Farmer Involvement in Irrigation Agriculture: Evidence from the Anambra-Imo River Basin Irrigation Scheme, Nigeria

This study was conducted in the Anambra catchment of the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority(AIRBDA), Nigeria. The aim was to analyse the involvement of farmers in irrigation agriculture as a key component of public agricultural project performance. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted in selecting ninety(90) farmers from the catchment of the AIRBDA. Descriptive statistics provided initial insight into operational and structural characteristics, while relevant visualizations were produced using Python and Excel. The Logit estimate identified factors influencing farmers’ involvement in the irrigation schemes, thereby offering empirical evidence relevant for project appraisal and management. Results showed that 15.6% of farmers reported non-participation, while about 84.4% were active participants in the scheme. The estimated model reported a Wald chi² of 39.65 and a log pseudolikelihood of –281.37084. Farm experience, household size, major occupation, farm income, and membership in the Water Users Association (WUA) significantly influenced farmers’ involvement in the irrigation scheme. It recommends strengthening Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) systems, whereby farmers manage routine water allocation, while the River Basin management provides technical oversight, with a member of the Water Users Association as a part of its team.