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Prasad, Pooja (author), Duker, Annelieke (author), de Fraiture, Charlotte (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)There is an urgent need in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to enhance irrigation access to meet the challenges of growing population and climate risk. To achieve this, big investments are currently planned in large irrigation infrastructure. We believe there is danger in following this conventional approach, which requires big lumpsum investments,...journal article 2023
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den Besten, N.I. (author), Steele-Dunne, S.C. (author), Mahmud, Ashfak (author), Jackson, Daniel (author), Aouizerats, Benjamin (author), de Jeu, Richard (author), Burger, Rogier (author), Houborg, Rasmus (author), McGlinchey, Mark (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)Sentinel-1 observes the whole globe every 12 days (6 days when both satellites were operational) and provides a wealth of data relevant to agriculture. Sugarcane cultivators could potentially benefit from these data by using them to assist operational and management practices. However, first, thorough understanding is needed of Sentinel-1...journal article 2023
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Amorocho Daza, H.D. (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Sušnik, J. (author)Water enables health, education, and economic well-being opportunities for humanity. Access to basic water and sanitation services, freshwater variability, and water storage are some of the dimensions that may impact on human development worldwide. Yet few studies quantitatively explore the relationship between water and human development....journal article 2023
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Duker, Annelieke E.C. (author), Maseko, Sambulisiwe (author), Moyo, Mehluli A. (author), Karimba, Benson M. (author), Bolding, Alex (author), Prasad, Pooja (author), de Fraiture, Charlotte (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)Farmer-led irrigation is valued for its resilience and ability to cope with shocks and benefit from opportunities. Yet, typologies of farmer-led irrigation are mostly static categorisations without analysing farmers’ decision-making over time, and without studying ‘failed’ cases. We therefore analysed temporal changes in farmers’ irrigation...journal article 2023
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Owusu, A.G. (author), Zatarain Salazar, J. (author), Mul, Marloes (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Slinger, J (author)The construction of the Akosombo and Kpong dams in the Lower Volta River basin in Ghana changed the downstream riverine ecosystem and affected the lives of downstream communities, particularly those who lost their traditional livelihoods. In contrast to the costs borne by those in the vicinity of the river, Ghana has enjoyed vast economic...journal article 2023
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Karimba, Benson Mutuma (author), Duker, Annelieke (author), Prasad, Pooja (author), Karimi, Poolad (author), de Fraiture, Charlotte (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)Irrigation is commonly viewed as an activity fixed in time and place requiring permanent infrastructure. However, smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa engage in irrigation in diverse locations under different organizational modalities. This research analyses a flexible and dynamic form of irrigation driven by unique partnerships between...journal article 2022
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Owusu, A.G. (author), Mul, Marloes (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Slinger, J (author)The provision of flows for the environment, e-flows, is a means to restore the benefits of naturally flowing rivers. Despite the development of numerous methodologies to determine e-flows and optimize dam releases, actual implementation is relatively limited. Examples of successful e-flows implementation through dam reoperation exist in...journal article 2022
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Chukalla, Abebe D. (author), Mul, Marloes L. (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Van Halsema, Gerardo (author), Mubaya, Evaristo (author), Muchanga, Esperanca (author), den Besten, N.I. (author), Karimi, Poolad (author)The growing competition for finite land and water resources and the need to feed an ever-growing population require new techniques to monitor the performance of irrigation schemes and improve land and water productivity. Datasets from FAO's portal to monitor Water Productivity through Open access Remotely sensed derived data (WaPOR) are...journal article 2022
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Ekka, A. (author), Keshav, Saket (author), Pande, S. (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Jiang, Yong (author)Study region: Upper Cauvery river basin, India Study focus: Reservoir construction is one of the major contributors to changes in natural river flow regime characteristics. This study aims to understand the hydrological alterations resulting from the construction of reservoirs and water abstraction in the upper regions of the basin. The...journal article 2022
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Godinez Madrigal, J. (author), Van Cauwenbergh, Nora (author), Hoogesteger, Jaime (author), Gutierrez, Pamela Claure (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)Managers of urban water systems constantly make decisions to guarantee water services by overcoming problems related to supply–demand imbalances. A preferred strategy has been supply augmentation through hydraulic infrastructure development. However, despite considerable investments, many systems seem to be trapped in lacklustre development...journal article 2022
