www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Ensuring success of irrigation in SSA

Tim Williams

Director, Africa

IWMI

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Presentation outline

• Status of irrigation in SSA

• Main issues in irrigation in SSA • Drivers of change

• Indicators of success of irrigation in SSA

• Role of CRP5 and Irrigation SRP

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Status of Irrigation in SSA

• Less than 4% of cultivated land is irrigated

• Average agricultural withdrawals are 3% of renewable water resources and groundwater use is < 20% of renewable supplies

• CAADP Pillar 1 aims to extend land under SLM and

reliable water control systems by 20 million ha by 2015

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Main issues in irrigation in SSA

• Pluralistic irrigation system (large-scale vs. small-scale)

• Poor performance of public-sector managed large-scale irrigation schemes

• Lack of support for farmer-driven small-scale irrigation

system

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Drivers of change

• Government policies

• Population growth, increased urbanization and changing diets

• Renewed interest in large-scale schemes by

governments, donors and investors

• New opportunities for domestic and international trade in value added agricultural products

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Drivers of change (continued)

• Advances in science and technology

• Foreign direct investment in agricultural land • Climate variability and climate change

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Indicators of success in SSA irrigation

• Expansion of irrigated area, particularly through small-scale irrigation systems

• Increased investment in irrigation development to improve agricultural productivity, food and nutrition security and ecosystem services

• AWM and irrigation as instruments to enhance

resilience of African agriculture to climate change

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Indicators of success (continued)

• Effective gender-sensitive water rights systems for farmers and other water users

• Introduction of policies, economic incentives and institutional arrangements that will ensure continuous, long-term sustainable development of irrigation by smallholder farmers

• Improved human and institutional capacity to implement

sustainable irrigation development programs

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Role of CRP5 and Irrigation SRP

• Assess irrigation potential

• Evaluate alternative technologies and institutions • Analyze irrigation impacts on food and livelihood

security, gender and ecosystem services

• Define and recommend economic, institutional and technological options to promote high-impact investment in irrigation and supporting services

• Assist in building capacity for effective management of irrigation systems

www.iwmi.org

Water for a food-secure world

Issues for discussion

• Where should the work be done?

• What new science can be applied? • Which non-CG centres are working on irrigation that can be co-

opted as collaborators?

• Which development investors are funding irrigation development and should be targeted?

• What strategies are needed to mobilize political support at continental, regional, national and local government level for irrigation development?