Lofa County Community College Irrigated Rice

The Lofa County Community College's Ag Farm benefited from State Sponsor in 2010. The 3.8 Hector 48 paddy lowland filed was graded with nearly 3,000 meters of drains and canals installed by a Swiss NGO in 2013. However for an unknown reason project never completed and a operation and maintenance plan that could be followed was never provided. The ACDI/VOCA NGO was contacted.

The nine step resource planning process was used to assess, analyze, formulate alternatives, help decision maker select options, implement, re-assess and revise, finalize and follow-up.






Lofa County Community College Ag Dean - Happy because water now runs.

There is more to the story
The ten days process was done entirely in the field with two 25 member groups of students
Labs were conduced, opportunity to train on equipment and participate in the decision. It was a good engagement.

Assessments

Rocks left in the primary canal was one problem.



A poorly constructed spillway with water running under the concrete was another problem.
 



A three section concrete culvert poorly suited as a water control structure.
Farm manager had breached the dam in an effort to water the paddies.

Drainage  Area for the LCCC Farm

Watershed that supports the irrigation is limited. Approximately 350 Hectors in a rainfall zone of 3,000 mm seems large. However, only 400 mm is in the hydrological cycle for the dry season. The six larger stream in the Voinjama region were measured at 2.5 liters per second or less during one dry season. This stream typically goes dry at the height of the dry season. An additional complexity is the encroachment of the County seat urban area. Climate change not withstanding unless something is done to change how homes, roads, less trees and more packed ground increases runoff and reduces infiltration; the slow seepage that feeds the stream will become less, just when it could had been used to produce food.

Analysis and Alternatives

Students learning to survey while canal grade was re-designed.
 

  For students created eight story boards of each irrigation system component for study and manager's O&M.
 

Implementation

A new Gate was installed with limited local material

 

Water raised 25 cm overnight after a late rainy season rain.



Primary canal clean-out was a priority

End Result was water to all of the paddies.

But managing this requires management and work.

 

Follow-up

The result of assessing, design, implementing and finally checking.

 

Repairs needed on most of the 48 gates from the secondary canals and 3,000 meters of ditch cleaning

Important step with the mix of crops, rice and vegetables and some sections of canal leaked adding too much water!

 

Practice Revisions

Serious Hard Work

The sandbags on the uppers ide had dislodged after a hard rain.

Five men self organized to build the rock revetment in four hours.

And The Water Runs

Student President Samark and son James

Result




Aspiration for a better future

Just a little Cultural side trip

Getting to Voinjama, Lofa County seat was a joy

Over 300 Km of Africa's last international dirt highways!

 

Housing

Worked on Veranda many mornings to prep for classes

Expect most assistant profs would had been envious.

 

Running water?

If look closing through the banister two women are replacing the 50 80 lt. barrel with well water. Four years ago would had to have pump your own water, but aid work has created more jobs. A pail of water is brought to room each morning for toilet and bath. Water is heated for evening bath. Room cost is double four years ago

 Meals

Breakfast normally at 7:30. One or two banana and bread. Monday was special, brought papaya when in country for a poultry farm visit. A real treat! Once we had avocados picked from the tree just like in California. The hot water provided for tea was purified water delivered in a bag (see blue bags on table.). This service not available four years prior.

 The café on the road to Foya, highly recommended. Not open on Sunday

Catfish soup main meal every other day; normally at 3:00 PM. Goat soap, cow soap and on lean days pepper soap.