Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture: The Case of East Africa

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Below are some highlighted comments for the Authors.

 

1.  TITLE: Adjust your title: I suggest you add your study region

2.  Line 51-56. Among the East African countries, which is the worst hit? Mild? Needs immediate attention? Provide such details.

 

Secondly, you elaborated on the same points mentioned in the previous paragraph (Line 45-49). Hence, its duplicated. I suggest you merge it

 

3.  Line 59 - 62. What section? Introduction or a sub section of your Introduction? This area needs clarity as it somewhat muddled up. Authors should crosscheck.

4.  Line 63-92. At this point, the introduction has derailed greatly. This needs to be restructured, perhaps the A, B, C points highlighted as a more in-depth literature review.  Also, I didn’t see the Authors mention gaps as it relates to sustainable water management practices in Agriculture, and by extension in East Africa leading to their research question(s), which is also absent.

 

5.  Line 94. Remove ‘at’

6.  Line 94 - 97 How did you identify the gaps as it was never mentioned in your INTRODUCTION section.

7.  Line 128-130. This is a blanket statement. You need to show by way of an in-depth review of available literature and citation.

8.  Line 146. I appreciate the work done so far. However, more work needed to be done in your research as it currently lacks depth.

9.  Line 147-148. List out the academic database

10. Line 174.  You earlier mentioned in line 147-148 about using various database. Here, you mentioned only one.

11. Line 195. Microsoft Excel? If so, please ensure clarity.

12. Line 208. FIGURE 1 There is an arrow pointing upwards towards Observation and Document analysis., Can you explain why? Suggestion: Properly align the words in the center

 

13. Line 210-212. Provide citation(s).

14. Line 211 - 212. List the countries and provide appropriate citations.

15. Line 214 - 216. Provide citation(s).

16. Line 222. Dear Authors, how many studies did you analyze to come up with these perceived gaps?  10? 50? 100?

17. Line 226-227. Crosscheck these citations and only cite the one most appropriate to support your statement.

18. Line 470. Dear Authors, where is a reference to this table in the text? If there is none, kindly make proper adjustments as a table or figure can’t just appear without a reference in the text.

19. Table 1. What is the correlation of this table to your methodology of analysis?

Author Response

Open Review

1. TITLE: Adjust your title: I suggest you add your study region

Comment amended line 2-3

2. Line 51-56. Among the East African countries, which is the worst hit? Mild? Needs immediate attention? Provide such details.

Comment amended “The region's poor irrigation system, which irrigates less than 2% of farmed land sustainably, exacerbates water scarcity [12, 14]. Countries such as Ethiopia (1.8%), Kenya (1.7%), Tanzania (1.1%), and Uganda (0.09%), for example, confront similar restrictions despite their differences in population size. Climate change is predicted to have a considerable impact on Ethiopia, which has a large population. Kenya and Somalia are also at risk [15, 16]. The interplay of fast population expansion, urbanization, and conflicting water needs from other industries puts further strain on already limited water resources [17, 18]. The region's susceptibility to climate change-related issues, such as rising temperatures and changed precipitation patterns, exacerbates these difficulties [16-18]. As a result, efficient water management methods are critical for mitigating the effects of climate change while also ensuring long-term water security for the region's rising population.”

Secondly, you elaborated on the same points mentioned in the previous paragraph (Line 45-49). Hence, its duplicated. I suggest you merge it

Comment amended “The East African region is especially exposed to the negative consequences of climate change, such as repeated droughts and irregular rainfall patterns [12, 13]. These climate variations have a direct impact on water availability, posing considerable problems to ag-riculture and livelihoods [10, 13, 14].”

3. Line 59 - 62. What section? Introduction or a sub section of your Introduction? This area needs clarity as it somewhat muddled up. Authors should crosscheck.

Comment amended “Sustainable water management strategies are critical for resolving East Africa's serious issues of water scarcity, environmental degradation, and rising agricultural demand [12, 19, 20]. Water resources can be conserved, agricultural production improved, and ecosystems protected by using a range of solutions, including effective irrigation techniques, rainwater gathering, and integrated water resource management [17, 19, 20]. Thus the following techniques not only improve water security, but also help to ensure the region's overall water resource management sustainability.”

4. Line 63-92. At this point, the introduction has derailed greatly. This needs to be restructured, perhaps the A, B, C points highlighted as a more in-depth literature review. Also, I didn’t see the Authors mention gaps as it relates to sustainable water management practices in Agriculture, and by extension in East Africa leading to their research question(s), which is also absent.

Comment amended. The review reveals a significant gap in East Africa's sustainable water management practices for agriculture and extension, which is caused by a lack of integrated water resource management implementation, insufficient stakeholder and government cooperation and commitment, and an imbalance between smallholder farmers' indigenous knowledge and contemporary approaches. Therefore, a

5. Line 94. Remove ‘at’

Removed as per suggestion

 

6. Line 94 - 97 How did you identify the gaps as it was never mentioned in your INTRODUCTION section.

Comment amended. The introduction part edited as suggested.

