Irrigation agriculture in africa

Compared to other continents Africa has the worlds lowest rate of irrigation equipment. African Union Headquarters PO.

Most African governments have seen irrigation as a means towards.

Irrigation agriculture in africa. Although irrigation in Africa has the potential to boost agricultural productivities by at least 50 percent food production on the continent is almost entirely rainfed. The area equipped for irrigation currently slightly more than 13 million hectares makes up just 6 percent of the total cultivated area. Eighty-five percent of Africas poor live in rural areas and mostly depend on agriculture for their.

In sub-Saharan Africa irrigation is not widespread covering only 7 of the total cultivated area of 183 million hectares. This is by far the lowest proportion of irrigation anywhere in the world. Investment is badly needed but careful planning is essential.

Africa Irrigated agriculture has a minor place in the economies of the sub-Saharan countries with the exception of Sudan Madagascar and Nigeria. Of the 264 million ha of modern irrigation developed in sub-Saharan Africa Sudan alone accounts for nearly two-thirds of the total at 17 million ha. Similarly out of 238 million ha of small-scale or.

The missing piece of Africas agriculture puzzle A new IFPRI research paper What is the Irrigation Potential for Africa. A combined biophysical and socioeconomic approach provides an overviewand offers solutions toAfricas irrigation landscape. According to estimates only six percent of the continents farmland is irrigated.

In contrast its 37 percent in Asia. Irrigation has been surprisingly underplayed in sub-Saharan Africa despite renewed interest in agricultural development since the Maputo Declaration of 2003. Talk of a green revolution for Africa most often centres on improved soils better seeds or more fertiliser.

This is surprising as few changes to farming hold as much promise as irrigation. Irrigation in Africa has not developed to the same extent as in Asia. The special features of Africa for developing and managing irrigation projects the present status and future potential of both rainfed and irrigated agriculture in 50 African countries and the main problems facing Africa in the area of irrigation are analysed.

Irrigation for agriculture has not been prioritized by African governments or their development partners. Urban Water and Sanitation were prioritized under the MDGs but not irrigation for agriculture. High irrigation investment costs.

Average total cost for irrigated scheme for one hectare in Sub Saharan Africa is US 8374 in 2000 prices. When irrigation schemes are linked to new. Africa and contributes an estimated 53 million tons 10 to regional cereal demand plus 6 to 8 to demand for root crops and vegetables.

Other main crops are sugarcane and cotton. Most African governments have seen irrigation as a means towards. The African Unions AU framework on Irrigation Development and Agricultural Water Management IDAWM sets forth implementation pathways to guide Member States MS investments in agricultural water development use and management.

The framework was endorsed by the by the Specialized Technical Committee STC on Agriculture Rural Development Water and. Over 90 of agriculture depends on rainfall with no artificial irrigation aid. The techniques used to cultivate the soil are still far behind from what has been adopted in Asia and Americas lacking not only irrigation but also fertilisers pesticides and access to high-yield seeds.

Agriculture in Africa also experiences basic infrastructural problems such as access to markets and financing. Irrigation in Africa has not developed to the same extent as in Asia. The special features of Africa for developing and managing irrigation projects the present status and future potential of both.

Although irrigation in Africa has the potential to boost agricultural productivities by at least 50 percent food production on the continent is almost entirely rainfed. The area equipped for irrigation currently slightly more than 13 million hectares makes up just 6 percent of the total cultivated area. Africa has a total agricultural area of about 113 billion hectares but only 156 million hectares are equipped for irrigation ie.

About 14 of total African agricultural areas. Compared to other continents Africa has the worlds lowest rate of irrigation equipment. In Central and South America and in Asia for example areas equipped for irrigation respectively amount to 23 million hectares and 16.

Water management including irrigation in general and drip irrigation in particular helps increase agricultural productivity as it yields better and richer crops. With projects that facilitate agricultural industrialization and help address climate changes Africa can shift from a food importer to a food exporter thus transforming the lives of many farmers while saving water fertilizers and energy. Our agricultural engineering section has expertise and experience in a wide range of services within the agricultural sector.

These include undertaking soil surveys and agricultural potential assessments feasibility studies for small- and large-scale irrigation projects including water resources assessments abstraction design runoff and soil conservation protection design and environmental. An Integrated Prosperous and Peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena. African Union Headquarters PO.

Box 3243 Roosvelt Street W21K19 Addis Ababa Ethiopia Tel. 251 11 551 77 00 Fax. 251 11 551 78 44.

Agriculture forms a significant portion of the economies of all African countries as a sector it can therefore contribute towards major continental priorities such as eradicating poverty and hun.