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A comparative review of water management sustainability challenges in smallholder irrigation schemes in Africa and Asia

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  • Mutambara, Solomon
  • Darkoh, Michael B.K.
  • Atlhopheng, Julius R.

Abstract

This article reviews the performance, problems and challenges of water management sustainability of farmer-managed smallholder irrigation schemes in Africa. The review draws a comparison with the situation in Asian countries, highlighting the major obstacles to the sustainability of smallholder irrigation schemes. The objective is to show the differences in water management between Asia and Africa, highlighting best practices from the Asian experience from which African countries can learn to make their irrigation schemes more resilient. The aspects discussed include: the record of achievement, farmers’ participation and involvement, capital cost recovery, reforms in the land tenure and water management; institutional management, traditional knowledge and management systems, water markets and adaptation to increasing water scarcity in the face of climate change.

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  • Mutambara, Solomon & Darkoh, Michael B.K. & Atlhopheng, Julius R., 2016. "A comparative review of water management sustainability challenges in smallholder irrigation schemes in Africa and Asia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 63-72.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:171:y:2016:i:c:p:63-72
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2016.03.010
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    7. Fitsum Assefa Adela & Joachim Aurbacher & Gumataw Kifle Abebe, 2019. "Small-scale irrigation scheme governance - poverty nexus: evidence from Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(4), pages 897-913, August.
    8. Coyago-Cruz, Elena & Meléndez-Martínez, Antonio J. & Moriana, Alfonso & Girón, Ignacio F. & Martín-Palomo, María José & Galindo, Alejandro & Pérez-López, David & Torrecillas, Arturo & Beltrán-Sinchigu, 2019. "Yield response to regulated deficit irrigation of greenhouse cherry tomatoes," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 212-221.
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    10. Vos, Jeroen & Boelens, Rutgerd & Venot, Jean-Philippe & Kuper, Marcel, 2020. "Rooted water collectives: Towards an analytical framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    11. Tran, Thong Anh & Nguyen, Tri Huu & Vo, Thang Tat, 2019. "Adaptation to flood and salinity environments in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: Empirical analysis of farmer-led innovations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 89-97.
    12. Aarnoudse, E. & Closas, Alvar & Lefore, Nicole, 2018. "Water user associations: a review of approaches and alternative management options for Sub-Saharan Africa," IWMI Working Papers H048782, International Water Management Institute.
    13. He, Zhihao & Li, Manning & Cai, Zelin & Zhao, Rongsheng & Hong, Tingting & Yang, Zhi & Zhang, Zhi, 2021. "Optimal irrigation and fertilizer amounts based on multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of yield, growth and fruit quality on cherry tomato," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    14. Ratchaneewan Chuchird & Nophea Sasaki & Issei Abe, 2017. "Influencing Factors of the Adoption of Agricultural Irrigation Technologies and the Economic Returns: A Case Study in Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-16, August.
    15. Haileslassie, Amare & Mekuria, Wolde & Uhlenbrook, Stefan & Ludi, Eva & Schmitter, Petra, 2022. "Gap analysis and methodological framework to assess and develop water centric sustainable agricultural intensification pathways in Sub-Saharan Africa," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-4:747610..
    16. Sekyi-Annan, Ephraim & Tischbein, Bernhard & Diekkrüger, Bernd & Khamzina, Asia, 2018. "Performance evaluation of reservoir-based irrigation schemes in the Upper East region of Ghana," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 134-145.
    17. Amina Abdelkadir Mohammedshum & Chris M. Mannaerts & Ben H. P. Maathuis & Daniel Teka, 2023. "Integrating Socioeconomic Biophysical and Institutional Factors for Evaluating Small-Scale Irrigation Schemes in Northern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    18. dos Santos Almeida, Alexsandro Claudio & Mamédio, Mário Roberto & Goelzer, Ademar & Rodrigues, Lucas Araujo & Mateos, Luciano, 2023. "Shared centre pivot. An experience of smallholder irrigation in Midwest Brazil," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    19. Sida, Y. G. & Simane, B. & Assefa, E. & Haileslassie, Amare, 2022. "Polycentric irrigation water governance: irrigation water users associations service delivery in Ketar Subbasin, Ethiopia," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 18(10):783-.

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