Work

The linkages between water supply, sanitation and hygiene and small-scale irrigation: insights from rural Ethiopia

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: While small-scale irrigation is largely designed and developed for agricultural production, irrigation water is used for multiple other purposes in rural low- and middle-income settings where dedicated water, sanitation, and hygiene services (WASH) are not available. Therefore, expanding access to irrigation can potentially improve the WASH environment leading to health and nutrition benefits. This study examines the linkages between irrigation, use of irrigation water sources for multiple purposes, and WASH and health outcomes. We find that irrigation is associated with better household access to water and improved sanitation facilities. This relationship is driven by households that use groundwater for both irrigation and domestic purposes. Moreover, our results show that hygiene practices and health outcomes are not influenced by irrigation or multiple uses of the same water source. To strengthen hygiene behavior, behavioral change communication will be important. For small-scale irrigation to effectively support WASH and, thus, to strengthen nutrition and health outcomes, systems would need to be co-designed by irrigation and health specialists.

Source: Journal of Water and Health

DOI: 10.2166/wh.2025.053

Authors: Elizabeth Bryan, Chloé van Biljon, Yeyoung Lee, Claudia Ringler, Dawit K. Mekonnen

Institutions: International Food Policy Research Institute, Michigan State University, World Bank

Language: English

Topic: Child Nutrition and Water Access

Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics

Field: Nursing

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Zero hunger, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: United States Agency for International Development