Catalyzing farmer-led irrigation development in Africa: vision and pathways drawing from business, research and development practices

Minh, Thai Thi; Ofosu, Abena; Cofie, Olufunke; Li, R.; Bobtoya, Saadia; Makenzi, M.; Schmitter, Petra. 2024. Catalyzing farmer-led irrigation development in Africa: vision and pathways drawing from business, research and development practices. Adaptive Innovation Scaling - Pathways from Small-scale Irrigation to Sustainable Development. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 12p. (IWMI Water Issue Brief 29) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2024.219]

Farmer-led irrigation development (FLID) has been part of the farming system for hundreds of years, but has only recently attracted increased attention from government institutions, donors and development organizations. Yet, despite its vast potential, FLID has only been expanding slowly. Barriers to scaling include inadequate policy and legal frameworks, underdeveloped irrigation technology and supply chains, a lack of affordable finance, and limited access to input and output markets. Transformative scaling of FLID requires identifying the sociotechnical innovation bundles that fit, designing and implementing effective scaling strategies, and fostering multi-actor engagement and partnerships to achieve impact and trigger changes across farm, local, national, regional and global scales.