The Challenges
The study involved the comparison of the two methods of rice production in relation to investment, operation and maintenance costs and the benefits for gravity and pump-fed (diesel, petrol and electricity powered pumping units) irrigated areas. A report was prepared which established the minimum and optimum areas for viable irrigated rice production for the various modes of water delivery. The computation of the benefit cost ratios established the relationships with regard to the rain-fed, gravity-fed and pump-fed smallholder rice cultivation.
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