Your search found 9 records
1 Ogilvie, A.; Mahe, G.; Ward, J.; Serpantie, G.; Lemoalle, J.; Morand, P.; Barbier, B.; Diop, A. T.; Caron, A.; Namarra, Regassa; Kaczan, D.; Lukasiewicz, A.; Paturel, J-E.; Lienou, G.; Clanet, J. C. 2010. Water, agriculture and poverty in the Niger River Basin. Water International, 35(5):594-622. (Special Issue on "Water, Food and Poverty in River Basins, Part 1" with contributions by IWMI authors). [doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1080/02508060.2010.515545]
River basins ; Climate ; Water resource management ; Water availability ; Water productivity ; Irrigated farming ; Rainfed farming ; Institutions ; Livestock ; Fisheries ; Poverty ; Water poverty / West Africa / Nigeria / Mali / Niger / Burkina Faso / Ivory Coast / Niger River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: PER Record No: H043335)
(6.38 MB)
Livelihoods in the Niger River basin rely mainly on rainfed agriculture, except in the dry extreme north. Low yields and water productivity result from low inputs, short growing seasons, dry spells, and excessive water. The overlap of traditional and modern rules impedes secure access to water and investments in agriculture by generating uncertain land tenure. Improved agriculture and water management require technical, sociological, and regulatory changes to address the wider causes of poverty. Illiteracy and poor water quality, both correlated with high infant mortality, are pressing problems. Rapidly increasing population, climatic changes and dam construction contribute to rural vulnerability.
2 Barbier, B.; Ouedraogo, H.; Dembele, Y.; Yacouba, H.; Barry, Boubacar; Jamin, J.-Y. 2011. L'agriculture irriguee dans le Sahel ouest-africain. In French. [Irrigation in West-African Sahel: diversity of practices and levels of performance]. Cahiers Agricultures, 20(1-2):24-33. [doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1684/agr.2011.0475]
Irrigation methods ; Water management ; Rural development ; Economic aspects ; Land use ; Food production ; Policy / Africa / Sahel
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043866)
http://www.john-libbey-eurotext.fr/e-docs/00/04/65/6A/vers_alt/VersionPDF.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043866.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043866.pdf
(0.27 MB) (278KB)
Irrigation in Sahelian West African countries covers a wide variety of systems and practices. In this paper, we discuss various technical and managerial options including free or controlled submersion, improved inland valleys, ood recession cropping, and full control in small and large irrigation schemes through a classi cation developed by national experts in ve Sahelian countries. Governments are currently promoting two strategies. One is based on large schemes, with foreign or national private investment. The other is based on small private irrigation approches. Water constraints are notvery strongly taken into account, as the priority is to develop new schemes in order to reach food security for fast growing cities.
3 Ogilvie, A.; Mahe, G.; Ward, J.; Serpantie, G.; Lemoalle, J.; Morand, P.; Barbier, B.; Diop, A. T.; Caron, A.; Namara, Regassa; Kaczan, D.; Lukasiewicz, A.; Paturel, J.-E.; Lienou, G.; Clanet, J. C. 2012. Water, agriculture and poverty in the Niger River Basin. In Fisher, M.; Cook, Simon (Eds.). Water, food and poverty in river basins: defining the limits. London, UK: Routledge. pp.131-159.
Water management ; River Basins ; Agricultural production ; Rainfed farming ; Irrigated farming ; Poverty ; Social aspects ; Living conditions ; Indicators ; Water productivity ; Water availability ; Rain ; Mapping ; Agroclimatic zones ; Land tenure ; Livestock ; Fisheries ; Corporate culture / West Africa / Niger River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044842)
(2.24 MB)
4 Torou, Bio Mohamadou; Favreau, G.; Barbier, B.; Pavelic, Paul; Illou, Mahamadou; Sidibe, F. 2013. Constraints and opportunities for groundwater irrigation arising from hydrologic shifts in the Iullemmeden Basin, South-Western Niger. Water International, 38(4):465-479. (Special issue on "Sustainable groundwater development for improved livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa, Part 1" with contributions by IWMI authors). [doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1080/02508060.2013.817042]
Groundwater irrigation ; Small scale systems ; Irrigation systems ; Water management ; Water use ; Water level ; Water table ; River basins ; Farmers ; Land use ; Social aspects ; Food security ; Income ; Households ; Non governmental organizations / South-Western Niger / Kori de Dantiandou / Iullemmeden Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: PER Record No: H046065)
(2.74 MB)
Land-use-change-induced increases in shallow groundwater levels across parts of the Sahel in recent years have coincided with expanded use of groundwater for irrigation. This study was conducted to assess the potential linkages and livelihood implications based on a field survey of nine villages building on previous hydrological studies. The results show that irrigators lack effective means of production and mostly rely on manual methods. Borehole usage is more pro table and reliable than shallower wells. Overall incomes from irrigation are relatively small and severely constrained by the limited field scale due to high establishment and operating costs.
