An engineering approach to support user-led innovation in improving the performance of artisanal irrigation pivots in the Algerian Sahara
2024
Ould Rebai, Abdelkrim | Hartani, Tarik | Kuper, Marcel | Molle, Bruno | Bouarfa, Sami | Laib, Khalil | CENTRE UNIVERSITAIRE DE TIPAZA OUED MERZOUG TIPAZA DZA ; Partenaires IRSTEA ; Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA) | École Nationale Supérieure d’Agronomie [Alger] (ENSA) | Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages (UMR G-EAU) ; Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-AgroParisTech-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier ; Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro) | Département Environnements et Sociétés (Cirad-ES) ; Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad) | Projet Hubis (PRIMA/006/2019) et Projet Massire (FIDA/20000002013)
International audience
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Inglés. Large-scale center pivots have been imported into Algeria since the 1980s to promote cereal production in the Sahara, but these pivots did not match either user needs or smallholder farming systems. In response, local artisans designed a smaller, cheaper, more robust center pivot in an incremental open innovation process that lasted 10 years. Currently, around 35 % of the Algerian potato production is irrigated by around 40,000 artisanal center pivots, each irrigating 1 ha. The aim of the study was to design and test an engineering approach to support local innovation actors in improving the performance of the artisanal irrigation pivot. Field observations and interviews were conducted with 24 users and 10 leading artisans to analyze the innovation process and judge which improvements would be acceptable. Experiments were then conducted in situ and in the national irrigation laboratory to analyze irrigation performance and test practical adjustments to improve it. Results showed that the distribution uniformity of pivots, less than 50 %, can be improved by adjusting the position of sprinklers along the pivot laterals and fine-tuning the nozzle aperture. This study opens new perspectives for engineering approaches to support user-led innovation.
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Información bibliográfica
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