed to conveyance losses along the earthen canals and application losses due to inefficient irrigation practices. Improving the water productivity requires several interventions; lining and maintenances of canals to reduce conveyance losses, adopting intermittent irrigation to use less irrigation water resource, training farmers on proper land preparation techniques to enhance leveling in the irrigation basins thereby reducing excessive irrigation water application in unleveled basins, and strengthening the capacity of Irrigation Water Users Associations to monitor and enforce proper irrigation water usage.
VL  - 3
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Nickson Kenyoru Marita

Civil and Structural Engineering Department, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

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http://orcid.org/0009-0006-2306-5458
Emmanuel Chessum Kipkorir

Civil and Structural Engineering Department, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

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Joel Kibiiy

Civil and Structural Engineering Department, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

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APA Style

Marita, N. K., Kipkorir, E. C., Kibiiy, J. (2025). Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya. World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 3(4), 112-121. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12

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Marita, N. K.; Kipkorir, E. C.; Kibiiy, J. Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya. World J. Agric. Sci. Technol. 2025, 3(4), 112-121. doi: 10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12

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Marita NK, Kipkorir EC, Kibiiy J. Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya. World J Agric Sci Technol. 2025;3(4):112-121. doi: 10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12

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@article{10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12,
  author = {Nickson Kenyoru Marita and Emmanuel Chessum Kipkorir and Joel Kibiiy},
  title = {Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya},
  journal = {World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {112-121},
  doi = {10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjast.20250304.12},
  abstract = {The growing scarcity of freshwater resources presents a major challenge to rice production particularly in irrigation systems that rely on limited freshwater supplies. Enhancing the water use efficiency has therefore become essential for sustainable rice cultivation. This study evaluated the rice crop water productivity under continuous flooding irrigation regime using the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya as a case study. The rice crop water productivity was determined as the ratio of the total mass of rice production to the total volume of water supplied for irrigation. The rice crop water productivity for the scheme was measured and found to be 0.3406 kgm-3. The measured value was lower than what is commonly achieved under improved irrigation regimes such as intermittent irrigation. The low water productivity was mainly attributed to conveyance losses along the earthen canals and application losses due to inefficient irrigation practices. Improving the water productivity requires several interventions; lining and maintenances of canals to reduce conveyance losses, adopting intermittent irrigation to use less irrigation water resource, training farmers on proper land preparation techniques to enhance leveling in the irrigation basins thereby reducing excessive irrigation water application in unleveled basins, and strengthening the capacity of Irrigation Water Users Associations to monitor and enforce proper irrigation water usage.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Evaluating the Rice Crop Water Productivity of Irrigation Schemes Practicing Continuous Flooding Irrigation Regime: A Case Study of Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya
AU  - Nickson Kenyoru Marita
AU  - Emmanuel Chessum Kipkorir
AU  - Joel Kibiiy
Y1  - 2025/12/17
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12
T2  - World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
JF  - World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
JO  - World Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
SP  - 112
EP  - 121
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2994-7332
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjast.20250304.12
AB  - The growing scarcity of freshwater resources presents a major challenge to rice production particularly in irrigation systems that rely on limited freshwater supplies. Enhancing the water use efficiency has therefore become essential for sustainable rice cultivation. This study evaluated the rice crop water productivity under continuous flooding irrigation regime using the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya as a case study. The rice crop water productivity was determined as the ratio of the total mass of rice production to the total volume of water supplied for irrigation. The rice crop water productivity for the scheme was measured and found to be 0.3406 kgm-3. The measured value was lower than what is commonly achieved under improved irrigation regimes such as intermittent irrigation. The low water productivity was mainly attributed to conveyance losses along the earthen canals and application losses due to inefficient irrigation practices. Improving the water productivity requires several interventions; lining and maintenances of canals to reduce conveyance losses, adopting intermittent irrigation to use less irrigation water resource, training farmers on proper land preparation techniques to enhance leveling in the irrigation basins thereby reducing excessive irrigation water application in unleveled basins, and strengthening the capacity of Irrigation Water Users Associations to monitor and enforce proper irrigation water usage.
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
ER  -

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