5 Kpadonou, B. A. R.; Barbier, B.; Wellens, J.; Sauret, E.; Zangre, B. V. C. A. 2015. Water conflicts in tropical watersheds: hydroeconomic simulations of water sharing policies between upstream small private irrigators and downstream large public irrigation schemes in Burkina Faso. Water International, 40(7):1021-1039. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2015.1086876]
Watersheds ; Irrigation schemes ; Small scale systems ; Large scale systems ; Conflict ; Public-private cooperation ; Water policy ; Water allocation ; Hydrology ; Models ; Flow discharge ; Upstream ; Downstream ; Pumping ; Farmers ; Water users ; Crop yield ; Rice ; Economic aspects / Burkina Faso / Kou Watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047472)
(0.55 MB)
A spatial hydroeconomic model was developed to analyze the competition between small private (SPIS) and large public (LPIS) irrigation systems for water control in tropical watersheds and applied to several water allocation policies in Kou watershed in Burkina Faso. Capital (cash and motorpumps) is the main constraining factor for SPIS expansion, and capital inflow accelerates SPIS development and reduces water flows for downstream LPIS users. As SPIS is more cost-effective and less water thirsty, LPIS needs to shift to less water-demanding and high-value crops or adopt more water-saving practices. Otherwise, only a sharp rice yield increase in LPIS can justify a reserved water quota for downstream users.
6 Poussin, J.-C.; Renaudin, L.; Adogoba, D.; Sanon, A.; Tazen, F.; Dogbe, W.; Fusillier, J.-L.; Barbier, B.; Cecchi, P. 2015. Performance of small reservoir irrigated schemes in the Upper Volta Basin: case studies in Burkina Faso and Ghana. Water Resources and Rural Development, 6:50-65. (Special issue: Managing Rainwater and Small Reservoirs in Sub-Saharan Africa). [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wrr.2015.05.001]
Irrigation schemes ; Reservoirs ; Performance evaluation ; Water resources ; Irrigated farming ; Crop management ; Vegetables ; Rice ; Farmers ; Economic aspects ; Prices ; Case studies / Burkina Faso / Ghana / Upper Volta basin / Boura Reservoir / Binaba II Reservoir / Corikab Irrigation Scheme
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047513)
(2.02 MB)
A major direct use of water from West African small reservoirs is irrigation. Analyzing the performances of irrigated agriculture is therefore a useful way to measure the impact of small reservoirs on food security and livelihoods of local communities. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of two such irrigated schemes in the Upper Volta basin (one in Burkina Faso and the other in Ghana) through participatory methods, to jointly identify major constraints, and to discuss possible solutions with local communities. The agronomic and economic performance of irrigated agriculture at both sites were far from satisfactory, due to the lack of maintenance of the small reservoirs and irrigation schemes, sub-optimal crop management, and poor product marketing. These issues were analyzed with the farmers across differing sub-schemes and cropping systems and some solutions were envisaged. Our assessment showed that farmers often had difficulty obtaining quality agricultural inputs and marketing their products. The poor performance of irrigated crops, due to poor condition of hydraulic infrastructures, poor agronomic management, and organizational failure provided only limited incomes for local households. Nevertheless, the existence and the many uses of small reservoirs improved food security and created indirect activities that also enhanced livelihoods. The local authorities generally considered preserving water to be a priority in small reservoir management, but the degradation of irrigation schemes could happen quickly and result in scheme failures, thus reducing indirect economic activities and causing under utilization or even abandonment of the small reservoir, unless appropriate measures are taken.
