First of all, the water resources management challenges on agriculture are austere. Agriculture water using is taken from the only 1 percent of total water, and it became to the largest user. Professor Martins’ (2001) research found that, water using for agriculture irrigation is 5-10,000 m3/ha/yr that consumes half quantity water each year from the Niger River. It shows that irrigating plants is the primary water user, and it is also a method to manage water resources. Because of water irrigated plants, then back to the soil become the water cycle. In addition, rainfall as another water resource to impact on agriculture. Temperature and river discharges as two important elements on plants irrigation are influenced by amount of rainfall. The article by Oyebande and Odunuga (2010) states that decreasing rainfall has resulted in amount of freshwater, which directly impacts on agriculture. They also mentioned that if the rainfall decreased 20%, then available water resources would decrease 30%-40%. That means crops and plants would be reduced production by declining rainfall and drought. In short, due to declining rainfall, agriculture has been influenced; water management challenge would be strictly.
Secondly, water resources management challenges face on economic status. Agriculture is the most principally sectors of economic. Whether agriculture production is good or not, that would consequence on economic. These two things are inextricably linked to each other. If agricultural production hand harvest get good result, economic status will be better. As the information presents that economic status goes worse because of the lack of rainfall, low agriculture production. That means if rainfall declining, then agriculture production will decrease, a lot of people will lose job, so that economic status will be affected negatively. Water resource management challenges has effected on economic status directly. Moreover, irrigation technology did not get improved causes worse economic status. Nigerian is too poor to get new technology irrigation machine to improve agriculture. According to the poor conditions irrigation machine, Nigerian could not manage water resource to irrigate plants and produce crops effectively. So that economy of Niger has not gotten increased.
Furthermore, water resource management challenge on water quality of Niger society. The water resources management challenges face on water quantity scarcity, but also water quality is poor. Terrible water quality become to another water resource problem to challenge Niger society. There is 97% people drink unsafe water. Some of them got sick from that water. (Havorson, et al., 2011) This data means poor water quality has serious consequence human’s life.
To sum up, water resource management challenges to the Republic of Niger on agriculture is arduous. That will impact on economic status and society.
Challenges in Indiana of the United States
Compare to the Republic of Niger, the challenges of water resources management in the United States are easily than Niger. As the Unites States is the one of the most developed country, water resource management system is more advanced than other developing countries. Be specific, there are large quantities of water resources in the Unites States. Such as five lakes, ground water resource and so on. Per capita availability is the highest in the world. There are still some measures for saving water resource in America. American realized how water resources precious. Also, Americans have ability to manage water resource using effectively. However, not all fortunate conditions are in America. As the global warming became more and more serious, the weather is not normal as before. The distribution of water resource is not equally. As all America knows, western area has less water resource than eastern part has. The Indiana state of the U.S. is one of water resources scarcity state that locates at the Midwest part of the United States. There is several water resource management challenges in Indiana State: agriculture, economic status, and culture.
In recent decades, there are some measures of changing agriculture. Because of water pollution is caused by industry development that impact on crops production directly. In fact, some Indiana farmers are worried about water quality while they manage their farm. According to William, Michael, Zhang, and Jon’s (2008) research, agricultural activities are influenced by sediment and nutrient concentrations heavily. Also, those two components have negative effects on water quality that lead to manage agriculture difficultly. These kinds of issues not only happened that has serious consequence to human’s health and farm management, but also water quality has been polluted. Moreover, water pollution has negative effects on economy. While decreasing of agriculture production lead to farmer’s income decreasing. Government of Indiana State has to pay more attention and spend more budgets to manage water pollution. As a result of deficiency from management of water pollution, the government of Indiana State has another measure to manage that. As Lovejoy, Beasley, and Lee’s (1985) study present that according to analysis of a central of Indiana watershed, government targets to watersheds, reduced sedimentation for substantial saving. It means the government pays more attention to watersheds, and then controls water pollution that guarantees safe water for citizens and the promotes benefit for farmers in the long-term.
Discussion
According to the analysis above, the challenges of water resource management are obvious alert. Compare to these two communities, they have quite different water management system that make them to face on different challenges. The Unites States has plentiful available water resources. That not means American could waste water resources whenever. Water is not renewable resource. On the other hand, local water resources are less in the Republic of Niger. This is an important reason why this country could not develop agriculture or economy. When a country plan to develop industry or agriculture, the first important consideration is limitation of water resources and water pollution. There is a close relationship between the earth and human. Every individual in the world should involve to protecting resources no matter how much water resources.
Fortunately, people realized how water resources valuable is. Many countries have relevant measure to manage water and face challenges. Building dam, improving water recycle, and solving water pollution are some effectively measures that many countries works on. Also, making water laws is another measure in the U.S. Agriculture water pollution has been better after the implementation of the law. Similarity, improving agricultural technology is working on water pollution. Encouraging farmer use high technology machines, less pesticide on crops still could reduce water pollution. For example, China has built SanXia dam to focus on South-to-North water diversion. Chinese get series of benefits from the SanXia dam, such as fixing water flood in the south area, and solving drought in the north area in China. At the same time, SamXia dam improves hydrogen power and get promotion from electric. This is not the only one case shows successful challenge of water resources management. Human should create much more methods to manage resources. Beyond immediate interest, focus on long-term trend that could make the environment better and more.
References
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Lovejoy B., Beasley B., & Lee G. (1985). Soil Loss Reduction in Finley Creek, Indiana: an economic analysis of alternative policies. Journal of Soil & Water Conservation. 40 (1) 132. Retrieved on October 26, 2012 from EBSCO.
Renwik H., Vanni J., Zhang Q., & Patton J. (2008). Water Quality Trends and Changing Agricultural Practices in Midwest U.S Watershed, 1994-2006. Journal of Environmental Quality. 37(5), 1862-1874. Retrieved on October 26, 2012 from EBSCO.
The 4th edition of the UN World Water Development Report, 176-186, 2012