Exploring the factors causing the poor performance of most irrigation schemes in post-independence sub-Saharan Africa

Bjornlund, V and Bjornlund, H and van Rooyen, A F (2020) Exploring the factors causing the poor performance of most irrigation schemes in post-independence sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Water Resources Development (TSI), 36 (51). S54-S101. ISSN 0790-0627

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Abstract

This article explores the factors causing the current poor performance of most government irrigation schemes in sub-Saharan Africa. The literature review finds that the poor performance is not primarily caused by socioeconomic and biophysical conditions inherent to sub-Saharan Africa. African farmers have adapted to diverse biophysical conditions and expanded or contracted their area under agricultural water management in response to market signals. Rather, this poor performance is predominantly linked to the production systems introduced during colonialism and developments since independence, such as agricultural policies restraining rural economic development, unsuitable irrigation technologies and agricultural practices, and international lending practices and trade arrangements.

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Research Program : East & Southern Africa
CRP: CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE)
Uncontrolled Keywords: Agricultural water Management, Farmer-led, sub-Saharan Africa, Rural economic development, Agricultural production systems
Subjects: Others > Rural Development
Others > Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
Others > Water Resources
Depositing User: Mr Arun S
Date Deposited: 14 Nov 2020 09:29
Last Modified: 14 Nov 2020 09:29
URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/11653
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2020.1808448
Projects: UNSPECIFIED
Funders: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
Acknowledgement: We would like to acknowledge the important support received in writing this article from Ms Karen Parry in structural and copy editing. The article was produced in the context of the project Transforming Smallholder Irrigation into Profitable and Self-Sustaining Systems in Southern Africa, funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (LWR/2016/137 and FSC/2013/006) and by the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems with support from the CGIAR Fund. We also acknowledge the significant contribution of the two reviewers, who spent considerable time and effort to provide valuable comments and contributions, resulting in a much-improved article.
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