Author(s): Md Rowshon Kamal, Nkululeko Simeon Dlamini, Mohd Amin Mohd Soom
Linked Author(s): Rowshon Kamal
Keywords: Climate change, CSRIMIS, GCM, water allocation, rice irrigation.
Abstract: Global water scarcity remains the main growing challenge faced by the agriculture sector. This condition is attributed partly to the tremendous increase in the demand for different water uses and the climate change phenomena. Modelling irrigation water allocation for systems such paddy fields under changing climate requires several procedures that may be tedious for water users such as farmers. Climate-smart Rice Irrigation Management Information System (CSRIMIS), is a user-friendly decision support program developed in this study to simulate water allocation deliveries in paddy fields at Tanjung Karang irrigation scheme while accounting for the impacts of climate change. The program is driven by climate data derived from 10 global climate models (GCMs) statistically downscaled under 3 emission scenarios RCP4. 5, 6. 0 and 8. 5. A stochastic daily rainfall model is developed for forecasting future rainfall. Outputs of a hydrological model are incorporated in the program for assessing flows of the Bernam River, which is a source of irrigation water for the scheme. The program assess water requirement by adjusting the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) for projected future carbon concentration based on GCM simulations. The program comprises of 4 key modules; stochastic rainfall, reference evapotranspiration, water demand and water allocation and monitoring. MATLAB programming language is used to develop the program and its graphical user interface (GUI). The interface is the framework for linking all the modules of the program and provides the user with the ability to access data and output for the system, based on a mouse-driven approach with pop-up windows, pull-down menus and button controls. The multi-model projections show an increase in future temperature (tmax and tmin) in all respective scenarios, up to an average of 2. 5 �C for under the worst-case scenario (RC8. 5). This paper discusses the CSRIMIS program and presents some of its outputs as relates to the 4 modules
Year: 2017