Tanzania - River Basin Management and Smallholder Irrigation Improvement Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 11 of 11) : Smallholder irrigation improvement component-Mapogoro irrigation scheme (initial report)

E968 Volume 11 T-HE TUrJ1TED REP; lStLIC (> T '.- -7 -'.NIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY RiVER BASIN MANAGEMENT AND SMALLHOLDER IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SMALLHOLDER IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT COMPONENT INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION MAPOGORO IRRIGATION SCHEME DRAFT P. >- d- - NOVEMBER 2002 ENVIRONMENTAL CELL UNIT  MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT AND SMALLHOLDER IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SMALLHOLDER IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT COMPONENT INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION MAPOGORO IRRIGATION SCHEME fr, j PT '.Z. )RT ENVIRONMENTAL CELL UNITNOEBR20  The Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) has taken various initiatives to improve the agricultural sector in the country. One of these initiatives is the River Basin Management and Smallholder Irrigation Improvement Project (RBMSIIP), under which are found the Smallholder Irrigation Improvement Component (SIIC). RBMSIIP was conceived out of a water stress situation in many parts of the Country, as water demands exceed available resources and especially in the Pangani and Rufiji Basins. Support to smallholder traditional irrigation improvement is one of the major components of this project. SIIC component focuses on improving the management of water resources and crop husbandry practices in existing smallholder irrigation schemes. SIIC is geared at improvement of water management in smallholder irrigation schemes to ensure sustainable use of land and water resources and ultimately yield increase with minimal environmental degradation. Under the auspices of the SIIC an Initial Environmental Examination Study was carried out for the Mapogoro Irrigation Scheme. This report presents the findings of the study that has been undertaken for the Scheme. The Objective of the Study is to assess and quantify environmental and social impacts, preparation of an environmental and social management plan and development of an environmental and social management and monitoring system. The methodology follows the National guidelines and legislation framework and the World Bank's relevant safe guard policies (OP 4.01) Different methodologies were employed, including the followings: * Review of relevant documents. * Questionnaire administration to individual farmers. * Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). * Analytical Tools. In analytical tools the following methodologies were applied in the process of the study: Participatory data collection. Key informant interview. Laboratory analysis of soil and water samples. * Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) software. The irrigation scheme commands a net irrigable area of 350 ha. The Mapogoro river which originates from Makombe hills provide the water resource for the scheme. In the scheme area, existing land use comprises mainly agriculture (irrigated and raunfed agriculture), Livestock keeping and petty trading. Crops grown unde irrigation include paddy, maize and vegetables. Rainfed agriculture include maize, groundnuts, sunflower and millet. The village is served by a reliable domestic water supply system, which was contracted with assistance from DANIDA. Farmers through SIIC initiatives will be trained in appropriate farming practices, agro-business, participatory management, farm inputs and formation and management of co-operatives. Based on the study approaches and methodology environmental and social impacts were analysed at three levels: upstream, irrigation scheme (command area) and downstream. The upstream and downstream impacts were: reduced river flows due to upstream abstractions and less and unreliable rainfall, water losses in the main canal due to seepage and negative gradient. Pollution of water from  impacts identified at the scheme level were: water quality, pesticides and Fertilizer use and water related disease especially Malaria. During the study both positive and negative environmental and social impacts were identified. Other environmental impacts were predicted as construction hazards, which include bush clearing on the right of way (passage of canals, flood bunds and farm roads) and impediment to movement of Livestock and borrow pits. Others are Oil spill and left over scrapers and increased incidences of HIV/STDs diseases. Potential positive impacts include the following: * Water distribution improved within the farms and improved drainage system. * Improve irrigation canal and water management. * Rehabilitated roads within the scheme area. * Strengthened existing farmers co-operative society through training