7. Line 128-130. This is a blanket statement. You need to show by way of an in-depth review of available literature and citation.

Corrected as per suggestion “….While policy frameworks have been developed, there is still a considerable gap in comprehending the complexities of implementing these policies at the local level [42, 43]. Limited study has been performed to investigate the challenges that arise when attempting to apply these concepts in various socioeconomic and cultural contexts [44]. To effectively address these difficulties, a sophisticated understanding of how policies are seen, interpreted, and ultimately implemented within distinct communities is required [45]. This knowledge will allow policymakers and practitioners to create strategies that are suited to individual local needs and circumstances, boosting the chances of effective policy imple-mentation. Moreover, researchers Moreover, researchers need to….”

8. Line 146. I appreciate the work done so far. However, more work needed to be done in your research as it currently lacks depth.

Additional literature review was done and added as per the suggestion

9. Line 147-148. List out the academic database

Comment amended “databases such as: JSTOR, Google Scholar, Research Gate, Web of Science, AQUASTAT, and African Journals Online (AJOL).”

10. Line 174. You earlier mentioned in line 147-148 about using various database. Here, you mentioned only one.

Corrected as per suggestion

11. Line 195. Microsoft Excel? If so, please ensure clarity.

Deleted and corrected

12. Line 208. FIGURE 1 There is an arrow pointing upwards towards Observation and Document analysis., Can you explain why? Suggestion: Properly align the words in the center

Corrected as per the suggestion

13. Line 210-212. Provide citation(s).

Corrected and edited/added as per suggestion.

14. Line 211 - 212. List the countries and provide appropriate citations.

Added and edited as suggested.

15. Line 214 - 216. Provide citation(s).

Corrected and edited/added as per suggestion.

16. Line 222. Dear Authors, how many studies did you analyze to come up with these perceived gaps? 10? 50? 100?

157 papers was analysed and 107 was cited

17. Line 226-227. Crosscheck these citations and only cite the one most appropriate to support your statement.

Comment amended

18. Line 470. Dear Authors, where is a reference to this table in the text? If there is none, kindly make proper adjustments as a table or figure can’t just appear without a reference in the text.

Comment amended

19. Table 1. What is the correlation of this table to your methodology of analysis?

It has correlation with the document analysis mentioned in the methodology section.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript titled Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture addresses an important topic; however, several aspects need improvement to enhance its quality and impact. The title, while relevant, is not engaging or comprehensive enough to capture the manuscript’s thematic scope. A more compelling title is recommended. The abstract requires paraphrasing to ensure a logical and sequential flow, incorporating a concise background, objectives, methodology, and key findings. In the introduction, the section spanning lines 59 to 88 is confusing due to the use of alphabetical enumeration (A, B, C, etc.), which disrupts the narrative flow. This section should be rewritten as a cohesive and descriptive paragraph that integrates the points smoothly.

The methodology section is overly verbose and has no referencing. The authors must streamline this section, clearly describe the methods used, and provide proper citations. The claim of conducting a bibliometric analysis is unsubstantiated as no methodology or findings related to it are adequately described. The authors should detail the tools used (e.g., VOSviewer, R, or Bibliometrix), the data collection process from databases such as Scopus or WoS, and present bibliometric indicators like publication trends, citation networks, and thematic clusters. To guide this addition, the authors may refer to studies such as DOI:10.1016/j.regsus.2023.08.008, DOI:10.3390/jzbg4040049, and DOI:10.3389/fenvs.2024.1376213.

The results section must include findings from the bibliometric analysis, such as publication trends, co-authorship networks, and key research themes, accompanied by relevant figures and graphs. 

Currently, the manuscript provides only one table, which is insufficient for a comprehensive review paper. The authors should add comparative tables summarizing sustainable practices, regional focus areas, or thematic findings. Figures visualizing trends, thematic clusters, and key outcomes would further enhance reader engagement and understanding. Therefore it is suggested to add some attractive figures.

Lastly, the reference list needs to be updated with more recent studies from 2023 and 2024 to provide a contemporary perspective. 

Author Response

Open Review    

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript titled Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture addresses an important topic; however, several aspects need improvement to enhance its quality and impact. The title, while relevant, is not engaging or comprehensive enough to capture the manuscript’s thematic scope. A more compelling title is recommended. The abstract requires paraphrasing to ensure a logical and sequential flow, incorporating a concise background, objectives, methodology, and key findings. In the introduction, the section spanning lines 59 to 88 is confusing due to the use of alphabetical enumeration (A, B, C, etc.), which disrupts the narrative flow. This section should be rewritten as a cohesive and descriptive paragraph that integrates the points smoothly.

