(a) Name four irrigation schemes… | Geography

Question 1 Report

(a) Name four irrigation schemes within the Nile Basin(two in Egypt and two in Sudan)

(b) Select any one of the schemes and describe the factors which have favoured its development

(d) Highlight any three problems associated with irrigation schemes in the Nile Valley

Answer

(a) Four irrigation schemes within the Nile Basin:

In Egypt: (i) the Aswan High Dam scheme (Lake Nasser); (ii) the Delta Barrage / Nile Delta irrigation scheme.
In Sudan: (iii) the Gezira scheme (between the Blue and White Nile); (iv) the Managil (Gezira extension) scheme, and the Khashm el-Girba scheme on the Atbara.

(b) Factors that favoured the development of the Gezira scheme:

Suitable relief: the Gezira is a flat, gently sloping clay plain between the Blue and White Nile, so water can be led by gravity through canals without pumping.
Availability of water: the Sennar Dam on the Blue Nile stores water and provides a reliable, controlled supply for irrigation.
Fertile soils: the heavy dark clay ("black cotton") soils are fertile and hold water well, ideal for cotton growing.
Favourable climate and labour: the hot, sunny climate suits cotton, and a large local population supplies the labour needed.
Government support and capital: planned investment provided the dam, canals and organisation to manage the scheme.

(c) Contributions of the Gezira scheme to economic development:

It made Sudan a leading producer and exporter of high-quality long-staple cotton, earning foreign exchange.
It provides employment for thousands of tenant farmers and workers.
It supports food production (wheat, groundnuts, sorghum) grown in rotation, improving food supply.
It has stimulated industry and infrastructure (ginneries, roads, railways, towns) and raised farmers' incomes.

(d) Three problems associated with irrigation schemes in the Nile Valley:

Silting: canals and reservoirs become choked with silt, reducing storage and requiring costly dredging.
Salinity and waterlogging: over-watering and poor drainage raise the water table and leave salt on the surface, damaging the soil.
Spread of water-borne diseases: stagnant canal water encourages bilharzia (schistosomiasis) and malaria among the farming population.

Answer Details

(a) Four irrigation schemes within the Nile Basin:

In Egypt: (i) the Aswan High Dam scheme (Lake Nasser); (ii) the Delta Barrage / Nile Delta irrigation scheme.
In Sudan: (iii) the Gezira scheme (between the Blue and White Nile); (iv) the Managil (Gezira extension) scheme, and the Khashm el-Girba scheme on the Atbara.

(b) Factors that favoured the development of the Gezira scheme:

Suitable relief: the Gezira is a flat, gently sloping clay plain between the Blue and White Nile, so water can be led by gravity through canals without pumping.
Availability of water: the Sennar Dam on the Blue Nile stores water and provides a reliable, controlled supply for irrigation.
Fertile soils: the heavy dark clay ("black cotton") soils are fertile and hold water well, ideal for cotton growing.
Favourable climate and labour: the hot, sunny climate suits cotton, and a large local population supplies the labour needed.
Government support and capital: planned investment provided the dam, canals and organisation to manage the scheme.

(c) Contributions of the Gezira scheme to economic development:

It made Sudan a leading producer and exporter of high-quality long-staple cotton, earning foreign exchange.
It provides employment for thousands of tenant farmers and workers.
It supports food production (wheat, groundnuts, sorghum) grown in rotation, improving food supply.
It has stimulated industry and infrastructure (ginneries, roads, railways, towns) and raised farmers' incomes.

(d) Three problems associated with irrigation schemes in the Nile Valley:

Silting: canals and reservoirs become choked with silt, reducing storage and requiring costly dredging.
Salinity and waterlogging: over-watering and poor drainage raise the water table and leave salt on the surface, damaging the soil.
Spread of water-borne diseases: stagnant canal water encourages bilharzia (schistosomiasis) and malaria among the farming population.

(a) Name four irrigation schemes within the Nile Basin(two in Egypt and two in Sudan) (b) Select any one of the schemes and describe the factors which have ...