How to accelerate and scale inclusive water access in Ethiopia

Smallholder farmers generate between 30-34% of the global food supply but face challenges including unpredictable rain, flood and drought. To boost farmers’ resilience, IWMI researchers have been working with the Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI) and Texas A&M University to accelerate farmer-led irrigation (FLI) in Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali and Tanzania. In Ethiopia, researchers work closely with the government, public and private sector actors and national research institutes, such as Bahir Dar University, and partners such as IFAD.

Farmer-led means farmers have agency and autonomy over how water is used for irrigated agriculture in their communities. Farmers drive the establishment, improvement, and/or expansion of irrigated agriculture and influence the location, purpose and design of irrigation development through small-scale, on-farm, locally relevant and market-oriented solutions.

Farmer-led irrigation is powerful for rural communities – but scaling it is not easy. In Ethiopia, systemic barriers prevent about 5.8 million farmers from investing and benefiting. These challenges include access to technology, gender inclusion gaps, a lack of access to finance and underdeveloped irrigation supply chains and market linkages.

Sewagegn, a local farmer, and Gebeyaw, a data collector, set up a solar powered pump in her backyard garden in Danghesta, in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. To make scaling farmer-led irrigation inclusive and equitable, it is critical to look at the food system and consider who wants to irrigate, what technologies they prefer, how they can invest and what type of financing is best. Inclusivity also requires understanding gender relations, which can shape a farmer’s position in the household, access and control over resources and participation in decision-making.

Investments in solar and drip irrigation support cabbage, carrots and maize in a home garden. Farmer-led irrigation improves nutrition by increasing farmers’ crop production and incomes, while also, depending on available water quality, supporting water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) efforts. The approach helps food systems grow more efficient, sustainable and climate resilient.

A woman at a dairy cooperative does her accounting. Bringing relevant actors—including private sector companies—together can help bridge fragmented efforts and create opportunities. Irrigation, for example, helps farmers grow fodder to feed cattle, which facilitates dairy production. A strong linkage between irrigation suppliers, fodder irrigators and dairy producers and processors means business opportunities across the market and resilience against shocks like climate-related floods and droughts as well as COVID-19.

The private sector has a role to play in development, with companies like Futurepump and Sunculture selling solar irrigation pumps to support agricultural economic growth in Ethiopia. Bringing the private sector into the dialogue to discuss challenges they face, such as taxes on solar technology, is key to developing markets and overcoming barriers to farmer-led irrigation.

Methods for financing irrigation technologies are often out of reach for rural communities. Improving financing includes facilitating dialogues between stakeholders to strengthen irrigation supply chains, improving inclusive payment schemes for farmers, and “de-risking” new ventures for businesses by providing, for example, solar companies funds to test out new services to benefit farmers.

Sisay Asres, an irrigation engineer from Bahir Dar University who works closely with families in Danghesta village examines an irrigation pump. Farmer-led irrigation is a de-centralized approach rooted in partnerships. Use of climate smart and conservation agricultural practices, can make FLI sustainable, lowering risks like water pollution, soil degradation and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Bringing together stakeholders and investments from public and private communities, with research support, is necessary for inclusively and sustainably scaling farmer-led irrigation. Understanding the incentives, roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders can protect natural resources, support agricultural and economic growth.