Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen
Groundwater irrigation supports agricultural production and local food security in arid regions, however costs and accessibility of fuel for pumping are a challenge in conflict-affected contexts. Solar-powered drip irrigation technology can support smallholder farmers in such settings. In this study...
| Autores principales: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Artículo preliminar |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
International Food Policy Research Institute
2025
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179397 |
| _version_ | 1855532792503336960 |
|---|---|
| author | Jovanovic, Nina Darwish, Maram Kurdi, Sikandra Yamauchi, Futoshi |
| author_browse | Darwish, Maram Jovanovic, Nina Kurdi, Sikandra Yamauchi, Futoshi |
| author_facet | Jovanovic, Nina Darwish, Maram Kurdi, Sikandra Yamauchi, Futoshi |
| author_sort | Jovanovic, Nina |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Groundwater irrigation supports agricultural production and local food security in arid regions, however costs and accessibility of fuel for pumping are a challenge in conflict-affected contexts. Solar-powered drip irrigation technology can support smallholder farmers in such settings. In this study we estimated the impacts of subsidized solar-powered drip irrigation systems on smallholder farmers’ production decisions and household food security via a clustered randomized control trial in eastern Yemen. We found that farmers in the treatment group were significantly less likely to cultivate cereals, more likely to cultivate horticultural crops, and more likely to sell a higher share of their harvests at market during the first season post‑intervention. These results provide causal evidence on the impact of solar drip irrigation systems on shifting smallholder farmers’ crop production toward higher-value crops. We did not find significant impacts on household food security within the short-term post-intervention period that the analysis covered. These findings also provide preliminary support for investments in solar and drip irrigation technology in Yemen, while acknowledging that more research is needed to address potential negative externalities. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace179397 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1793972026-01-06T02:11:34Z Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen Jovanovic, Nina Darwish, Maram Kurdi, Sikandra Yamauchi, Futoshi impact assessment irrigation solar powered irrigation systems trickle irrigation groundwater irrigation smallholders irrigation systems Groundwater irrigation supports agricultural production and local food security in arid regions, however costs and accessibility of fuel for pumping are a challenge in conflict-affected contexts. Solar-powered drip irrigation technology can support smallholder farmers in such settings. In this study we estimated the impacts of subsidized solar-powered drip irrigation systems on smallholder farmers’ production decisions and household food security via a clustered randomized control trial in eastern Yemen. We found that farmers in the treatment group were significantly less likely to cultivate cereals, more likely to cultivate horticultural crops, and more likely to sell a higher share of their harvests at market during the first season post‑intervention. These results provide causal evidence on the impact of solar drip irrigation systems on shifting smallholder farmers’ crop production toward higher-value crops. We did not find significant impacts on household food security within the short-term post-intervention period that the analysis covered. These findings also provide preliminary support for investments in solar and drip irrigation technology in Yemen, while acknowledging that more research is needed to address potential negative externalities. 2025-12-31 2026-01-05T16:11:03Z 2026-01-05T16:11:03Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179397 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179369 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Jovanovic, Nina; Darwish, Maram; Kurdi, Sikandra; and Yamauchi, Futoshi. 2025. Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen. MENA Working Paper. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179397 |
| spellingShingle | impact assessment irrigation solar powered irrigation systems trickle irrigation groundwater irrigation smallholders irrigation systems Jovanovic, Nina Darwish, Maram Kurdi, Sikandra Yamauchi, Futoshi Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen |
| title | Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen |
| title_full | Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen |
| title_fullStr | Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen |
| title_short | Impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern Yemen |
| title_sort | impact evaluation of a solar powered drip irrigation intervention in eastern yemen |
| topic | impact assessment irrigation solar powered irrigation systems trickle irrigation groundwater irrigation smallholders irrigation systems |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179397 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jovanovicnina impactevaluationofasolarpowereddripirrigationinterventionineasternyemen AT darwishmaram impactevaluationofasolarpowereddripirrigationinterventionineasternyemen AT kurdisikandra impactevaluationofasolarpowereddripirrigationinterventionineasternyemen AT yamauchifutoshi impactevaluationofasolarpowereddripirrigationinterventionineasternyemen |