Comment Amended: The title was edited as suggested, the abstract was edited as per suggestion “…A detailed systematic review of 107 scientific research articles published between 1993 and 2024 was done to acquire a thorough grasp of current sustainable water resource management techniques in East Africa. This in-depth investigation sought to uncover major regional trends, challenges, and opportunities in water resource management. Furthermore, the evaluation aimed to identify specific knowledge gaps impeding the region's implementation of sustainable water management techniques…….” And the Introduction part also edited as suggested including the last paragraph of the alphabetic enumerations.

The methodology section is overly verbose and has no referencing. The authors must streamline this section, clearly describe the methods used, and provide proper citations. The claim of conducting a bibliometric analysis is unsubstantiated as no methodology or findings related to it are adequately described. The authors should detail the tools used (e.g., VOSviewer, R, or Bibliometrix), the data collection process from databases such as Scopus or WoS, and present bibliometric indicators like publication trends, citation networks, and thematic clusters. To guide this addition, the authors may refer to studies such as DOI:10.1016/j.regsus.2023.08.008, DOI:10.3390/jzbg4040049, and DOI:10.3389/fenvs.2024.1376213.

Comment amended as per suggestion. The methodology section edited.

The results section must include findings from the bibliometric analysis, such as publication trends, co-authorship networks, and key research themes, accompanied by relevant figures and graphs.

Comment amended: one Figure which is figure 2 added and the result section edited accordingly

Currently, the manuscript provides only one table, which is insufficient for a comprehensive review paper. The authors should add comparative tables summarizing sustainable practices, regional focus areas, or thematic findings. Figures visualizing trends, thematic clusters, and key outcomes would further enhance reader engagement and understanding. Therefore it is suggested to add some attractive figures.

Comment amended

Lastly, the reference list needs to be updated with more recent studies from 2023 and 2024 to provide a contemporary perspective.

Comment amended: more recent papers/studies was added as per the suggestion.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript with the title “Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture” has been reviewed. The following are my observations and comments:

1.     It is suggested for the authors to provide a more elaborate topic, especially for the readers to know that it is within East Africa. 

2.     The manuscript talks about how scholars have emphasised the need to have sustainable water management practices (refer to line 31-33).

For such a statement, it is suggested the authors cite about 3-5 research to back their argument.

3.     Refer to line 35-39: this statement is a repetition of line 30-33. This has to be relooked at as it does not satisfy scholarly relevance.

4.     Refer to 43-44. Authors stated the challenges related to water resource management for agriculture in East Africa are distinct. However, the authors have failed to show a clear distinction between what is in East Africa and other parts of Africa or the world.

5.     It is important to list the total number of research publications that were used for this review. Also, at the second and third stages of filtering, the authors should report the research publications that were retained.

6.     The authors keep emphasising on East Africa as the focus area of study. It is suggested to the authors to provide a distribution of the sources of information by country.

For example:

Kenya – 10

Ethiopia – 5

Rwanda – 4

Uganda – 4

Tanzania – 2, etc.

7.     The research has a very good scholarly importance, all the information under sections 3.1.1 – 3.1.6 is well articulated. The authors, however, have been silent on the effect of industrialisation or mining on water resources and ultimately on agriculture.

8.     There are some inconsistencies in referencing style (refer to 454).

9.     The location of Table 1 should be looked at, and also the table has not been well explained in the text. The references that were cited are not related to the countries which are being described.

The authors should carefully explain each heading and relate it to how they affect their research.

10.  Sections 3.2.1 and 3.3.1 are not necessary, since they fall under sections 3.2 and 3.3, respectively. The introduction of the subsections dilutes the information that the authors seek to provide.

Author Response

Open Review

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript with the title “Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture” has been reviewed. The following are my observations and comments:

1. It is suggested for the authors to provide a more elaborate topic, especially for the readers to know that it is within East Africa. 

 

Comment amended as per suggestion.” Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture; the case of East Africa”

2. The manuscript talks about how scholars have emphasised the need to have sustainable water management practices (refer to line 31-33).

For such a statement, it is suggested the authors cite about 3-5 research to back their argument.

Comment amended as suggested

2. Refer to line 35-39: this statement is a repetition of line 30-33. This has to be relooked at as it does not satisfy scholarly relevance.

Comment amended: edited as per suggestion “On the other hand, the global water shortage is posing a serious danger to agricultural sustainability, especially as the world's population grows and the demand for water resources increases [3, 6]. To ensure long-term agricultural productivity and resilience, scholars strongly recommend for the implementation of sustainable water management practices [5, 7]. These practices include a variety of measures, such as effective irrigation, rainwater collection, and integrated water resource management [6, 7]. Thus, employing these solutions can address water scarcity concerns while also ensuring agriculture's long-term viability.”

