Overview
Irrigation has the power to transform agriculture—doubling productivity, improving resilience to climate change, and strengthening food systems. Yet despite significant government investments, utilization of irrigation infrastructure often remains low. Many “command areas” designed for irrigated farming still rely on rainfall, limiting both productivity and the sustainability of infrastructure. To unlock irrigation’s potential, complementary interventions are essential. These must address the practical constraints farmers face, from labor requirements and land access to market connections and credit. When irrigation is supported with such interventions, households can diversify crops, increase annual incomes, and reduce vulnerability to climate shocks. Evidence from Rwanda and other countries shows that coordinated strategies not only increase utilization but also maximize the long-term returns to costly irrigation investments.
Themes
Reducing Labor Barriers: Small-scale technologies such as drip irrigation and rain hoses make irrigated farming less labor-intensive, enabling broader participation.
Land Access & Exchanges: Facilitating land rental markets ensures that farmers best positioned to use irrigation can access irrigable plots, while others continue with rainfed farming.
Market Connections: Linking farmers to buyers and improving value chains raises crop prices and makes irrigation more profitable.
Finance & Credit: Affordable financing helps farmers cover the upfront costs of irrigation and invest in complementary inputs.
Information & Extension: Tailored advice and technology demonstrations guide farmers in maximizing the benefits of irrigation.
Operations & Maintenance: Promoting water-use efficiency and collective management ensures the sustainability of irrigation schemes.
Partnerships
Realizing irrigation’s transformative impact requires coordination across governments, farmers, research institutions, and development partners. Evidence-based evaluations in Rwanda—conducted with the Ministry of Agriculture, DIME, and the World Bank—demonstrate how targeted interventions can raise utilization of hillside irrigation schemes and inform policy design across Africa and beyond. Partnerships can align infrastructure investments with value chain development, extension services, and financial innovation, ensuring irrigation delivers higher productivity, food security, and climate resilience. By combining global knowledge with local insights, collaborative action can turn irrigation infrastructure into a cornerstone of sustainable agricultural transformation.
