Assessing potential locations for flood-based farming using satellite imagery: a case study of Afar region, Ethiopia

Abstract

The dry lowlands of Ethiopia are seasonally affected by long periods of low rainfall and, coinciding with rainfall in the Amhara highlands, flood waters which flow onto the lowlands resulting in damage to landscapes and settlements. In an attempt to convert water from storm generated floods into productive use, this study proposes a methodology using remote sensing data and geographical information system tools to identify potential sites where flood spreading weirs may be installed and farming systems developed which produce food and fodder for poor rural communities. First, land use land cover maps for the study area were developed using Landsat-8 and MODIS temporal data. Sentinel-1 data at 10 and 20 m resolution on a 12-day basis were then used to determine flood prone areas. Slope and drainage maps were derived from Shuttle RADAR Topography Mission Digital Elevation Model at 90 m spatial resolution. Accuracy assessment using ground survey data showed that overall accuracies (correctness) of the land use/land cover classes were 86% with kappa 0.82. Coinciding with rainfall in the uplands, March and April are the months with flood events in the short growing season (belg) and June, July and August have flood events during the major (meher) season. In the Afar region, there is potentially >0.55 m ha land available for development using seasonal flood waters from belg or meher seasons. During the 4 years of monitoring (2015–2018), a minimum of 142,000 and 172,000 ha of land were flooded in the belg and meher seasons, respectively. The dominant flooded areas were found in slope classes of <2% with spatial coverage varying across the districts. We concluded that Afar has a huge potential for flood-based technology implementation and recommend further investigation into the investments needed to support new socio-economic opportunities and implications for the local agro-pastoral communities.

Impacts of catchment restoration on water availability and drought resilience in Ethiopia: A meta‐analysis

“…In such environment, thus, the introduction and modernization of spate irrigation could improve the community's drought resilience (Gumma et al, 2020; Meaza et al, 2017; Meaza et al, 2018). Overall, in low‐lying areas, improving flood management is important in water catchment management (Demissie et al, 2021).…”

Water spreading weirs altering flood, nutrient distribution and crop productivity in upstream–downstream settings in dry lowlands of Afar, Ethiopia

“…Gumma et al . (2019) estimated that a minimum of 720,000 and 550,000 ha of land could be used for planning flood-based development in Afar using the Meher and Belg seasons, respectively. This depicts a huge potential for scaling up of WSW-based production of such high productivity level.…”

“…This was practically demonstrated in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 when beneficiaries could pile huge amount of biomass on top of acacia trees and inside fenced plots and used it for livestock feeding in times when feeding livestock from the natural grazing was hardly possible. Gumma et al (2019) estimated that a minimum of 720,000 and 550,000 ha of land could be used for planning flood-based development in Afar using the Meher and Belg seasons, respectively. This depicts a huge potential for scaling up of WSW-based production of such high productivity level.…”

Camel and Small Ruminant Based Pastoralism in Ethiopia: Recent Trends and Future Prospects

“…The occurrence of sediment on rangeland through excessive ood affects the availability of grazing resources and serves as an initiation for agricultural investment, due to the accumulation of fertile soil (Tilahun et al, 2020). The occurrence of high rain and ood affect and damage the landscape and settlement of pastoralist (Gumma et al, 2019). Flood affects pastoralist cattle production directly through mortality and indirectly by affecting grazing land and resources (Thornton and Gerber, 2010).…”