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The development of small‐scale irrigation in sub‐Saharan Africa
Author(s) -
Carter Richard C.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
public administration and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-162X
pISSN - 0271-2075
DOI - 10.1002/pad.4230090507
Subject(s) - scale (ratio) , sophistication , business , government (linguistics) , irrigation , economic growth , natural resource economics , political capital , politics , economics , environmental planning , political science , geography , social science , linguistics , philosophy , cartography , sociology , law , biology , ecology
The performance of irrigation schemes in sub‐Saharan Africa has generally been discouraging. This has been particularly true of large‐scale formal smallholder developments. Recently attention has been turning increasingly to small‐scale farmer‐managed irrigation, generally utilizing simple, low‐cost methods of water control. While not yet very prominent in Government planning and policy statements, small‐scale irrigation has been espoused enthusiastically by farmers, non‐governmental organizations and some international agencies. In this approach to rural development external agencies act as catalysts of change, technical advisors, channels for capital funding and intermediaries between farmer groups and other organizations. Although generally limited in physical size and sophistication of technology, small‐scale irrigation nevertheless experiences the complexities inherent in the management of land and water, and of social, political and economic change. Research and development needs are wide‐ranging, and attention to them is likely to be fruitful in terms of increasingly effective rural development strategies.