Weaknesses in planning and implementation (P&I) have been identified as one of the main reasons for the disappointing results of agricultural water development and management projects. Based on a review and critical analysis of experiences and case studies in sub-Saharan Africa, this studycomponent proposes practical ways of improving performance related to planning and implementation and thereby enhancing the returns to investments in agricultural water.

If irrigated production is to make a significant contribution to food security and economic growth in Sub Saharan Africa, it will have to be re-structured across the region as a whole. This is the main conclusion of a study undertaken by FAO to analyse the drivers of demand for irrigated production in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Steeply rising commercial food import bills for staple crops across SSA are indicative of the level demand that is not being met from domestic production. The increase of area under equipped/spate irrigation for the whole of Africa over the last ten years amounts to 1.27 million ha, which is equal to about 127 000 ha a year. This rate of growth has proved too low to have an impact on food import bills and buffer regional food security. However, within subregional trading groups there is scope for consolidation of market supply. Irrigated production opportunities in SSA could be realised where natural resources and markets coincide, but only through a great deal more attention to costs of production, price formation, effective water allocation mechanisms, economically efficient water use and strong, responsive institutions.

This report investigates the dynamics of one of the most common agricultural water management practices of sub-Saharan Africa, i.e., small reservoirs. Small reservoirs dam permanent or temporary river flows and support multiple livelihood activities (livestock watering, crop cultivation, fisheries, small handicrafts, etc.) while providing water-related ecosystem services (soil and water conservation, flood and drought mitigation, etc.). Gathering evidence from four sub-Saharan countries, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia and Zambia, this report calls for revisiting our understanding and assessment of the costs, performance and institutions for the management of small reservoirs. A more holistic analytical approach is the first step towards an integrative governance framework. This, in turn, holds the promise of sustainable management of small reservoirs.

The overall goal of the Collaborative Program on ‘Investments in Agricultural Water Management in Sub-Saharan Africa’ is to contribute to broad-based sustainable poverty reduction and smallholder agricultural growth. The component on ‘Poverty considerations in investments in agricultural water management’ focuses in more detail on poverty and gender dimensions. It consists of two parts. The first part is thematic and elaborates poverty and gender issues emerging from the literature that complement the other components of the Collaborative Program. Part two is empirical. Acknowledging the lack of empirical data on poverty impacts of investments in agricultural water management, the Collaborative Program initiated case studies throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Eight case studies on ‘Agricultural Water Development for Poverty Reduction in Eastern and Southern Africa’, for which the field research was conducted in 2003/2004, were supported by IFAD (Peacock,2005). Further, the African Development Bank supported three case studies in West Africa in 2004, two by Kamara et al. (2004), and one by Babatunde Omilola (2005). Part two synthesizes the empirical findings of these case studies.

Irrigation has been and will continue to be an agricultural and rural investment priority. Development of the irrigation sector faces multiple challenges, including water scarcity and degradation, competition over shared resources, and the impact of climate change. Innovations are needed to address these challenges, as well as emerging needs, and to promote productive, equitable and sustainable water management. These guidelines, produced by an inter-agency team, highlight experiences and lessons learned from global irrigation investment operations. They introduce innovative approaches, tools and references, and provide practical guidance on how to incorporate or apply them at each stage of the investment project cycle. The guidelines will be a useful resource for national and international professionals involved in irrigation investment operations.

Managing water resources is one of the most pressing challenges of our times - fundamental to how we feed 2 billion more people in coming decades, eliminate poverty, and reverse ecosystem degradation. This Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, involving more than 700 leading specialists, evaluates current thinking on water and its interplay with agriculture to help chart the way forward. It offers actions for water management and water policy - to ensure more equitable and effective use. This assessment describes key water-food-environment trends that influence our lives today and uses scenarios to explore the consequences of a range of potential investments. It aims to inform investors and policymakers about water and food choices in light of such crucial influences as poverty, ecosystems, governance, and productivity. It covers rainfed agriculture, irrigation, groundwater, marginal-quality water, fisheries, livestock, rice, land, and river basins. Ample tables, graphs, and references make this an invaluable work for practitioners, academics, researchers, and policymakers in water management, agriculture, conservation, and development. Published with IWMI.