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Groundwater irrigation for smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa - a synthesis of current knowledge to guide sustainable outcomes

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  • Karen G. Villholth

Abstract

Groundwater irrigation for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa is growing in extent and importance. This growth is primarily driven spontaneously by the farmers themselves, spurred by improved access to low-cost technologies for pumps and drilling services as well as market opportunities for produce. This paper presents a review of the current status and knowledge of the prospects and constraints for sustainable and pro-poor groundwater irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Further unlocking the potential of groundwater irrigation for smallholders will require better integrated approaches, simultaneously addressing groundwater-access constraints as well as enabling factors.

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  • Karen G. Villholth, 2013. "Groundwater irrigation for smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa - a synthesis of current knowledge to guide sustainable outcomes," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 369-391, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rwinxx:v:38:y:2013:i:4:p:369-391
    DOI: 10.1080/02508060.2013.821644
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Pavelic, Paul & Senaratna Sellamuttu, Sonali & Johnston, Robyn & McCartney, Matthew & Sotoukee, Touleelor & Balasubramanya, Soumya & Suhardiman, Diana & Lacombe, Guillaume & Douangsavanh, Somphasith &, 2015. "Integrated assessment of groundwater use for improving livelihoods in the dry zone of Myanmar," IWMI Research Reports 229608, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Dessalegn, Mengistu & Merrey, D. J., 2014. "Is ‘Social Cooperation’ for traditional irrigation, while ‘Technology’ is for motor pump irrigation?," IWMI Reports 201004, International Water Management Institute.
    4. Cobbing, Jude & Hiller, Bradley, 2019. "Waking a sleeping giant: Realizing the potential of groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 597-613.
    5. T. Fowe & I. Nouiri & B. Ibrahim & H. Karambiri & J. Paturel, 2015. "OPTIWAM: An Intelligent Tool for Optimizing Irrigation Water Management in Coupled Reservoir–Groundwater Systems," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(10), pages 3841-3861, August.
    6. CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems, 2015. "Groundwater and ecosystem services: a framework for managing smallholder groundwater-dependent agrarian socio-ecologies - applying an ecosystem services and resilience approach," IWMI Books, International Water Management Institute, number 208414, January.
    7. Kolusu, S. R. & Shamsudduha, M. & Todd, M. C. & Taylor, R. G. & Seddon, D. & Kashaigili, J. J. & Ebrahim, Girma Y. & Cuthbert, M. O. & Sorensen, J. P. R. & Villholth, Karen G. & MacDonald, A. M. & Mac, 2019. "The El Nino event of 2015-2016: climate anomalies and their impact on groundwater resources in East and Southern Africa," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 23:1751-176.
    8. Edna Tusak Loehman, 2014. "Social Investment for Sustainability of Groundwater: A Revealed Preference Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-41, August.
    9. Amjath-Babu, T.S. & Krupnik, Timothy J. & Kaechele, Harald & Aravindakshan, Sreejith & Sietz, Diana, 2016. "Transitioning to groundwater irrigated intensified agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: An indicator based assessment," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 125-135.
    10. Alam, Mohammad Faiz & Pavelic, Paul, 2020. "Underground Transfer of Floods for Irrigation (UTFI): exploring potential at the global scale," IWMI Research Reports H050008, International Water Management Institute.
    11. Stergios Emmanouil & Jason Philhower & Sophie Macdonald & Fahad Khan Khadim & Meijian Yang & Ezana Atsbeha & Himaja Nagireddy & Natalie Roach & Elizabeth Holzer & Emmanouil N. Anagnostou, 2021. "A Comprehensive Approach to the Design of a Renewable Energy Microgrid for Rural Ethiopia: The Technical and Social Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-22, April.
    12. Walker, D. & Parkin, G. & Gowing, J. & Haile, Alemseged Tamiru, 2019. "Development of a hydrogeological conceptual model for shallow aquifers in the data scarce Upper Blue Nile Basin," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 6(2):1-24..
    13. Takeshima, Hiroyuki & Adeoti, Adetola I. & Popoola, Oluwafemi Adebola, 2016. "The impact on farm household welfare of large irrigation dams and their distribution across hydrological basins: Insights from northern Nigeria," NSSP working papers 35, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

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