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The agricultural development of sub‐Saharan Africa
Author(s) -
Olivares Jose
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
natural resources forum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1477-8947
pISSN - 0165-0203
DOI - 10.1111/j.1477-8947.1989.tb00349.x
Subject(s) - irrigation , agriculture , hectare , agricultural economics , water resource management , geography , irrigation statistics , developing country , business , environmental science , irrigation management , economics , economic growth , deficit irrigation , agronomy , biology , archaeology
A study prepared by FAO on the irrigation potential of sub‐Saharan Africa is compared with the results of a similar study by the World Bank. The FAO study estimates that there are approximately 33 million hectares potentially suitable for irrigation. The World Bank study indicates that the actual number may be closer to 20 million. Reasons are offered to explain the difference in the conclusions of the two studies. This paper also examines the cost of developing irrigation in the sub‐Sahara as well as the food‐producing potential from irrigation. Costs are found to be in line with irrigation schemes of similar size in other regions. Nevertheless, because much of the irrigation potential is located in only six countries, irrigation does not appear to be a viable means of agricultural development in the sub‐Sahara.