Increasing the productivity of agriculture through better water control clearly makes a significant impact. Farmers can use a variety of simple and affordable water management techniques to increase their yields and reduce their vulnerability to erratic rainfall or drought.

For example, they can build earth barriers or furrows that channel rainwater runoff to plants or rows of plants (in situ conservation). Or they can capture water from a catchment area and direct it to the field (flood irrigation). To prepare for dry periods, they can collect rainwater in reservoirs, ponds and other basins (storage for supplementary irrigation).

Studies throughout Africa have shown that rainwater harvesting can increase yields up to three times. Not only does it provide more water for crops, but it also helps to recharge groundwater and to reduce soil erosion.

Introduction

Basic  facts

Water and food security

Managing water -  the "people" side

Technology - irrigated production

Technology - options for farmers

Use and abuse

Looking ahead

THE "TECHNOLOGY" SIDE
- OPTIONS FOR SMALL FARMERS

 

Did you know... Globally, rainfed agriculture is practised on 80 percent of cultivated land and supplies more than 60 percent of the world's food. Experience in Burkina Faso, Kenya and the Sudan has shown that rain harvested from one area to irrigate another can triple or quadruple production.

Water harvesting
Irrigating crops, pastures and trees with rain runoff can significantly improve yields. Techniques vary from large-scale water catchment to simple mounds of earth that trap rain runoff at the base of trees.

Motorized pumps
Cheap, reliable motorized pumps have revolutionized irrigation. They are being used more and more by small-scale farmers to increase their food production.

Treadle pumps
These simple and inexpensive human-powered pumps are used widely by small-scale farmers in many Asian and African countries.