7 Kpadonou, R. A. B.; Owiyo, T.; Barbier, B.; Denton, F.; Rutabingwa, F.; Kiema, A. 2017. Advancing climate-smart-agriculture in developing drylands: joint analysis of the adoption of multiple on-farm soil and water conservation technologies in West African Sahel. Land Use Policy, 61:196-207. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2016.10.050]
Sustainable agriculture ; Climate-smart agriculture ; Arid zones ; Water conservation ; Soil conservation ; Soil fertility ; Erosion control ; Technological changes ; Adoption ; Agricultural practices ; Farmer participation ; On farm research ; Policy ; Socioeconomic environment ; Households ; Econometric models ; Case studies / West Africa / Sahel / Burkina Faso
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048054)
(0.58 MB)
Water stress and soil infertility are the greatest constraining factors for higher agricultural productivity in drylands, prompting the current interest in soil and water conservation (SWC) practices in water-constrained regions. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of challenges surrounding the adoption of SWC practices in these regions, we used a joint analysis framework combining both multivariate and ordered probit models to analyze adoption-decisions for eleven on-farm SWC practices. Our case study, involving 500 farmers from a representative West African Sahelian zone, revealed that although the adoption of SWC practices is widespread in the West African drylands, there is still an important potential to improve and upscale their specific adoption rates. Almost all farmers (99%) used at least one of the eleven practices considered in this study, whereas specific adoption rates ranged from 5% for contour vegetation barriers to 87% for manure application. More than 70% of the farmers used up to three practices only, and less than 30% used between four to nine practices. Many practices are interdependent, with some practices being complementary and others substitutable. The analysis of the determinants of the adoption and the intensity of adoption revealed that SWC practices are labor-, knowledge- and capital-intensive. We found that the major drivers of farmers’ decisions to adopt, as well as to intensify the use of, most SWC practices are the presence of children (aged 6 to 14) in the household, land holding, land tenure, awareness and training on SWC and access to alternative – but non-agricultural labor constraining – cash sources such as remittance and cash farming. A higher number of migrating household members increases the probability of intensifying the use of SWC practices, but only when this is in line with the household’s land endowment and labor needs for farm activities. This comprehensive study will be of significance for a finer understanding of SWC practices in West African Sahel. More generally, it will likely help policy makers to upscale the adoption of sustainable SWC practices for the advance of climate-smart agriculture in developing drylands.
8 Balana, Bedru B.; Sanfo, S.; Barbier, B.; Williams, Timothy; Kolavalli, S. 2019. Assessment of flood recession agriculture for food security in northern Ghana: an optimization modelling approach. Agricultural Systems, 173:536-543. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2019.03.021]
Agricultural practices ; Floodplains ; Water management ; Crop production ; Food security ; Models ; Supplemental irrigation ; Household income ; Food consumption ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Rainfed farming ; Soil moisture ; Dry season ; Wet season ; Land allocation ; Communities / Ghana / White Volta River Basin / Bawku West / Talensi / West Mampurusi
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049190)
(0.95 MB)
Food insecurity is a recurrent problem in northern Ghana. Food grown during the rainy season is often insufficient to meet household food needs, with some households experiencing severe food insecurity for up to five months in a year. Flood recession agriculture (FRA) – an agricultural practice that relies on residual soil moisture and nutrients left by receding flood water – is ordinarily practiced by farmers along the floodplains of the White Volta River in northern Ghana under low-input low-output conditions. Opportunities abound to promote highly productive FRA as a means of extending the growing season beyond the short rainy season (from May to September) into the dry season and thereby increase household income and food security of smallholder farmers. This study uses an optimization modelling approach to explore this potential by analyzing the crop mix and agricultural water management options that will maximize household income and enhance food security. Results indicate that growing cowpea, groundnut and melon under residual-moisture based FRA and high value crops (onion, pepper, and tomato) under supplementary irrigation FRA maximize household income and food security. The cash income from the sale of FRA crops was sufficient to purchase food items that ensure consumption smoothing during the food-insecure months. The study concludes that the full potential of FRA will be realized through a careful selection of crop mixtures and by enhancing access of farmers to improved seeds, integrated pest management and credit and mainstreaming FRA through targeted policy interventions and institutional support.
9 Torou, Bio Mohamadou; Favreau, G.; Barbier, B.; Pavelic, Paul; Illou, M.; Sidibe, F. 2023. Constraints and opportunities for groundwater irrigation arising from hydrologic shifts in the Iullemmeden Basin, South-western Niger. In Pavelic, Paul; Villholth, K. G.; Verma, Shilp. (Eds.). Sustainable groundwater development for improved livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa. Abingdon, Oxon, UK: Routledge. pp.201-215. (Routledge Special Issues on Water Policy and Governance)
Groundwater irrigation ; Groundwater table ; Infrastructure ; Water management ; Livelihoods ; Boreholes ; Wells ; Ponds ; Food security ; Income ; Villages / Africa South of Sahara / Niger / Iullemmeden Basin / Dantiandou Valley
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H052029)
Land-use-change-induced increases in shallow groundwater levels across parts of the Sahel in recent years have coincided with expanded use of groundwater for irrigation. This study was conducted to assess the potential linkages and livelihood implications based on a field survey of nine villages building on previous hydrological studies. The results show that irrigators lack effective means of production and mostly rely on manual methods. Borehole usage is more profitable and reliable than shallower wells. Overall incomes from irrigation are relatively small and severely constrained by the limited field scale due to high establishment and operating costs.
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