3. Refer to 43-44. Authors stated the challenges related to water resource management for agriculture in East Africa are distinct. However, the authors have failed to show a clear distinction between what is in East Africa and other parts of Africa or the world.

Comment amended and edited as per suggestion.”….. distinct compared to global challenges due to agro-climate condition and norms [8, 9]. The region faces susceptibility to climate change-induced droughts and erratic rainfall pat-terns, aggravating water scarcity and impacting crop yields and livelihoods [9, 11-13].

 

4. It is important to list the total number of research publications that were used for this review. Also, at the second and third stages of filtering, the authors should report the research publications that were retained.

Comment amended and edited as per the suggestion “A detailed systematic review of 107 scientific research articles published between 1993 and 2024 was done to acquire a thorough grasp of current sustainable water resource management techniques in East Africa. This in-depth investigation sought to uncover major regional trends, challenges, and opportunities in water resource management. Furthermore, the evaluation aimed to identify specific knowledge gaps impeding the region's implementation of sustainable water management techniques.”

6. The authors keep emphasising on East Africa as the focus area of study. It is suggested to the authors to provide a distribution of the sources of information by country.

Comment amended and edited as suggested “The East African region is especially exposed to the negative consequences of climate change, such as repeated droughts and irregular rainfall patterns [12, 13]. These climate variations have a direct impact on water availability, posing considerable problems to agriculture and livelihoods [10, 13, 14]. The region's poor irrigation system, which irrigates less than 2% of farmed land sustainably, exacerbates water scarcity [12, 14]. Countries such as Ethiopia (1.8%), Kenya (1.7%), Tanzania (1.1%), and Uganda (0.09%), for example, con-front similar restrictions despite their differences in population size. Climate change is predicted to have a considerable impact on Ethiopia, which has a large population. Kenya and Somalia are also at risk [15, 16].””

For example:

Kenya – 10

Ethiopia – 5

Rwanda – 4

Uganda – 4

Tanzania – 2, etc.

7. The research has a very good scholarly importance, all the information under sections 3.1.1 – 3.1.6 is well articulated. The authors, however, have been silent on the effect of industrialisation or mining on water resources and ultimately on agriculture.

Comment amended: as per suggestion “On the other hand, Industrialization and mining in East Africa have had a substantial impact on long-term water resource management, particularly in agriculture [87, 88]. These activities frequently result in increased water use, pollution of water bodies, and degradation of water sources [10, 43]. This can lead to water scarcity, poor agricultural output, and conflict over water supplies. Mining operations can also contaminate groundwater and surface water with heavy metals and other contaminants, lowering water quality and harming both human health and agricultural practices [87, 88]. To offset these negative effects, it is critical to develop sustainable water management strategies such as water conservation, irrigation efficiency, and pollution control technology. This will contribute to the availability of clean water for agriculture and other critical requirements in the region.”

8. There are some inconsistencies in referencing style (refer to 454).

Corrected

9. The location of Table 1 should be looked at, and also the table has not been well explained in the text. The references that were cited are not related to the countries which are being described.

The authors should carefully explain each heading and relate it to how they affect their research.

 

Corrected

10. Sections 3.2.1 and 3.3.1 are not necessary, since they fall under sections 3.2 and 3.3, respectively. The introduction of the subsections dilutes the information that the authors seek to provide.

Deleted as per suggestion.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Manuscript Number: 3334183

SECOND REVISION

Journal: Encyclopedia

 

The Authors put in efforts to address the comments; however, they didn’t provide the line numbers and how it was changed. The way they answered the questions should be improved next time to enable the reviewer to crosscheck it easily. Secondly, the manuscript is not properly structured, and some other issues as highlighted in the comments for their attention.

Below are some highlighted comments for the Authors.

 

1.  Line 65. Change ‘fast’ to rapid

 

 

2.  Line 77 - 112. Dear Authors, this section is not properly written. First, how did you introduce the I.II.III…VI? I made similar comments last time but seems it wasn’t adhered.

 

Your literature review is to highlight various sustainable water management practices in Agriculture and as it relates to East Africa.

 

So where do I…VI fit into the scheme of things as regards to East Africa?

 

Does it mean the region has NEVER used these sustainable methods?

 

Aren’t there traditional methods being practiced by smallholder farmers decades ago?

 

What has been done prior and now around other regions in Africa? Then what is the situation in East Africa.

 

On a broader perspective, what is the situation in Asia, South America etc.

 

After these in-depth literature reviews, then you can make the statement in Line 105 – 112. Then highlight the gaps and basis for the study.

 

3.  Materials and Method. Ideally, you do not talk about research gaps in your ‘materials and methods. The focus here should be ‘How you intend to carry out your research, what components are to be investigated, and the study boundary, etc.

