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Smallholder groundwater irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: country-level estimates of development potential

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  • Paul Pavelic
  • Karen G. Villholth
  • Yunqiao Shu
  • Lisa-Maria Rebelo
  • Vladimir Smakhtin

Abstract

The abundance of groundwater resources of Sub-Saharan Africa is generally well recognized, but quantitative estimates of their potential for irrigation development are lacking. This study derives estimates using a simple and generic water balance approach and data from secondary sources for 13 countries. Even with conservative assumptions and accounting for water demands from other sectors, including the environment, a 120-fold increase (by 13.5 million hectares) in the area under groundwater irrigation is possible for the countries considered. This expansion could improve the livelihoods of approximately 40% of the present-day rural population.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Pavelic & Karen G. Villholth & Yunqiao Shu & Lisa-Maria Rebelo & Vladimir Smakhtin, 2013. "Smallholder groundwater irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: country-level estimates of development potential," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 392-407, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rwinxx:v:38:y:2013:i:4:p:392-407
    DOI: 10.1080/02508060.2013.819601
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Maurice Osewe & Aijun Liu & Tim Njagi, 2020. "Farmer-Led Irrigation and Its Impacts on Smallholder Farmers’ Crop Income: Evidence from Southern Tanzania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Pavelic, Paul & Senaratna Sellamuttu, Sonali & Johnston, Robyn & McCartney, Matthew & Sotoukee, Touleelor & Balasubramanya, Soumya & Suhardiman, Diana & Lacombe, Guillaume & Douangsavanh, Somphasith &, 2015. "Integrated assessment of groundwater use for improving livelihoods in the dry zone of Myanmar," IWMI Research Reports 229608, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Barrett,Christopher B. & Sheahan,Megan Britney & Barrett,Christopher B. & Sheahan,Megan Britney, 2014. "Understanding the agricultural input landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa : recent plot, household, and community-level evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7014, The World Bank.
    4. Lucia de Strasser, 2017. "Calling for Nexus Thinking in Africa’s Energy Planning," ESP: Energy Scenarios and Policy 263161, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    5. Franklin Obiri-Nyarko & Stephen Junior Asugre & Sandra Vincentia Asare & Anthony Appiah Duah & Anthony Yaw Karikari & Jolanta Kwiatkowska-Malina & Grzegorz Malina, 2022. "Hydrogeochemical Studies to Assess the Suitability of Groundwater for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes: The Upper East Region of Ghana Case Study," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-22, November.
    6. Mohammed Wazed, Saeed & Hughes, Ben Richard & O’Connor, Dominic & Kaiser Calautit, John, 2018. "A review of sustainable solar irrigation systems for Sub-Saharan Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 1206-1225.
    7. Aarnoudse, E. & Closas, Alvar & Lefore, Nicole, 2018. "Water user associations: a review of approaches and alternative management options for Sub-Saharan Africa," IWMI Working Papers H048782, International Water Management Institute.
    8. Dong-Gill Kim & Elisa Grieco & Antonio Bombelli & Jonathan E. Hickman & Alberto Sanz-Cobena, 2021. "Challenges and opportunities for enhancing food security and greenhouse gas mitigation in smallholder farming in sub-Saharan Africa. A review," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(2), pages 457-476, April.
    9. Lorenzo, C. & Almeida, R.H. & Martínez-Núñez, M. & Narvarte, L. & Carrasco, L.M., 2018. "Economic assessment of large power photovoltaic irrigation systems in the ECOWAS region," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 992-1003.
    10. Worqlul, Abeyou W. & Dile, Yihun T. & Schmitter, Petra & Jeong, Jaehak & Meki, Manyowa N. & Gerik, Thomas J. & Srinivasan, Raghavan & Lefore, Nicole & Clarke, Neville, 2019. "Water resource assessment, gaps, and constraints of vegetable production in Robit and Dangishta watersheds, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    11. Raymond van Der Wijngaart & John Helming & Claire Jacobs & Pedro Andres Garzon Delvaux & Steven Hoek & Sergio Gomez y Paloma, 2019. "Irrigation and irrigated agriculture potential in the Sahel: The case of the Niger river basin: Prospective review of the potential and constraints in a changing climate," JRC Research Reports JRC108657, Joint Research Centre.
    12. Walker, D. & Parkin, G. & Gowing, J. & Haile, Alemseged Tamiru, 2019. "Development of a hydrogeological conceptual model for shallow aquifers in the data scarce Upper Blue Nile Basin," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 6(2):1-24..

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