Irrigation for Agricultural Transformation

The document positions irrigation as a primary tool for agricultural transformation in Africa, essential for improving resilience to climate change and extreme events. It identifies significant barriers, including water scarcity, limited technical skills, and a massive investment gap, estimated by the World Bank at over USD 40 billion. The paper advocates for a comprehensive approach involving national Master Plans for Irrigation, the integration of groundwater use to combat droughts, and a shift toward public-private partnerships to fund both large-scale and smallholder irrigation systems. It emphasizes that achieving full irrigation potential in Sub-Saharan Africa over a 50-year horizon would require diverting up to 50 percent of agricultural expenditures to water management.

• The World Bank estimates that the total investment required for irrigation in Africa, covering large and small scale systems as well as the rehabilitation of existing ones, exceeds USD 40 billion.
• Sub-Saharan Africa could realize its full irrigation potential over 50 years if up to 50 percent of agricultural expenditures are allocated to agricultural water management, mirroring trends seen in East Asia and North Africa.
• Surface water currently accounts for more than 78 percent of irrigated land in Africa, while groundwater accounts for nearly 20 percent; increasing the use of groundwater in combination with surface water is necessary to address droughts.
• Water scarcity in the region is categorized into three distinct dimensions: the scarcity of water quality and quantity, the scarcity of services and capacities, and the scarcity of water infrastructures.
• Because approximately 80 percent of farmers are smallholders, there is a critical need for government commitment to invest in modern equipment, such as drip and sprinkler systems, often through public-private partnerships.

APA

Webmaster (2016). Irrigation for Agricultural Transformation. African Center for Economic Transformation. https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/reports-studies/reports/irrigation-for-agricultural-transformation/

Chicago

Webmaster. Irrigation for Agricultural Transformation. African Center for Economic Transformation, 2016. https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/reports-studies/reports/irrigation-for-agricultural-transformation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Webmaster |title=Irrigation for Agricultural Transformation |publisher=African Center for Economic Transformation |date=29 September 2016 |url=https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/reports-studies/reports/irrigation-for-agricultural-transformation/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{webmaster2016irrigation, author = {Webmaster}, title = {{Irrigation for Agricultural Transformation}}, institution = {African Center for Economic Transformation}, year = {2016}, month = sep, url = {https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/reports-studies/reports/irrigation-for-agricultural-transformation/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }