Current and Future Irrigation Water Requirement and Potential in the Abbay River Basin, Ethiopia

In this study, we evaluated the present and future irrigation potential water requirement (IWR) in Ethiopia’s Abbay River Basin using MIKE HYDRO modeling software. Relative changes IWR were determined analyzed at six nodes for 19 crops 23 traits. Four scenarios compared: low, medium, full (FULL), high growth (HIGH). Significant observed FULL HIGH scenarios, with highly intensive conditions resulting IWR. The model was used to simulate historically two scenarios: (1) scenario representing current total irrigable cropland (79,800 ha) (2) projecting basin’s (658,384 ha). As a result, area under analysis 738,184 ha. annual 9 billion cubic meters (BCM) 18 BCM respectively. We found that uncertainties crop migration, cropping patterns, adaptation rates climate change significantly affected production. It is necessary investigate effects of on yield economic benefits before adopting different development methods. Further research required adapt changing targeted strategies.