Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs

Millions of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia benefit from readily available and affordable irrigation technologies. The rapid uptake of small private irrigation in South Asia had a proven positive effect on poverty alleviation. In Sub-Saharan Africa similar trends are emergin...

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Main Authors: Giordano, Meredith A., Fraiture, Charlotte de
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40268
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author Giordano, Meredith A.
Fraiture, Charlotte de
author_browse Fraiture, Charlotte de
Giordano, Meredith A.
author_facet Giordano, Meredith A.
Fraiture, Charlotte de
author_sort Giordano, Meredith A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Millions of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia benefit from readily available and affordable irrigation technologies. The rapid uptake of small private irrigation in South Asia had a proven positive effect on poverty alleviation. In Sub-Saharan Africa similar trends are emerging and several studies point to considerable upscaling potential. Achieving this potential would substantially boost smallholder incomes and food security. However, the spread of small private irrigation poses several challenges related to equity, efficiency, and sustainability. Women and resource poor farmers face challenges accessing affordable technologies; market inefficiencies and policy frameworks negatively affect farmer decision-making and technology access; and the unregulated spread of private irrigation may lead to over-abstraction, pollution, and conflicts. In this paper we argue that carefully designed intervention strategies and policy engagement are needed for two reasons. First, there is a need to address potential adverse effects of the ongoing, unregulated spread of small private irrigation while safeguarding its proven benefits on food security and poverty alleviation. Second, relatively straightforward measures can extend the benefits to a broader group of smallholders, including women and the poor, while at the same time ensuring sustainable use of the resource. Based on empirical evidence from case studies in six countries, we identified four elements of such an approach: (1) enhancing technology access; (2) catalyzing smallholder value chains; (3) fostering supportive policies; and (4) strengthening institutional capacity to manage potential trade-offs at the watershed scale.
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spelling CGSpace402682025-06-17T08:24:16Z Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs Giordano, Meredith A. Fraiture, Charlotte de smallholders farmer-led irrigation farmers irrigation small scale systems pumps policy investments Millions of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia benefit from readily available and affordable irrigation technologies. The rapid uptake of small private irrigation in South Asia had a proven positive effect on poverty alleviation. In Sub-Saharan Africa similar trends are emerging and several studies point to considerable upscaling potential. Achieving this potential would substantially boost smallholder incomes and food security. However, the spread of small private irrigation poses several challenges related to equity, efficiency, and sustainability. Women and resource poor farmers face challenges accessing affordable technologies; market inefficiencies and policy frameworks negatively affect farmer decision-making and technology access; and the unregulated spread of private irrigation may lead to over-abstraction, pollution, and conflicts. In this paper we argue that carefully designed intervention strategies and policy engagement are needed for two reasons. First, there is a need to address potential adverse effects of the ongoing, unregulated spread of small private irrigation while safeguarding its proven benefits on food security and poverty alleviation. Second, relatively straightforward measures can extend the benefits to a broader group of smallholders, including women and the poor, while at the same time ensuring sustainable use of the resource. Based on empirical evidence from case studies in six countries, we identified four elements of such an approach: (1) enhancing technology access; (2) catalyzing smallholder value chains; (3) fostering supportive policies; and (4) strengthening institutional capacity to manage potential trade-offs at the watershed scale. 2014-01 2014-06-13T14:47:17Z 2014-06-13T14:47:17Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40268 en Limited Access Elsevier Giordano, Meredith; de Fraiture, C. 2013. Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs. Agricultural Water Management, 131:175-182. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2013.07.003
spellingShingle smallholders
farmer-led irrigation
farmers
irrigation
small scale systems
pumps
policy
investments
Giordano, Meredith A.
Fraiture, Charlotte de
Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs
title Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs
title_full Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs
title_fullStr Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs
title_full_unstemmed Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs
title_short Small private irrigation: enhancing benefits and managing trade-offs
title_sort small private irrigation enhancing benefits and managing trade offs
topic smallholders
farmer-led irrigation
farmers
irrigation
small scale systems
pumps
policy
investments
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40268
work_keys_str_mv AT giordanomereditha smallprivateirrigationenhancingbenefitsandmanagingtradeoffs
AT fraiturecharlottede smallprivateirrigationenhancingbenefitsandmanagingtradeoffs