Work

Why water matters for Africa's food systems: A Call to Action for irrigation investment

Year: 2026

Type: other

Abstract: Less than 5 percent of Africa's cultivated land is reported to be irrigated, leaving farmers, livelihoods, and economies exposed to erratic rainfall, drought, floods and associated economic shocks. Irrigation is key to agricultural intensification, enabling year-round production, allows farmers to grow higher-value, nutrient-dense crops, creates jobs and wealth and strengthens food supply chains and markets. Irrigation is, moreover, an enabler of other agricultural inputs, ensuring that productivity-increasing inputs and technologies don’t go to waste as a result of dry spells but instead generate yields and farmer incomes. Africa's irrigation potential is considerable: estimates point to roughly 33 million hectares suitable for farmer-led groundwater irrigation and 6 million hectares for additional surface water irrigation. But realizing this potential sustainably means aligning national investment decisions with underlying basin and aquifer conditions; agro-ecological zones; competing water demands (such as for nature, households, and industry); and infrastructure and technology possibilities. The African Union’s Framework for irrigation development and agricultural water management (IDAWM) describes key underlying conditions for investment and scaling complementary irrigation development pathways.

Source: CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research)

Authors: Cofie, Olufunke O., Ringler, Claudia, Agbonlahor, Mure, Amede, Tilahun, Czajkowski, Mikayla, Kabuti, Vincent, Kimotho, Ephantus, Smith, Mark

Language: English

Topic: Irrigation Practices and Water Management

Subfield: Soil Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7207960072

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