1- Background

Context

• Loss of planting material due to water stress during the dry seasons;
• Drop in yields

Objective

• Contribute to the increase in national cocoa production.

2- System choice

For a long time, SODECAO's Specialized Centre at Nkoemvone relied on natural rainfall to water its seed fields, which was not enough to achieve its objectives. 

To this effect, a modern micro-sprinkling irrigation system was initially proposed to facilitate the supply of water to the cocoa trees. However, in view of budgetary constraints, an adaptation was made in order to set up the watering system for the fields, sponsored by the Prime Minister 's Office .  

3- Working assumptions. 

• 32 hectares to be covered;
• 1200 cocoa plants per hectare ;
• A shrub consumes 8 to 10 litres of water every 3 days.

4- Presentation of the water supply system components.

• Geo-referencing and linking the Nkoemvone seed fields to the national geodetic network ;
• Creation of 5.2 km of farm tracks ;
• 12 cubitainers de 10 m³ capacity each  ;
• 12 4-metre-high mixed-construction structures;
• 2 tanks of 3000 litres each ;
• A set of distribution networks ;
• A network of garden hoses attached to taps and equipped with water launcers.

5 - How the device works

Overall, this system consists of pumping surface water using motor pumps to transfer it into tanks attached to tractors, which will in turn supply the 10,000 liter plastic tanks installed in the fields for the distribution of water in the different hydraulic districts by gravity via previously installed piping.