Scaling up Small-Scale Irrigation Technologies for Improving Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Senegal

This project was the second phase of a successful initiative aimed to scale up appropriate and tested small-scale irrigation technologies and introduce on-farm water management practices to smallholder farmers to increase agricultural productivity and food security in Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Senegal. It focused on expanding low cost and water-efficient irrigation technologies and addressing related constraints and limitations for large scale adoption by smallholder farmers. The project targeted about 20,000 resource-poor smallholder farmers. It also trained about 40 project staff and 60 extension workers in each target country in the development, operation and maintenance of different SSI technologies. The activities carried out for this project mainly focused on: • Collect data on available water resources, irrigation methods, irrigation potential, and potential cropping patterns • Evaluate technical and economic efficiency of newly introduced small-scale irrigation technologies (SSI) and solar pumps to grow vegetables on farmer fields • Estimate crop water requirements and irrigation schedules for different vegetables grown in these countries • Organize training for farmers, irrigation technicians, and extension workers about irrigation systems and on-farm irrigation practices • Establish Farmer Field Schools to disseminate information about SSI technologies and water and crop management practices to larger farming communities • Review technical, institutional, and policy constraints to adopt SSI technologies in these countries and suggest possible interventions During the project, SSI technologies (i.e., drip, sprinkler, and Californian systems) were introduced in three to four selected sites in each country. A solar pump was installed at one site in each country to extract water from river streams or groundwater. Vegetables were grown on all sites. The performance of these systems was compared with the traditional bucket, drip, sprinkler, and gravity irrigation methods. Through this project's, 920 extension workers and irrigation experts were trained in the target countries. For the training of farmers, 20 farmer field days (FFDs) were organized at regular intervals. Farmers of the neighboring villages attended these FFDs. to get first-hand information about these technologies. During the field demonstration, 11,475 farmers visited trial sites. Moreover, two MSc students were supported through this project. Seven training and extension materials were developed in local languages for the benefit of farmers.