Water Harvesting in Sub-Saharan Africa

Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa is constrained by highly variable rainfall, frequent drought and low water productivity. There is an urgent need, heightened by climate change, for appropriate technologies to address this problem through managing and increasing the quantity of water on farmers’ fields – i.e. water harvesting. This book defines water harvesting as a set of approaches which occupy an intermediate position along the water-management spectrum extending from in-situ moisture conservation to irrigated agriculture. They generally comprise small-scale systems that induce, collect, store and make use of local surface runoff for agriculture.

The authors review development experience and set out the state of the art of water harvesting for crop production and other benefits in Sub-Saharan Africa. This includes an assessment of water harvesting schemes that were initiated two or three decades ago when interest was stimulated by the droughts of the 1970s and 1980s. These provide lessons to promote sustainable development of dryland agriculture in the face of changing environmental conditions. Case studies from eight countries across west, central, east and southern Africa provide the evidence base. Each follows a similar format and is based on assessments conducted in collaboration with in-country partners, with a focus on attempts to promote adoption of water harvesting, both horizontally (spread) and vertically (institutionalization). Introductory cross-cutting chapters as well as an analytical conclusion are also included.

William Critchley is a Senior Sustainable Land Management Specialist at the Centre for International Cooperation, VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

John Gowing is a Reader in Agricultural Water Management, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Contributors:

Adane Abebe, Ermias Alemu, M. Balima, Jennie Barron, Jetske Bouma, Martin Bwalya, Kipruto Cherogony, Asha Mohamed Deen, Sabina Di Prima, Abdalla Osman Eissa, Abdelaziz Gaiballa, Douglas Gumbo, Abdou Hassane, Seraphine Kabore-Sawadogo, F.C. Kahimba, Ralph Lasage, H.F. Mahoo, Maimbo Malesu, B.P. Mbilinyi, Eefke Mollee, K.D. Mutabazi, Isaiah Nyagumbo, Alex Oduor, Korodjouma Ouattara, I. Ouedraogo, Chris Reij, P.Reuben, F.B. Rwehumbiza, Hilmy Sally, M. Savadogo, Susanne M. Scheierling, Denyse Snelder, S. Traore, S.D. Tumbo, Kifle Woldearegay and Menas Wuta.