Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed Wheat Production

Smart Irrigation, Bountiful Harvests

This technique involves creating raised beds, 40-130 cm wide and 10-20 cm tall, with furrows 20-50 cm wide in between. Crops are planted on top of the beds, and water is directed to the furrows, ensuring even irrigation and maintaining optimal soil moisture. The engineered surface enhances rainwater collection, reducing soil erosion. Capillary forces and evapotranspiration prevent waterlogging, protecting wheat crops. This method is effective only with specific varieties of irrigated wheat. In Ethiopia, these varieties include Amibera, Ga’ambo, Kakaba, Fentale-2, Shorima, Dandaa, and Ogolcho. In Nigeria, the varieties are Attila, Reyna 28, Norman Borlaug, Pastor, Imam, and Kauz. In Sudan, suitable varieties include Goumria, Zakia, Imam, Elnielain, Bohaine, Argine, Akasha, Zaidab, Ageeb, Ashri, Amel, and Al-Shibak.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

7•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 7/9

Project adoption4

Technology integrated in the CREW, ERAVCDP, SEWPP, and TAISP projects.

See project details ›

360 USD

sheet plastic per ha

100—250 USD

water from planting to harvest

IP

Open source / open access

Problem

High irrigation water use: Traditional flood irrigation uses large volumes of water, increasing irrigation costs for wheat production.
Waterlogging and soil salinization: Excessive flooding creates waterlogged soils and increases the risk of salinization, damaging wheat crops.
Inefficient fertilizer use: Poor control of fertilizer application leads to overuse or uneven distribution and increases production costs.
Poor soil moisture control: Inadequate control of soil moisture creates unfavorable growing conditions and reduces wheat yields.
Limited access to freshwater: Limited freshwater availability restricts irrigation and limits opportunities to increase wheat production.

Solution

Controlled furrow irrigation: Directing water into furrows reduces unnecessary water use and maintains suitable soil moisture for wheat.
Raised bed cultivation: Raised beds improve drainage and reduce waterlogging and salinization.
Precision fertilizer application: Precise fertilizer application reduces overuse and improves the efficiency of fertilizer inputs.
Engineered soil surfaces: Raised beds and controlled furrows maintain more suitable soil moisture conditions and support higher yields.
Efficient water management: Rainwater harvesting combined with controlled irrigation improves the use of available freshwater.

Key points to design your business plan

For Farmers:

The practice of Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed Wheat Production involves creating raised beds and furrows in the soil, which can be done using specific equipment. This equipment is designed to construct beds that are 40-130 cm wide and 10-20 cm tall, with furrows of 20-50 cm wide in between.

Here are the key elements for a farmer in Africa to consider for Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed Wheat Production :

Land suitability: Land with a slope less than 3% is ideal to avoid water erosion. FIRBWP works well with sandy, loamy and clay soils found across Africa.
Water source: A reliable water source like a well, canal, or stream is needed to supply the furrows.
Labor: Depending on the scale of the operation, labor may be needed for bed forming, planting, irrigation management, and harvesting. Consider if hiring help is necessary.
Crop selection: Choose wheat varieties suited for furrow irrigation and your specific climate (spring vs winter wheat).
Planting schedule: Research best planting times for your region considering temperature and rainfall patterns.
Input procurement: Secure seeds, fertilizers, and any necessary herbicides or pesticides well in advance of planting.
Bed preparation: Tools like hand hoes or a tractor-drawn bed shaper can be used to create raised beds and furrows. Rental options may be available depending on location.
Irrigation management: Farmers will need a system to direct water flow into the furrows. This may involve simple ditches and gates or more complex piped systems.
Harvesting: Depending on the scale, harvesting can be done by hand with sickles or with small machinery.
Training: Look for training programs or extension services to learn best practices for Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed Wheat Production.
Marketing: Plan how you will sell your wheat crop at harvest. Consider local markets or larger grain buyers.

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive high

Under 18: Positive medium

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology's development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology's readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 7 out of 9

Semi-controlled environment: prototype

Level of use 7 out of 9

Common use by projects NOT connected to technology provider

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Project	Countries	Beneficiaries	Budget (USD) & duration	Key figures
CREW Climate Resilient Wheat Value Chain Development Project	Ethiopia	Direct: 2,300,000	94.30 million 2023–2028	4 t/ha increase in wheat production 528 water pumps installed 50,000 farmer hubs equipped with laboratories 23,092 ha irrigation systems rehabilitated
ERAVCDP Eastern Region Agricultural Value Chain Development Project	Angola	Direct: 1,200,000 Indirect: 1,000,000	211.4 million 2026–2031	2,500 ha irrigation systems rehabilitated 400 km rural roads constructed 9 markets and warehouses established 360,000 tons of fertilizers distributed
SEWPP Emergency Wheat Production Project	Sudan	Direct: 400,000 Indirect: 800,000	73.81 million 2023–2025	891,000 tons additional production expected 45,000 tons certified seeds distributed 90,910 tons urea provided 400,000 ha planted
TAISP Agricultural Inputs Support Project	Tanzania	Direct: 1,200,000	84.07 million 2022–2028	7,200 tons wheat seeds provided 1,000,000 tons additional production expected 600,000 tons fertilizers provided 1,200,000 farmers registered on digital platforms

Figures in italic are from project plans and may change during implementation.

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Niger	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Africa	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sudan	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–	–	–	–
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 6: clean water and sanitation

Goal 13: climate action

Goal 5: gender equality

Inspect Field and Determine Slope:
- Before starting, visually inspect the field to identify the slope and direction of water flow.
- If the slope is less than 0.5%, design the bed-furrow system to be parallel with the slope. If greater than 0.5%, align it with the contours.
Prepare the Soil:
- Clear the field of rocks, debris, and tree trunks.
- Till the soil to a depth of 20cm and harrow to break up large clumps.
Install Distribution Channel and Drainage Collector:
- At the higher end of the field, install a distribution channel to evenly spread water.
- At the lower end, set up a drainage collector to prevent water accumulation.
Create Raised Beds and Furrows:
- Use appropriate tools to shape the soil into raised beds (40-130 cm wide, 10-20 cm tall) with furrows (20-50 cm wide) in between.
Level Beds and Optional Covering:
- Ensure the beds are level for uniform irrigation. Optionally, cover the beds with mulch or plastic sheets to maintain the engineered surface.
Optimize Crop Growth and Rotation :
- Monitor soil moisture and nutrient levels throughout the growing season for optimal conditions.
- Harvest when ready, benefiting from higher yields and returns on investment.
- Consider rotating crops like rice, cotton, or legumes alongside wheat for diversified agricultural productivity.