4.  Line 114 -118. Refer to my earlier comments in the introduction from  Line 77

5.  Figure 1. Can you explain why the arrows in results and recommendation are pointing towards Existing and Potential?

6.  Results and Discussion:  The title is misleading as you have more discussions than the actual results from your analysis.  Kindly provide results too.

7.  Line 251. Give some instances as observed from your assessments. What were the gaps and what countries is more pronounced? improving? what countries need urgent attention?  Then give a general outcome for the region.

8.  Line 296 – 297. Write your observation rather than make a general statement. Country-specific, and then a general impression

9.  Line 315 – 325. You have recommendation here and also have a section dedicated to recommendation that has this omitted.

10. Line 400. Current literature used for this study or not? Show more clarity in your statements.

11. Line 432 – 434. You figured this out from your methodology or you are making a general statement?  Readers do not even know what was your initial findings that led you to making this statement.

12. Line 467 – 469. I assume this statement is based on your analysis? Can you show more clarity as to why there is a gap of such nature, based on your analysis.

13. Line 512. Section 3.2 What was the result?

14. Section 3.4. What is the difference between this section with recommendation section and way forward section? Also, within your discussion, you provided some recommendations as well similar to the ones in 3.4

15. Section 5. Provide recommendations firstly based on all the gaps observed from ONLY your analysis.  Subsequently you MAY recommend other general options.

Author Response

Review_

The Authors put in efforts to address the comments; however, they didn’t provide the line numbers and how it was changed. The way they answered the questions should be improved next time to enable the reviewer to crosscheck it easily. Secondly, the manuscript is not properly structured, and some other issues as highlighted in the comments for their attention.

Below are some highlighted comments for the Authors.

 

1. Line 65. Change ‘fast’ to rapid

 Corrected as per suggestion

 

2. Line 77 - 112. Dear Authors, this section is not properly written. First, how did you introduce the I.II.III…VI? I made similar comments last time but seems it wasn’t adhered.

The line 77-112 was edited as per the suggestion in page 2, 3 and 4 “……Efficient water use is a cornerstone of sustainability, and precision irrigation, rainwater collecting, and good soil moisture management are critical for increasing water use efficiency in agriculture [21-23]…….”, “……..Governments and organizations have made significant investments in large-scale water projects, with the goal of improving water access and promoting economic growth. Despite decades of effort and significant financial expenditure, the intended results have not been fully realized”

Your literature review is to highlight various sustainable water management practices in Agriculture and as it relates to East Africa.

Comment amended as per suggestion in page 2 “…….Studies show that East African countries like Ethiopian, Kenya, Uganda and other needs to prioritize sustainable water resource management alongside enhanced water security……….”

 

So where do I…VI fit into the scheme of things as regards to East Africa?

Edited as suggested in page 3 and 4

 

Does it mean the region has NEVER used these sustainable methods?

Comment and suggestions amended in page 3 “…….For millennia, East Africa's different populations have relied on the region's intricate network of water resources to feed and survive [13, 16, 19, 41]. …….”

 

 

 

 

Aren’t there traditional methods being practiced by smallholder farmers decades ago?

Comment amended as per suggestion “……These communities have a thorough awareness of their local waterways, including rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater systems……….”

What has been done prior and now around other regions in Africa? Then what is the situation in East Africa.

Comment amended as per the suggestion page 3 and 4 ”…. Water sources were frequently revered, appearing in rites and celebrations that strengthened community relationships and reverence for the natural environment. Access to and control over water resources influenced social hierarchies and power relations within and across tribes [7. 8, 41]. These varied forms of expertise joined to build holistic and regionally tailored water management systems that preserved livelihoods and encouraged social harmony. However, since the late twentieth century, the approach to water management in East Africa has changed significantly……”

On a broader perspective, what is the situation in Asia, South America etc.

Comment amended as per suggestion in page 3 “…articles address global water concerns, with a focus on Africa and comparative analysis of developing and developed countries [6, 10, 21, 24, 26, 32]. Additionally, the emerging trends in Asia and the Americas are also covered in literature [8, 22]………...”

After these in-depth literature reviews, then you can make the statement in Line 105 – 112. Then highlight the gaps and basis for the study.

Edited and corrected as suggested

 

3. Materials and Method. Ideally, you do not talk about research gaps in your ‘materials and methods. The focus here should be ‘How you intend to carry out your research, what components are to be investigated, and the study boundary, etc.

      Comment amended as per the suggestion in page 4  “ A detailed search was conducted utilizing a variety of keywords. These keywords included variations of "water management" (e.g., "water management," "management of water"), "water use" (e.g., "water use," "water-use," "use of water"), and sustainability-related terms (e.g., "water management sustainability," "sustainable water management") Figure 2. The terms relating to agricultural water use (e.g., "Agricultural water," "irrigation") and geographical location (e.g., "East Africa," "Africa"). The search also included Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and related terms (e.g. “IWRM”,” Sustainable water use”, “Water allocation”). This method ensured………..”

