Accelerating Irrigation Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa : Policy Lessons from the Global Revolution in Farmer-Led Smallholder Irrigation

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W A T E R G L O B A L P R A C T I C E

Accelerating Irrigation

Expansion in Sub-Saharan

Africa

Policy Lessons from the Global Revolution in Farmer-Led Smallholder Irrigation

Tushaar Shah, Regassa Namara, and Abhishek Rajan

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Accelerating Irrigation

Expansion in Sub-Saharan

Africa

Policy Lessons from the Global Revolution in Farmer-Led Smallholder Irrigation

Tushaar Shah, Regassa Namara, and Abhishek Rajan

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Please cite the work as follows: Shah, Tushaar, Regassa Namara, and Abhishek Rajan. 2020. "Accelerating

Irrigation Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa: Policy Lessons from the Global Revolution in Farmer-Led Smallholder Irrigation." World Bank, Washington, DC.

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Contents

Abbreviationsv

Chapter 1  Introduction	1
Irrigation and Smallholder Agriculture	1
Sub-Saharan Africa's Irrigation History	2
Green Shoots of Smallholder Irrigation	3
FLSI Impacts in Sub-Saharan Africa	3
Need for Speed	5
Notes	7

Chapter 2  Global Boom in FLSI	9
Irrigation Adapted to Farming Rather than Farming Adapted to Irrigation	9
Growing Role of Motor Pump	10
Global Boom in Pump-Driven FLSI	10
Distinguishing Features of FLSI	12
Notes	12

Chapter 3  Triggers and Drivers of FLSI in Asia and Elsewhere	13
Triggers	13
Supply-Side Drivers of the FLSI Boom	14
Demand-Side Drivers of the FLSI Boom	17
Notes	18

Chapter 4  Positive and Negative Impacts of the FLSI Revolution	19
Green Revolution	19
Intensification and Dry-Season Market Crops	19
Made Famines History	20
Creative Destruction	20
Note	21

Chapter 5  FLSI Revolution and Water Governance Challenge	23
Groundwater Depletion in Hard Rock Aquifers: Special Case of Peninsular
India and Sub-Saharan Africa	24
Notes	27
Chapter 6  Why Can Sub-Saharan Africa Sustain an FLSI Revolution
Better than South Asia?	29
Notes	30

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