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Duker, Annelieke E.C. (author), Karimba, Benson Mutuma (author), Wani, Grace E. (author), Prasad, Pooja (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), De Fraiture, Charlotte (author)In the semi-arid lands of southern Kenya, a dynamic process of farmer-led irrigation has developed over the past two decades. It is characterised by short-term agreements to access land and water. Resident and migrant farmers, capital providers and local landowners have engaged in diverse partnerships to benefit from water and land along the...journal article 2022
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Van Cauwenbergh, N. (author), Dourojeanni, P.A. (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Brugnach, M. (author), Dartee, K. (author), Giordano, R. (author), Lopez-Gunn, Elena (author)This paper explores the concept of “institutional readiness” (IR) applied to the adoption and mainstreaming of Nature-based solutions (NBS) to deal with climate related risks. We argue that barriers towards up-scaling and mainstreaming of NBS are a manifestation of uncertainty, and are often associated with the ‘readiness’ of the...journal article 2022
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Kipyegon Bosuben, David (author), Wehn, Uta (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)Access to accurate and trusted data for transboundary water management is important but not always sufficiently appreciated. Based on the Lake Victoria water levels decline, this technical note demonstrates that when a water crisis unfolds, tensions can arise because of absence of relevant data and uncertainty over data that are available....journal article 2022
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den Besten, N.I. (author), Steele-Dunne, S.C. (author), de Jeu, Richard (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)Waterlogging is an increasingly important issue in irrigated agriculture that has a detri-mental impact on crop productivity. The above-ground effect of waterlogging on crops is hard to distinguish from water deficit stress with remote sensing, as responses such as stomatal closure and leaf wilting occur in both situations. Currently,...journal article 2021
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den Besten, N.I. (author), Steele-Dunne, S.C. (author), Aouizerats, Benjamin (author), Zajdband, Ariel (author), de Jeu, Richard (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)In this study the impact of sucrose accumulation in Sentinel-1 backscatter observations is presented and compared to Planet optical observations. Sugarcane yield data from a sugarcane plantation in Xinavane, Mozambique are used for this study. The database contains sugarcane yield of 387 fields over two seasons (2018-2019 and 2019-2020). The...journal article 2021
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Verhagen, J.D. (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Abraham, E. (author)Integrating the planning of a multi-reservoir system in nexus with agricultural and electricity infrastructure could alleviate security concerns for these resources in regions where demand is growing while water and land scarcity are exacerbated by climate change and anthropogenic pressures. This study focuses on the benefits of resource...journal article 2021
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Owusu, A.G. (author), Mul, Marloes (author), Strauch, Michael (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Volk, Martin (author), Slinger, J (author)The Volta clam, Galatea paradoxa, is a freshwater macrobenthic bivalve which is endemic to the Lower Volta River in Ghana. The range of occurrence of the clam has been influenced by the flow regime in the Lower Volta which is in turn controlled by operation of two dams located upstream. Previous research has documented the changes to the Lower...journal article 2021
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Owusu, A.G. (author), Mul, Marloes (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Slinger, J (author)Dam construction and operation are known to alter the hydrology of rivers and degrade riverine ecosystems. In recent decades, the call to reverse these negative impacts by re-operating dams has become stronger. Dams can support riverine ecosystems by releasing environmental flows (e-flows). Unfortunately, despite the development of numerous...journal article 2020
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Duker, A.E.C. (author), Mawoyo, T.A. (author), Bolding, A. (author), de Fraiture, C. (author), van der Zaag, P. (author)In recent years more recognition is given to the benefits and risks of private smallholder irrigation development across sub-Saharan Africa. It is acknowledged for its capacity to adapt to local circumstances and challenges. This study assesses the heterogeneous character of private smallholder irrigation in the challenging environment of...journal article 2020
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Gebremicael, T.G. (author), van der Zaag, P. (author), Abbas Mohamedali, Y. (author), Hagos, Eyasu Y. (author)Understanding the natural low flow of a catchment is critical for effective water management policy in semi-arid and arid lands. The Geba catchment in Ethiopia, forming the headwaters of Tekeze-Atbara basin was known for its severe land degradation before the recent large scale Soil and Water conservation (SWC) programs. Such interventions...journal article 2020