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Technical considerations affecting adoption of drip irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Friedlander, Lonia
  • Tal, Alon
  • Lazarovitch, Naftali

Abstract

Global water supplies are limited and will be increasingly strained as a result of global warming and increased agricultural demands. Drip irrigation can reliably provide increased yield and water use efficiency, yet its adoption in many food-insecure countries is negligible or less than 1% of total cultivated land. Failed technology transfer attempts are especially apparent in many African countries, despite a variety of promotion efforts. We explore the factors that influence successful drip irrigation adoption. Unlike previous studies, we focus on technical malfunctions and the array of difficulties that farmers may experience with their drip systems and their responses to these problems. By considering different farm types and four countries together, our results offer a broad perspective on the general trends and common problems among African drip users. We interviewed 61 drip irrigation adopters and analyzed their responses for statistically significant association with successful adoption. All respondents experienced a wide variety of technical difficulties with their systems. We also found that certain, very specific difficulties were good predictors of future drip irrigation abandonment. These include, water storage problems and problems with destructive wildlife. We make the following recommendations to drip irrigation promoters. (1) Redesign drip systems to help prevent common problems. (2) Invest in clear education for adopters, focusing on maintenance and repairs. (3) Encourage the adoption of complementary technologies to support the functioning of drip systems, such as water storage, purification and delivery systems, and defenses against animals.

Suggested Citation

  • Friedlander, Lonia & Tal, Alon & Lazarovitch, Naftali, 2013. "Technical considerations affecting adoption of drip irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 125-132.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:126:y:2013:i:c:p:125-132
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2013.04.014
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    1. Ibragimov, Nazirbay & Evett, Steven R. & Esanbekov, Yusupbek & Kamilov, Bakhtiyor S. & Mirzaev, Lutfullo & Lamers, John P.A., 2007. "Water use efficiency of irrigated cotton in Uzbekistan under drip and furrow irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 90(1-2), pages 112-120, May.
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    1. Venot, Jean-Philippe, 2016. "A Success of Some Sort: Social Enterprises and Drip Irrigation in the Developing World," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 69-81.
    2. Nicholas, Graeme & Srinivasan, MS & Beechener, Sam & Foote, Jeff & Robson-Williams, Melissa & FitzHerbert, Stephen, 2020. "Transferring the impacts of pilot-scale studies to other scales: Understanding the role of non-biophysical factors using field-based irrigation studies," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    3. Alonso, A. & Feltz, N. & Gaspart, F. & Sbaa, M. & Vanclooster, M., 2019. "Comparative assessment of irrigation systems’ performance: Case study in the Triffa agricultural district, NE Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 338-348.
    4. Garb, Yaakov & Friedlander, Lonia, 2014. "From transfer to translation: Using systemic understandings of technology to understand drip irrigation uptake," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 13-24.
    5. Grant, Fiona & Sheline, Carolyn & Sokol, Julia & Amrose, Susan & Brownell, Elizabeth & Nangia, Vinay & Winter, Amos G., 2022. "Creating a Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation Optimal Performance model (SDrOP) to lower the cost of drip irrigation systems for smallholder farmers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    6. Daniele Mozzato & Paola Gatto & Edi Defrancesco & Lucia Bortolini & Francesco Pirotti & Elena Pisani & Luigi Sartori, 2018. "The Role of Factors Affecting the Adoption of Environmentally Friendly Farming Practices: Can Geographical Context and Time Explain the Differences Emerging from Literature?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, August.
    7. Amadou Keita & Dial Niang & Sibri Alphonse Sandwidi, 2022. "How Non-Governmental-Organization-Built Small-Scale Irrigation Systems Are a Failure in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.
    8. Imran Sajid & Bernhard Tischbein & Christian Borgemeister & Martina Flörke, 2022. "Assessing Barriers in Adaptation of Water Management Innovations under Rotational Canal Water Distribution System," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Mwaura, Francis M. & Muwanika, Fred R., 2018. "Providing irrigation water as a public utility to enhance agricultural productivity in Uganda," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 99-109.
    10. Christian P. Schneider & Edeltraud Guenther & Dominik Möst, 2024. "International technology transfer to Africa in light of the SDGs: What do we know about the barriers?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(4), pages 2129-2151, May.
    11. Masoud Yazdanpanah & Kurt Klein & Tahereh Zobeidi & Stefan Sieber & Katharina Löhr, 2022. "Why Have Economic Incentives Failed to Convince Farmers to Adopt Drip Irrigation in Southwestern Iran?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    12. Srinivasan, M.S. & Jongmans, C. & Bewsell, D. & Elley, G., 2019. "Research idea to science for impact: Tracing the significant moments in an innovation based irrigation study," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 181-192.
    13. Morey Burnham & Zhao Ma & Delan Zhu, 2015. "The human dimensions of water saving irrigation: lessons learned from Chinese smallholder farmers," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(2), pages 347-360, June.
    14. Grabowski, Philip & Schmitt Olabisi, Laura & Adebiyi, Jelili & Waldman, Kurt & Richardson, Robert & Rusinamhodzi, Leonard & Snapp, Sieglinde, 2019. "Assessing adoption potential in a risky environment: The case of perennial pigeonpea," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 89-99.

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