Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
initiatives. There is the need to invest in new irrigation schemes or systems
and in new types of irrigation technologies as well as existing ones to
improve productivity. The lack of investment constrains irrigation
development in sub-Saharan Africa.
The nature of investment should promote innovative and appropriate
technologies which empower users to better control agricultural production
as well as fit into the local context (socio-economy, geography, soils, crops
and sources of water). Different technologies enable and/or constrain certain
types of organisation of irrigators (centralised/de-centralised which coalesce
with different modalities of investment: individual, collective, corporate or
government). New technologies may unlock some entrepreneurial investment
so far unexploited.
Reliable and Stable Input/Output Markets
Markets are key in irrigation development, and in particular output markets.
Output markets have either been the driving force behind several irrigation
developments or the reason for their collapse. Produce markets that are
predictable and reliable to the extent that prices paid make irrigation
economically viable without any distortions are a pre-requisite for successful
irrigation development. Issues of market failure, artificial low pricing by
governments and market fluctuations have led to severe losses and has
further suppressed irrigation development in sub-Saharan Africa. These
unfavourable market conditions are detrimental to successful irrigation
development and lessons can be learnt from cases like the Office du Niger
irrigation scheme (Aw and Diemer, 2005).
Effective Institutions and Favourable Policies
In order to ensure sustainability, there is the need for institutions to
effectively take care of the public interests through leading, ruling and
managing of the resources.
Effective irrigation management institutions have the following
characteristics: (1) has a defined boundary (e.g. hydrological); (2) provides
incentives for stakeholders to invest and participate in the profitability of the
system; (3) has adequate infrastructure to deliver services in terms of rules
and allocations; (4) has the capacity to adapt to changing circumstances; (5)
employs cost recovery mechanisms and is equipped with legal instruments for
implementing and enforcing policies and laws; (6) has decentralised,
integrated and transparent functions; and finally (7) involves stakeholder
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