Energy Analysis in Irrigated Sugarcane Schemes of Awash River Basin, Ethiopia

Abstract

Sugarcane is one of the important irrigated crops in Ethiopia and its production is highly linked with its energy and water use. In this paper, identifications and quantifications of input and output, direct and indirect energy sources, and energy use of farm operations were carried out on 11 irrigation schemes of Awash River Basin. In order to grow 91.8 to 167.6 tons of cane, 47.9 to 143.4 GJ/ha of total energy was used. Average total input energies of gravity, pump surface and sprinkler scheme categories to grow 109.8, 112.7 and 136.3 ton/ha were 53.6, 68.9 and 129.2 GJ/ha, respectively. Around 90% and 74% total energies of gravity surface and sprinkler schemes were consumed as direct and indirect energies, respectively. Irrigation found to be the most energy consuming operation constituting more than 50% input energy of all scheme categories. Energy efficiency of gravity schemes was 152% and 300% higher than pump driven surface and sprinkler schemes. Energy sequestrated in cane straws burned during harvesting found to be higher than fertilizer and pumping energy demands. Use of cane straws as manure and energy sources have the potential to substitute demands which in turn needs further investigations and analysis.