Malaba River Amagoro Irrigation Project
Feasibility analysis, planning and design for development of an irrigation delivery system
- Location: Malaba, Uganda
- Date: 2022 – 2023
- Client: Studio Galli Ingegneria (SGI)
- Project Type: Irrigation engineering
Developing an irrigation scheme to encourage economic development
The Malaba River valley in eastern Uganda is suffering extended drought and unexpected flooding, leaving farmers stressed out due to a lack of consistent water. The Government of Uganda prioritized expanding access and use of water for agricultural production through the construction of an irrigation project to regulate the flow of the Malaba River and provide farmers with reliable water to irrigate their land. Financing the major infrastructure project was dependent on technical feasibility and engineering.
We provided consultancy services to the project executor, SGI, to determine the feasibility and design of the irrigation project infrastructure to meet appraisal requirements for World Bank financing. The services included feasibility study, water resources assessment, design engineering, master planning, and management system development.
The project includes a 15-meter-tall dam on the Malaba River near the Uganda border with Kenya, a reservoir with capacity of 170 MCM, serving an area of 5,000 hectares through a network of canals and drainage pipes. The irrigation system will connect over 200,000 people and their livestock to piped water.
Services Provided
Downstream irrigation analysis
Our analytical support included an agronomic survey and commodity market analysis, as well as the identification of irrigable agricultural areas and optimal cropping patterns.
Projection of water supply
We conducted an assessment of water availability by forecasting 50 years into the future in order to identify the various water supply options for the irrigation project.
Irrigation infrastructure engineering and design
Our engineers developed preliminary designs of the canals, drains and other necessary structures.
Master planning
We developed a strategic blueprint of the Amagoro Irrigation project, setting the priorities for infrastructure related to river flow regulation, water storage and distribution and providing a vision for the future growth of the river valley and guide the future construction.
Project management system
Our team evaluated the Amagoro Irrigation project’s economic and financial viability, calculating farm-level production, labor, and net revenue, and estimated project CAPEX and OPEX expenses.