4. Line 114 -118. Refer to my earlier comments in the introduction from  Line 77

      Comment amended as suggested in page 4 “…..The search used a combination of keywords relating to water management, sustainability, agriculture, and the geographical location of interest to capture the range of research on sustainable water resource management strategies in East Africa. This kind of keyword searching is widely used in bibliometric studies, which frequently use a variety of indicators to examine and categorize the retrieved material…..”

5. Figure 1. Can you explain why the arrows in results and recommendation are pointing towards Existing and Potential?

     Figure 1 corrected as suggested

6. Results and Discussion:  The title is misleading as you have more discussions than the actual results from your analysis.  Kindly provide results too.

Comment amended as per the suggestion in page 7 and 8 “A review of the number of publications published between 1993 and 2024 using relevant keywords demonstrates a considerable increase in research on sustainable water management. Specifically, the volume of articles on water management, use, and related subjects, both internationally and in the East African context, has increased dramatically, rising from a mere 10 publications in 1993 to an astonishing figure of more than 200 after  2018. Figure 2 graphically illustrates the exponential increase in scholarly output within this thematic domain…………...”

”

7. Line 251. Give some instances as observed from your assessments. What were the gaps and what countries is more pronounced? improving? what countries need urgent attention?  Then give a general outcome for the region.

     Comment amended as suggested in which line 251 removed and edited in page 8

8. Line 296 – 297. Write your observation rather than make a general statement. Country-specific, and then a general impression

      Comment amended as per the suggestions in page 9 “A large gap exists in the sustainable water management literature for East African agriculture, particularly in Ethiopia, where gender considerations in water resource management are essentially absent, echoing a similar trend…………..”

9. Line 315 – 325. You have recommendation here and also have a section dedicated to recommendation that has this omitted.

      Comment amended and included to recommendation part as suggested on page 19 “…….incorporate a gender lens when studying sustainable water management in East African agriculture, investigating how water management practices intersect with existing gender roles, norms, and power structures. This can go beyond symbolic inclusion and actively seek women's perspectives in the community…….”

10. Line 400. Current literature used for this study or not? Show more clarity in your statements.

      Corrected as per suggestions by adding words that can clarify the statement in page 11.

11. Line 432 – 434. You figured this out from your methodology or you are making a general statement?  Readers do not even know what was your initial findings that led you to making this statement.

      Corrected as per the suggestions in page 12 “….analysis of the number of articles published during 1993–2024 proves that various studies acknowledge policy frameworks concerning water management, there remains a conspicuous dearth in the literature regarding an in-depth exploration……..”

12. Line 467 – 469. I assume this statement is based on your analysis? Can you show more clarity as to why there is a gap of such nature, based on your analysis.

       Comment amended as per suggested in page 13 “This review study, which draws on existing literature and published articles from 1993 to 2024, reveals a significant trend, indicating that the majority of research on sustainable water management in agriculture focuses on water quantity issues, such as irrigation efficiency and water scarcity. This sole focus, while necessary, leaves a significant gap in our understanding of the water quality implications of sustainable agriculture practices. While maximizing water usage is critical, it is also critical to evaluate the risk of contamination caused by…………………….”

13. Line 512. Section 3.2 What was the result?

       Comment amended in page 14 as suggested “The assessment of published articles revealed a clear categorization, with a considerable number of research emphasizing the tremendous economic consequences of sustainable agricultural water management methods……..”

14. Section 3.4. What is the difference between this section with recommendation section and way forward section? Also, within your discussion, you provided some recommendations as well similar to the ones in 3.4.

      Section 3.4 was showing the identified opportunities from the gathered articles and explained in detail but way forward is mainly focused to summarizes from the finding in general.

15. Section 5. Provide recommendations firstly based on all the gaps observed from ONLY your analysis.  Subsequently you MAY recommend other general options.

       Comment amended as suggested and edited in page 19

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

While the manuscript has been notably improved, it would benefit from including additional graphs or figures to enhance the clarity and visual impact of the content. 

Author Response

Review_ _

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

While the manuscript has been notably improved, it would benefit from including additional graphs or figures to enhance the clarity and visual impact of the content. 

We thanks the reviewer for your valuable comment and suggestion. Two graphs were added as per the suggestion.

Figure 2 graphically illustrates the exponential increase in scholarly output within this thematic domain.

Figure 2. Number of published article trend in water related areas

 

Furthermore, Figure 3 was rigorously designed to allow for a comparison examination of publishing patterns or published articles between general publications about water, water-use, irrigation, use of water, water consumption, water management and related as well as those focusing on sustainable water management and integrated water resource management, water management practice sustainably.

 

Figure 3. A comparison of the number of articles published on IWRM, water, and related topics.

