Land and Water Assessment for Irrigation Development using Integrated Approaches in the Neri Watershed, South Ethiopia

Sustainable agricultural development depends on assessing land suitability and water availability. This study evaluates the potential for surface irrigation expansion in South Ethiopia’s Neri Watershed by integrating a GIS-based Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), the SWAT hydrological model, and FAO’s CROPWAT 8.0. The analysis identified that 97.73% of the watershed is suitable for irrigation (5.73% highly suitable, 92% moderately suitable). Using a calibrated and validated SWAT model (R2 = 0.89-0.91; NSE = 0.67), the average annual streamflow was estimated at 504.26 m3/s. Crucially, the total irrigation water demand for five key crops maize, potato, onion, cabbage, and wheat consumes only 16% of the available surface water. This significant surplus highlights a promising opportunity to enhance agricultural productivity through sustainable irrigation expansion.