Factors Explaining On-site Irrigation Performance Variability in Triffa's Irrigated Perimeter (East Morocco)

AbstractMany different expressions for irrigation efficiency exist. A popular expression is the engineers’ irrigation efficiency (IE) that can be separated into conveyance efficiency (ec) and application efficiency (ea). ea is often seen as the key parameter to optimize, leading to the promotion of application techniques associated to a high ea value. Unfortunately, the processes that determine the overall efficiencies are not yet well understood. In this paper, we aim to assess and model technical irrigation performance (IP) for the Triffa's irrigation perimeter in East Morocco. IP is modeled in terms of technical, agronomic and socio-economical parameters as a way to understand the underlying processes that determine efficiencies. IP calculation shows that actual performance values are much more variable than literature reference values. IP variability is indeed related not only to application technology but also to agronomic, technical, socio-economical and even nearly psychological factors, highlighting the need to include such socio-economic considerations into the irrigation evaluation process