 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

All queries have been answered satisfactorily. However, check the location of Figure 2 label.

Author Response

Review _ _ _

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

All queries have been answered satisfactorily. However, check the location of Figure 2 label.

Thank you for your constructive comment and suggestions. The location of Figure 2 label were corrected as suggested.

Round 3

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Manuscript Number: 3334183

THIRD REVISION

Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture

Journal: Encyclopedia

 

The manuscript has improved greatly and I can see the Authors determination to see its being published. Nevertheless, they need to make some MINOR revisions, reframe from repeating same statements, present their logic very well, restrain from going outside the boundary of the study etc., and crosscheck the language structure and punctuations.

Below are some highlighted comments for the Authors.

 

 

1.  Line 14. What about policy aspect mentioned in your materials and methods (Inadequate investigation of policy implementation challenges)? If you do not want to analyze that, remove it in that section.

 

2.  Line 31. What is the study overall aim?  Be explicit and mention it at the end of your introduction. Secondly, was it achieved? crosscheck your section 3-6

 

3.  Line 36 - 39. This statement is similar and a repetition of Line 42 – 44. Find a way to merge them.

4.  Line 63. Added ‘Furthermore’, to make the logic flow better.

5.  Line 82. Either say ‘like’ or ‘such as’ and not ‘like as’

6.  Line 88. Added ‘In terms of technological approach, the’, to make the logic flow and comprehensible

7.  Line 99. Added ‘Also’, to make the logic flow

8.  Line 114. Create a new paragraph.

9.  Line 116 – 120. What are you to say here? Grammar issues. Please rephrase for better understanding of your argument.

10. Line 158-159. Please provide citation to back up this claim.

11. Line 159 - 163. Line 160 – 163. back it up with citation(s). See line 158-159. Secondly, what do you mean by ‘sustainable water management practices for agriculture and extension’?

12. Materials and Methods section: Here the Authors need to follow a step-by-step approach to introduce this section,

Start by given a brief overview of the study region.  2.1 Then 2.2 A detailed…. keyword search was …

Secondly, …. was Limited focus on socioeconomic impacts, Insufficient attention to gender dynamics etc was observed, and …[how they were further analyzed and addressed a covered in details in the next section].

NOTE: From your abstract, your main concentration was ‘the study highlights the importance of a complete approach that takes into account technological, socio-economic, and environmental issues’ but here has policy challenges… Please crosscheck.

13. Line 177 - 178. Move Thus, …… to the end of this paragraph.

14. Line 184 - 224. I think you need to present these points in a much better way than this. Perhaps remove them entirely from here, and present them in the results and discussions section, which will showcase them as outcomes from the systematic review carried out. Also, why you found them to be necessary to be considered in the context of sustainable water management for East African farmers, so readers can understand the gaps and significance.

15. Line 190 - 191. How did the Authors know this? Is this common knowledge? Hence, the need to provide the related gaps, hypothesis and how it will be analyzed. See my suggestion in line 184 -224

16. Line 196 - 197. This assertion should be phrased in a way that show this gap exist based on their preliminary analysis and hence need to delve deeper to ascertain the extent across East Africa.

17. Line 204 - 205. Isn’t this the reason why this paper is written and the Authors saw this gap and want to highlight it?  Hence, you either look into it, or remove indigenous knowledge aspect from your materials and methods. You can suggest it in the later section of your review for further studies.  

18. Line 210 -211. This should be phrased in a way that show this gap exist based on their preliminary analysis and hence the review intends to delve deeper to ascertain the extent across East Africa.

19. Line 214 - 222. See comment on Line 210 – 211.

20. Line 223-224. This shouldn’t be here. These can be considered for further studies.  

21. Line 244. How was it done; did you use any software? What version?

22. Line 303. Move this up [see comment on materials and method], also provide a map of the study region.

23. Line 304. How many people?

24. Line 600. This was not part of the content mentioned previously, and how come it appears here? Secondly, this should come before table 1, then you can cite it, so readers do not need to flip the pages to see table 1.

Thirdly, I do not see economic implications as part of the research conducted in table 1, or is under socio-economic?

25. Line 608 -609 is redundant here as it has been previously mentioned in Line 587 – 588.

26. Line 637. How can you mention figure 2 here? I presume it is an error. Please crosscheck

27. Provide limitation(s) of this review

 

 

 

 

Author Response

THIRD REVISION

Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture

Journal: Encyclopedia

The manuscript has improved greatly and I can see the Authors determination to see its being published. Nevertheless, they need to make some MINOR revisions, reframe from repeating same statements, present their logic very well, restrain from going outside the boundary of the study etc., and crosscheck the language structure and punctuations.

Below are some highlighted comments for the Authors.

1. Line 14. What about policy aspect mentioned in your materials and methods (Inadequate investigation of policy implementation challenges)? If you do not want to analyze that, remove it in that section.

