@article{fdi:010075666,
  title = {{S}ocio-hydrological drivers of agricultural water use in small reservoirs},
  author = {{O}gilvie, {A}ndrew and {R}iaux, {J}eanne and {M}assuel, {S}ylvain and {M}ulligan, {M}. and {B}elaud, {G}. and {L}e {G}oulven, {P}atrick and {C}alvez, {R}oger},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{M}illions of small reservoirs built across semi-arid areas present a potential to support agricultural livelihoods of rural smallholders. {T}he scale and geographical dispersion of these multiple lakes restrict the understanding of these coupled human-water systems and the identification of adequate strategies to support riparian farmers. {T}his research developed a multi-scalar interdisciplinary approach to characterise the hydrological and wider drivers of agricultural water use around multiple small reservoirs in semi-arid central {T}unisia. {T}he combination of field surveys, quantitative questionnaires and qualitative, semi-structured interviews confirmed minimal withdrawals, but highlighted the diversification of practices, the rise in fruit farming and peripheral benefits generated here by the development of 56 lakes. 48% of lakes provide residual benefits for the occasional watering of on average 300 fruit trees and support to downstream wells exploited for irrigation. {A} further 13 lakes (23%) provide high levels of benefits (900 fruit trees each), albeit with low equity, supporting essentially established farmers. {T}he analysis of surface water assessments every 8 days from {L}andsat 5-8 imagery over 1999-2014, provides unprecedented insights into the significant water scarcity and unreliability that impedes agricultural intensification on 86% of small lakes. {L}imited storage capacities and prolonged droughts highlight the need for small reservoirs in this climatic context to retain a supplementary irrigation objective and not strive to support widespread intensification of irrigated practices. {M}any farmers lack the capabilities to increase their withdrawals and suffer physical and economic water access difficulties, mismanagement, compounded through limited and short-term government assistance. {I}ndividual successes resulted from farmers' economic resilience and means to secure alternate water supplies during dry spells.},
  keywords = {{S}ocio-hydrology ; {R}emote sensing ; {S}mall reservoirs ; {W}ater harvesting ; {T}unisia ; {TUNISIE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}gricultural {W}ater {M}anagement},
  volume = {218},
  numero = {},
  pages = {17--29},
  ISSN = {0378-3774},
  year = {2019},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.agwat.2019.03.001},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010075666},
}