Comment amended as per the suggestion (page 12)

2. Line 31. What is the study overall aim?  Be explicit and mention it at the end of your introduction. Secondly, was it achieved? Crosscheck your section 3-6

Comment amended as suggested (page 4)

3. Line 36 - 39. This statement is similar and a repetition of Line 42 – 44. Find a way to merge them.

Comment amended as per suggestion (page 1)

4. Line 63. Added ‘Furthermore’, to make the logic flow better.

Comment amended as per the suggestions (page 2)

5. Line 82. Either say ‘like’ or ‘such as’ and not ‘like as’

Comment amended as per suggestion (page 2)

6. Line 88. Added ‘In terms of technological approach, the’, to make the logic flow and comprehensible

Comment amended as per the suggestions (page 2)

7. Line 99. Added ‘Also’, to make the logic flow

Comment amended as per suggestion (page 3)

8. Line 114. Create a new paragraph.

Edited as per the suggestion (page 3)

9. Line 116 – 120. What are you to say here? Grammar issues. Please rephrase for better understanding of your argument.

Edited as suggested (page 3)

10. Line 158-159. Please provide citation to back up this claim.

Added as per the suggestion (page 4)

 

11. Line 159 - 163. Line 160 – 163. back it up with citation(s). See line 158-159. Secondly, what do you mean by ‘sustainable water management practices for agriculture and extension’?

Comment amended as per suggestion (page 4)

12. Materials and Methods section: Here the Authors need to follow a step-by-step approach to introduce this section,

Start by given a brief overview of the study region.  2.1 Then 2.2 A detailed…. keyword search was …

Secondly… was Limited focus on socioeconomic impacts, Insufficient attention to gender dynamics etc was observed, and … [how they were further analyzed and addressed a covered in details in the next section].

NOTE: From your abstract, your main concentration was ‘the study highlights the importance of a complete approach that takes into account technological, socio-economic, and environmental issues’ but here has policy challenges… Please crosscheck.

Comment amended as per the suggestion (page 4, 5 ,6)

13. Line 177 - 178. Move Thus … to the end of this paragraph.

Comment amended as per the suggestion.( page 4)

14. Line 184 - 224. I think you need to present these points in a much better way than this. Perhaps remove them entirely from here, and present them in the results and discussions section, which will showcase them as outcomes from the systematic review carried out. Also, why you found them to be necessary to be considered in the context of sustainable water management for East African farmers, so readers can understand the gaps and significance.

The section or line 184-224 were modified and comment amended as per the suggestion. (Page 4, 5)

15. Line 190 - 191. How did the Authors know this? Is this common knowledge? Hence, the need to provide the related gaps, hypothesis and how it will be analyzed. See my suggestion in line 184 -224

Comment amended and edited (page 4, 5)

16. Line 196 - 197. This assertion should be phrased in a way that show this gap exist based on their preliminary analysis and hence need to delve deeper to ascertain the extent across East Africa.

Comment amended and Edited as suggested (page 4)

17. Line 204 - 205. Isn’t this the reason why this paper is written and the Authors saw this gap and want to highlight it?  Hence, you either look into it, or remove indigenous knowledge aspect from your materials and methods. You can suggest it in the later section of your review for further studies.  

Comment amended and corrected as per suggestion (page 5)

18. Line 210 -211. This should be phrased in a way that show this gap exist based on their preliminary analysis and hence the review intends to delve deeper to ascertain the extent across East Africa.

Comment amended (page 5)

19. Line 214 - 222. See comment on Line 210 – 211.

Comment amended and edited as per the suggestion (page 5)

 

20. Line 223-224. This shouldn’t be here. These can be considered for further studies.  

Comment amended and corrected as suggested (page 5)

21. Line 244. How was it done; did you use any software? What version?

Thanks for your comment. We just used excel not software (page 5)

22. Line 303. Move this up [see comment on materials and method], also provide a map of the study region.

The study region moved as per suggestion. Thank you for your comment and suggestions, regarding the study region map, since the region is known the authors prefer to not include the map. (Page 4, 5)

23. Line 304. How many people?

Comment amended as suggested (page 5)

24. Line 600. This was not part of the content mentioned previously, and how come it appears here? Secondly, this should come before table 1, then you can cite it, so readers do not need to flip the pages to see table 1.

Thirdly, I do not see economic implications as part of the research conducted in table 1, or is under socio-economic?

Comment amended and corrected to avoid confusion as suggested. (Page 9)

25. Line 608 -609 is redundant here as it has been previously mentioned in Line 587 – 588.

Comment amended and edited as per the suggestion

26. Line 637. How can you mention figure 2 here? I presume it is an error. Please crosscheck

Comment accepted, it was error and corrected (page 14)

27. Provide limitation(s) of this review

Comment amended as per the suggestion (page 19)

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf